Adopting 2 dogs, time alone at home

hairyslug

We have been thinking of adopting a dog, I finally convinced the wife into getting 2. Now when I was growing up, we always had a dog but there was always someone at home, everyday 24hrs a day.
We feel we have the time to offer the dogs plenty of attention, we have 3 kids and while I believe the dogs would be great for the kids (we see how they get on with other dogs) my fear is more for the dogs and how they will react when they are left alone.
We reckon that about 1 day a month the house is empty for the day, the garden is secure but I'm worried how they would get on left alone for the day, whether inside or out.

sillysmiles

Personally I wouldn't adopt two dogs together (unless a rescue has a pair of dogs they wish to keep together).

We have our dog about 8 months now, and we are just getting to the stage where we can take him off lead (occasionally). If we had gotten two dogs together I think it would be much harder to train, much harder to get each individually to bond to you and we the dog we have I know that off lead would be a complete no no if we had gotten two dogs together as they would have gone and not listened to us at all. Just my opinion.

VonVix

Really it depends on the dog(s), we can come up with best case scenarios and worst case scenarios!

Are you looking into rescue, getting puppies, bonded adult pair or bringing two dogs together to keep each other company? First, I would like to advise you against getting two puppies of the same age, and I can vouch for it being an issue as an owner of siblings myself.

What would be the daily routine you would have in place for a dog?

Doggie daycare (basically a creche for dogs) is also an option if you are out for a "family day", they are cheap enough and you have the peace of mind your dog is being entertained!

hairyslug

We had been looking getting 2 to keep each other company. Had never really thought of there being a training issue tbh.
We were thinking of puppies but I would just as happy for get rescue dogs, just depends what we would bond with on a visit to the <snip>.

Would getting 2 of seperate ages, say a puppy and a 1 or 2 year old be an option.

hairyslug

As for daily routine, walk in the morning before work and then in evening.
I'll admit my lack of knowledge here as I'm only going on what we did when I had a dog when I was young but the dogs would be with my wife for the day whether she's going on a school run or walking with the kids.

the_syco

hairyslug wrote: »

Would getting 2 of seperate ages, say a puppy and a 1 or 2 year old be an option.

IMO, get two young puppies, as the one year old may like their own room, may not have been socialised, etc, etc, or two dogs that live together.

Cherry Blossom

My neighbour got two pups together and they have serious littermate syndrome. If you are set on this, they will need to be walked seperately, trained seperately and again together and have seperate one on one time with you. It's not something I would reccomend. It is best to get one dog and build up it's alone time gradually. When I got my sheltie he couldn't be left alone in a room for the first week. After that we got him used to being left out in the dog run, just for a few minutes at first gradually workin up to four hours. He's never been left any longer than that though. If you have to leave a dog longer than that, i would get someone to pop in and check on them, let them out to toilet, play with them for a few minutes, etc. I wouldn't leave a dog unattended in a garden either for safety reasons.

hairyslug

Just with the number of children we have, and for my own selfish reasons, i would like 2, but it looks like the negatives outway the positives.
Is getting 2, with a gap in between an option or if there was an age gap (one was already trained) an option

Cherry Blossom

I would get one and once they have settled in and training is well under way consider adding a second down the line. In my experience the novelty of having a dog wears off pretty quickly when it comes to kids. Another thing to consider is that kids and dogs should never be left together unsupervised, much harder to do when there is more that one dog in the house and only one adult.

hairyslug

adrenalinjunkie wrote: »

I would get one and once they have settled in and training is well under way consider adding a second down the line. In my experience the novelty of having a dog wears off pretty quickly when it comes to kids. Another thing to consider is that kids and dogs should never be left together unsupervised, much harder to do when there is more that one dog in the house and only one adult.

Cheers, think we will go with 1 for now and let her settle in and see how it goes.
we are prepared for the kids to lose interest, that's where I'll gladly step in and take over

donspeekinglesh

We adopted two adults together. (Their previous family were looking to rehome them.)
They were fully trained when we got them, so as long as they got their three walks a day they were fine being left alone all day.

