The more dogs the merrier

It’s been a long time since I’ve had only one dog, more than 25 years.  In fact, dogs have outnumbered the humans in our pack ever since we’ve been, well, a pack. Having had only one human child, it always made more sense to me to quench further maternal urges by adding a new dog. I figured I was saving a life while enriching my own: win/win. However, managing a multi-dog household is not always easy. Many struggle with squabbles and fighting, destructive behavior, excessive barking, and just general chaos and havoc. However, smart management and training can help keep things under control. 

Firstly, dogs need to understand the hierarchy and structure in the home. Simply put, the humans need to be at the top. How the message conveyed is key. Sorry, I don’t ascribe to the “be the pack leader” by intimidating, overpowering and causing fear in dogs. To the contrary, you can be a benevolent leader through kindness, respect and most importantly, clear communication.

1)   Give each dog quality time with you. One of the biggest mistakes people make once they add a dog is to expect the dogs to “train” and even worse, keep each other company. The humans all but disappear out of the equation. And then we wonder why the dogs ignore us! When you bring a new dog into your family, make sure you have adequate time for that new dog. This means additional time for training, walking, exercising, playing and socializing. For example, it’s fine to walk multiple dogs together, but only after they’ve been trained to walk singly. While dogs can mimic each other’s behavior, it’s up to us to teach them proper manners and what is and isn’t acceptable.

2)   Give each dog his/her own space. Dogs should not have to share everything. So whether it’s a crate, or if you have a large enough house, an entire room, each dog should have his or her own quiet space. This is a place where the dog can go to rest, eat, enjoy a chew toy, etc, without the fear or pressure of the other dog(s) interrupting. In my multi-dog household, each dog has his own crate for this purpose. I also feed my dogs in their crates. This ensures each dog not only gets the proper nutrition he needs, but also that he can eat comfortably without feeling he needs to guard his food.

3)   Learn to speak dog. One of the key ways of predicting dog behavior is to learn what dogs are trying to say, especially to each other. Learning canine body language is smart for any dog owner, but especially important for the multi-dog household. Dogs are giving signals of what they’re going to do all the time, with their body, with their vocalizations, even with their eye movement, but we often miss it. Two of the best resources for canine body language are “On Talking Terms with Dogs — Calming Signals by Turid Rugaas and Canine Body Language — A Photographic Guide by Brenda Aloff. Both books are published by Dogwise Publishing and are available on dogwise.com. There is also a Calming Signals DVD available as well. 

4)   Select your next dog wisely. Gender, age and temperament should be considered when putting multiple dogs together. All too often owners try to force interactions between dogs. Just like humans, sometimes dogs just don’t like each other and rub each other the wrong way. On the other hand, some dogs have good chemistry and love each other from the start. There is no hard and fast rule about this, but very often, opposite genders are the safest way to go. Adolescent males tend to get along well with younger or older females. Two intact males is usually a very risky pairing, as is two very dominant females. The best bet is to introduce the prospective dogs first and see how they interact before committing to forcing co-habitation.

5)   Be the leader your dogs need. Dogs do expect someone to captain the ship, and it should always be the humans in the household. When it isn’t clear, they’ll naturally try to commandeer the ship themselves! This should be done through positive, dog-friendly, non-aversive training. Show the dogs what is expected, then reward them for good behavior. Be fair, communicate effectively, and give them the opportunity to make the right choice. There’s nothing like watching a dog’s own light bulb come on. Dogs that feel free to think are happier and more willing to perform. 

Dogs aren’t potato chips. One can be just enough. But if you do choose to have more than one, take the time to ensure peace and harmony for everyone in the household, dogs and human. 

Stafford business owner Laurie C. Williams is a published author, television and radio personality and nationally-recognized dog trainer. She can be reached at onesmartpooch@aol.com.