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  1. #11
    Senior Dog windycanyon's Avatar
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    I've had up to 9 adults at one point. I can hardly remember just having 1! It's really not a problem.
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  2. #12
    Senior Dog smartrock's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by garball View Post
    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.
    Sorry you're having issues. I've had more than one kid and more than one dog simultaneously, boxers or bull mastiffs when my kids were little, and did not seem to experience the situation you imply that you're having. Our dogs have crates, our kids did not. The dogs did/do not sleep or sit on the furniture, the kids do (obviously). The dogs learned that the kids were above them and did not snatch food, no resource guarding from our dogs, kids were educated to respect the dogs' space as well. We had dogs before we had kids and the dogs did not seem to have difficulty adjusting to the new sheriffs in town. We have grandkids now who are still very young. They're always supervised and the dogs get crated or gated if needed.

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  4. #13
    House Broken
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    I’m not insinuating multiple dog households don’t/can’t work; there’s plenty of evidence they do. However, empirically speaking, there is no scientific evidence supporting the emotional status of single dog vs multiple dog houses. Of course, this is mainly due to the fact that any true scientist would never run an experiment based on an interpretation of emotion. On the other hand, there is replicable evidence that there can be behavioral change (not labeled as good or bad) when new members are added to the pack. My main point is that our feelings of loneliness of a single dog are our own projection and not necessarily the emotions of the dogs. There are plenty of single dog families to prove this point.

  5. #14
    Senior Dog smartrock's Avatar
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    Oh yeah, we ended up with 2 littermate boxers as our first dogs because we thought the first one was “lonely.” They slept in our bed, sat on the furniture, we didn’t use or know about crates. We lived to meet their needs. We’ve learned a lot since then!


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    Chase 9/29/2006- 6/30/2017 Always in our hearts
    Lark 12/25/2012- 2/2/22
    Henry 7/14/18
    Joey 5/14/2022

    “Because of the dog's joyfulness, our own is increased. It is no small gift. It is not the least reason why we should honor as well as love the dog of our own life, and the dog down the street, and all the dogs not yet born. What would the world be like without music or rivers or the green and tender grass? What would this world be like without dogs?”

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  6. #15
    Best Friend Retriever Java's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by windycanyon View Post
    I've had up to 9 adults at one point. I can hardly remember just having 1! It's really not a problem.
    Nine.

    I’d want a hobby farm at that point for the outdoor space.

  7. #16
    Best Friend Retriever Java's Avatar
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    I didn’t think anyone would post more here!

    I’d love to have two dogs. I’ve been tempted several times now. Maybe when I retire. Luckily, Boomer almost always has someone to hang out with. It’s not the right time. I just want it to be.

  8. #17
    Senior Dog
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    Quote Originally Posted by garball View Post
    I’m not insinuating multiple dog households don’t/can’t work; there’s plenty of evidence they do. However, empirically speaking, there is no scientific evidence supporting the emotional status of single dog vs multiple dog houses. Of course, this is mainly due to the fact that any true scientist would never run an experiment based on an interpretation of emotion. On the other hand, there is replicable evidence that there can be behavioral change (not labeled as good or bad) when new members are added to the pack. My main point is that our feelings of loneliness of a single dog are our own projection and not necessarily the emotions of the dogs. There are plenty of single dog families to prove this point.
    Conversely, there are no studies proving that single dogs aren't lonely - just because a dog that lives as an only doesn't appear unhappy doesn't mean it wouldn't be happier being part of a multi-dog household - you can't miss what you've never had. My point is just that either way we are guessing. And fyi, there are now more and more studies looking at emotions in dogs, although none that I know of addressing whether they prefer to have canine siblings or not - they are more related to how they feel about us.

    I would say that preventing your current dog from being lonely isn't a good enough reason to get another dog - after all, they might not get along. We have multiples because WE want them ... and happily they are all BFF's.
    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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  9. #18
    Senior Dog windycanyon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Java View Post
    Nine.

    I’d want a hobby farm at that point for the outdoor space.
    Haha!!! Well I do have 5 securely fenced acres here. But do ya think they always want to be out there? NOOOO! They want to be IN when they want and OUT when they want. TG I am self employed and can be their door person.
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    IntCH WindyCanyon's Northern Spy CDX RA JH OA OAJ CC (14.5 yrs)
    IntCH WindyCanyon's Ruby Pink BN CD RA CC (4.5 yrs)
    IntCH WindyCanyon's Kanzi BN CDX RE JH (5 yrs)
    IntCH WindyCanyon ItsOnlyMoneyHoneycrisp BN RN CC (16mos)
    IntCH WindyCanyon's Pippin BN RI CC (2.5 yrs)
    IntCH WindyCanyon's Envy CDX RE JH CC (10.5 yrs)
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  10. #19
    House Broken
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    I've had 2 labs and a crazy Aussie at the same time, not much difference, everyone got along just fine, not much more work than one dog.

  11. #20
    Senior Dog labsnewfy's Avatar
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    SO have you decided about the dog or at least meeting?
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    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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