DBB

I wold not have any issue with someone adopting two established dogs together OP. I regularly rehome established pairs of dogs together, and it makes the whole settling-in period easier for everyone! Being a single dog settling in to a new home can be quite an upheaval, but if you've your mate with you, it makes it sooo much easier
If you look on any rescue's pages, you'll regularly find pairs of (usually adult) dogs that are inseperable... it's hard to find a home for two dogs, so good owners who are actually looking for a pair are a godsend to many rescues!
It sounds like you have the potential to offer a great home to a dog with someone being home so much of the time: two pups together can be quite the handful alright, but getting a young adult pair gets rid of many of those problems, and it's a lovely dynamic

Hooked

I'd have to agree with most here... 2 adult dogs that are known to each other, yes. If our 2 had to rehomed (I'd have to have been tragically killed along with my wife) then they'd have to go as a pair.

Two puppies, no! Not for me anyway. Littermate syndrome being my fear.

aonb

hairyslug wrote: »

We have been thinking of adopting a dog, I finally convinced the wife into getting 2. Now when I was growing up, we always had a dog but there was always someone at home, everyday 24hrs a day.
We feel we have the time to offer the dogs plenty of attention, we have 3 kids and while I believe the dogs would be great for the kids (we see how they get on with other dogs) my fear is more for the dogs and how they will react when they are left alone.
We reckon that about 1 day a month the house is empty for the day, the garden is secure but I'm worried how they would get on left alone for the day, whether inside or out.

I thought this was your main question OP, and no one has commented on it. I dont think any dog(s) is going to suffer too much if he/they is left on his/their own for a day/month. If we are going to be away for several hours, our main concern is that the dogs are walked, a good long walk in the morning before we leave. Big bowl of water, a chew/stuffed frozen kong, radio on,lights left on, beds fluffed up, and fingers crossed that poos/wees will be minimal. Ideally someone would come and let them out in the garden for half an hour during the day, but our handy someone is no more. Then when we come home, another walk and dinner.
We used to leave the dogs in the (secure) garden in the summer if we were away but nowadays with all the scary dog-theft stories, we dont do that any more.

Good luck in the search for the new addition(s) to the family and +1 if you are willing to have a grown rescue dog(s) rather than a puppy - pros/cons either choice

hairyslug

Jesus, never thought it would be this difficult, 1st I fell in love with one that I saw online, then after visiting the centre we had a chat and found that he and all of the others there didn't fall into what seems to be, quite a narrow margin.
2nd home was the same, fingers crossed we find one that we can make a home for

aonb

hairyslug wrote: »

Jesus, never thought it would be this difficult, 1st I fell in love with one that I saw online, then after visiting the centre we had a chat and found that he and all of the others there didn't fall into what seems to be, quite a narrow margin.
2nd home was the same, fingers crossed we find one that we can make a home for

What do you mean?
Where are you based OP?

Ashbx

I have two dogs that are left alone for a minimum of 4 hours a day (maximum of 8 but doesn't happen often). I bring the dogs for two and sometimes three walks a day. One before I go to work, one when I come home and my boyfriend will walk them in the afternoon if he can.

As long as they are exercised fully, you will have no problem leaving them alone during the day. That is presuming you are not getting puppies, if you get puppies you may come home to your house chewed up!

puppieperson

hairyslug wrote: »

We have been thinking of adopting a dog, I finally convinced the wife into getting 2. Now when I was growing up, we always had a dog but there was always someone at home, everyday 24hrs a day.
We feel we have the time to offer the dogs plenty of attention, we have 3 kids and while I believe the dogs would be great for the kids (we see how they get on with other dogs) my fear is more for the dogs and how they will react when they are left alone.
We reckon that about 1 day a month the house is empty for the day, the garden is secure but I'm worried how they would get on left alone for the day, whether inside or out.

Hi I have 3 dogs and it is soo much easier to have more than one they play together sleep together eat together and look out for each other When i go to work i make the bed and tidy the toys and they are all untidy when i get home they play and enjoy themselves when i am out they also grab my mail and tear it to shreds its a big game for them. Dont be put off - when the kids are bored with the dogs they can be friends to each other. 2 dogs is kind and great go for it.