It's been in the pipeline for sometime now that I will be adding a third dog to my current two dog household. I've heard many times that going from two to three is really no different then having two. But I DO have some concerns. For one, how do you single handily walk three dogs? Especially when the third dog is a puppy and still learning how to walk nicely on lead. Can anyone with three dogs share their experiences? Did the third dog upset the balance between your older two dogs? Was the older dogs nose pushed out of joint? Did they become depressed? What are the best ways to integrate a third dog into the home and keep all dogs happy?
Although I don't have personal experience here, I would guess that it may actually be easier - because the pup has two dogs to learn from I don't think the others will get depressed either, unless they dislike other dogs or pups in general - I think they will feel 'alive' with the new addition... there's nothing quite like young blood to make you forget your own age
I've heard that many times. Hopefully this will be the case with my two. My terrier girl doesn't like other dogs outside the home but has accepted Tyler into the home, and my sister's dog too. She's exceptionally good with both, so I don't have any reason to believe she'll be any different with the new pup. Someone on another forum I'm on added a third pup to her household a couple of years ago. Another GSD. Her older GSD became very depressed for the first few weeks, not wanting to be in the same room as the pup, not wanting any attention from the owner. She was worried she'd made a huge mistake. Things turned out ok in the end, but these stories do get you thinking of the worst case scenarios.
I think that may be the exception rather than the norm tbh, so I wouldn't let it worry you too much (I know we will - we're considerate dog lovers ). Hopefully some of our members who have had more than one dog will comment... and hopefully put your mind at ease *hug* (Have you decided on a breed yet? I mean for definite )
I think much depends on your current dogs and situation. When I went from one to two dogs, it was quite a big leap as my resident GSD hated the new collie pup for the first few days. After the initial hostility, they became the best of friends and all was well. I then went from two to three and all went extremely smoothly, as I brought in an older dog that needed a home that fitted straight in with my current two. He was already part trained (a sheepdog) and had impeccable manners, so was easy to walk and he was very good natured.
Yes, a Hovawart. That much has been decided for the past two years After the tragic loss of the litter I was waiting on, I've been offered a pup from another litter they have on the ground.
Can you get photos of the litter they have? (Or have you seen them?) I'd like to see them too if your breeder will allow it
I'd like to ask permission before posting any pics. I can PM you the breeder name though if you want so you can take a look at the litter there? I'm importing the pup so they're not UK based.
That's cool - ask them first just to be on the safe side... who knows they might join up and submit some photos for the profiles as well
I've never had a problem introducing new dogs, mine accept new comers easily. I don't have 3 dogs I have 7 but number 3 was readily accepted by the 2 resident dogs, they certainly weren't depressed, far from it. I do all my walking off lead although I do train them to walk on lead, the two residents were already excellent on lead and the new one just fell into step with them. I find the more I have the easier they are to train as they copy the adults.
