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  1. #1
    Best Friend Retriever Java's Avatar
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    What's it like to have two labs at the same time?

    I've been asked if I want a 9-year old lab who needs to be re-homed due to a serious medical situation with the owner. I know the person who's taking care of finding new people for the dogs (all have found a new home except the lab). She's a dog person, does agility and I trust her opinion. This lab sounds lovely. Not that I want to worry about the future but with Boomer's condition, I can't help wonder what to do after he's gone. I was thinking of not having a dog for a while too, but my family and friends think I'll change my mind about that.

    I've never had two dogs, large dogs at that, at the same time. Mostly because I like to ensure my dogs are covered medically and pet insurance in Canada - especially for older large dogs - is expensive. She's good left for the day, loves car rides, loves to fetch (drops the ball gently in your lap), is low to medium energy for a lab, gets along with other dogs and with cats.

    I'm super tempted but I also think I'm not being too practical about this. If I meet her, I'll be lost for sure.

    Is it a lot more work to have two labs? Nine and twelve. Not sure that's a wide enough spread in age heartache-wise.

    I'm posting this off the cuff. This is me thinking out loud again. I've thought about a second dog before and always managed to say no.

  2. #2
    Senior Dog smartrock's Avatar
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    I'm a fan. I agree that you're signing up for a shorter time with an older pup but Poptop doesn't seem to be scared off by that. You do know what you're getting into though and it is a consideration. Our first dogs were boxer siblings, they died 2 weeks apart. Our second dogs were bullmastiffs who died one year apart. We just are not guaranteed even another day with any of our dogs and their lifespans are so much shorter than ours anyway. Do you go for it, don't you? It's a tough call.

    Our labs have been 5-6 years apart in age, it just worked out like that. Our third bullmastiff was an only "child" but that's a 140 lb dog we're talking about. Chase was an only child for about 6 years and really seemed happy to have a sibling. We thought Lark was happy enough by herself after Chase died but she's always happy to play with Henry, now that he's past the landshark phase. If Boomer is 12, having an older, calmer dog come into the house is probably a kinder approach than getting a younger, super energetic second pup if you're going to get a second dog. When Chase died 2 summers ago, it was a terrible shock but it was also nice to have another dog upon which to shower our attention, and she was all for that, too.

    We haven't hd any terrible medical expenses with any of our dogs, fortunately. Our worst expenses are when we travel and have to board them at a kennel. We had about a 2 year break in dog ownership after Teddy the bullmastiff died and before we got Chase. It made traveling a little easier but aside from that, I missed having a pup around.

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    Java (04-08-2019)

  4. #3
    Senior Dog arentspowell's Avatar
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    We just got our second lab and we're in the middle of the terrible land-shark phase but we've had two dogs for about 6 years now. Our older lab is 9 and our dachshund is 6. The lab you're considering bringing in sounds like a good fit! In our experience it hasn't been that much more work having two.

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    Java (04-08-2019)

  6. #4
    Senior Dog
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    We've always had at least two dogs at a time....at one time, we had an Akita and three Labs.

    The new one sounds like a good fit for you, from what you say. If, after giving it serious consideration, weighing all the pros and cons, you are still not sure....say "no". But you'll always wonder.



    (I told myself after we lost our last pure Lab that I was going to wait. He'd been an uncharacteristic handful and really wore me down, so I needed a rest. I made it almost a week before I was on Petfinder. Some of us are not really fully alive without a dog.)

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    Java (04-08-2019)

  8. #5
    Senior Dog
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    We've had at least two labs since 1999. At one point we even had 4. For about a month 4 years ago we were back down to one - it was between when we lost Mulder and Chloe had her pups. Three seems to be our most consistent number. I love having more than one - as long as they get along, I feel like they are good company for each other. No matter how well we bond with them, I feel sorry for only dogs as I feel like there is just something they get from their relationship with other dogs that they can't get from us. I don't feel like it's really much more work, especially once they are adults, but it is definitely more money.

    As for whether 3 years is too close when it comes to losing them, there are no guarantees no matter the age spread. Our first two were 3 years apart, but both made it to 15, so they died a little more than 3 years apart, which really didn't feel that close. We took in Mulder's littermate Jolie as a foster when her owner went to assisted littermate - she was 11. Even though they were litter mates, they still died a little over a year apart, so you just never know. I do think about that some times when I look at Cookie and Sassy who are littermates, but for us it isn't really a consideration. We will hurt no matter when we lose them, and it is unlikely that we would not have another dog in the house when it happens - I think being alone would be the hardest situation.
    Annette

    Cookie (HIT HC Jamrah's Legally Blonde, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
    Sassy (HIT Jamrah's Blonde Ambition, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015

    Chloe (HIT HC OTCH Windsong's Femme Fatale, UDX4, OM6, RE) 6/7/2009

    And remembering:

    Scully (HC Coventry's Truth Is Out There, UD, TD, RN) 4/14/1996 - 6/30/2011
    Mulder (Coventry's I Want To Believe, UD, RN, WC) 5/26/1999 - 4/22/2015

    And our foster Jolie (Windsong's Genuine Risk, CDX) 5/26/1999 - 3/16/2014

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    Java (04-08-2019)

  10. #6
    Senior Dog ZoeysMommy's Avatar
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    I have a 10 year old and a 3 year old lab plus 3 other dogs of different breeds

    I find my labs the easiest of them all, even though my other 3 are smaller they are far more complicated than my labs, honestly I think 5 labs would be easier than my 3 other breeds

    Also you are talking about a 9 year old, they are calmer and generally into a pretty decent routine at that age, I think it would be easy

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    Java (04-08-2019)

  12. #7
    Best Friend Retriever Java's Avatar
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    Despite all the good reasons to get another lab, I've decided that Boomer's more than enough for me. However, when I told a colleague about my decision, she immediately asked me for all the info, pics, and video. Turns out her family had been without a dog for a while and they'd been looking for an older dog. So all good. Thanks for sharing what 2+ labs/dogs is like!

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    smartrock (04-10-2019)

  14. #8
    Chief Pooper Scooper JenC's Avatar
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    We have 5 labs and a griff. We've had 6 labs. Things happen. A couple years ago we lost our oldest and our youngest 4 days apart. Meet the dog, if you like it and your dog likes it, keep it. Put a little aside in a savings account for "insurance" and you should be fine. Dogs are pack animals...the more the merrier.

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    Java (04-13-2019)

  16. #9
    Senior Dog labsnewfy's Avatar
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    We have had multiple labs and multiple dogs at one time, along with a cat or two or three LOL It is easier for me in the guilt department knowing they are not alone when we have to leave. I agree I would at the very least meet her and see how things go for all three of you.
    Hidden Content

    Coleman - CGC blk lab 6/02/97-2/25/08 adopted
    Tootsie - choc lab 10/19/99-8/03/13 adopted
    Bailey - CGC newf/fc 7/12/00-07/15/14 rescued
    Ginger - BT 11/16/05 - 10/14/19 rescued
    Sarah - blk lab 6/22/06 - 12/30/19 rescued
    rescued felines - AJ - 8/00 - 1/11, Merlin - 5/20/05-8/23/21
    Tucker - 8/3/10, Penny - 7/7/13, Toby - 6/14/21

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    Java (04-13-2019)

  18. #10
    House Broken
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    I married into a two lab relationship. I will never have two (family) dogs again. Do not make the mistake of anthropomorphizing dogs or projecting your emotions; having multiple dogs can confuse their pack mentality in the family situation and cause unnecessary competition.

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    Java (04-13-2019)

 



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