How to Have Multiple Dogs in Your Household

Dogs often get along more quickly if they are the same type of dogs or are from the same litter.

Having multiple dogs can ensure that your pets do not get bored, as they have other dogs to play with when you are gone for the day. You can also give a dog from a shelter a good home. Multiple pets often come with added costs. If you have the time to train and monitor your pets, having two or more dogs can be a rewarding experience.

Things You'll Need

• Crates
• Baby gates
• Toys
• Adult or puppy dog food
• Water and food bowls
• Leashes or harnesses
• Dog beds
• Carpet cleaner or pet cleaner

Instructions

Demands of Multiple Dogs

1. Reward the two dogs with treats or affectionate gestures when they are friendly towards each other. Give your pets time to adjust to each other, especially if you have recently introduced a new dog into a household with an existing pet that has already lived in the house for a long period of time. Let adult dogs exhibit warning signals, such as growling, to let puppies know that they will not stand for certain behaviors but do not allow adult dogs bite or harm younger pups. Put both dogs on leashes when you first bring the new dog into your household to have control of them. Keep your dogs in separate rooms or areas when you are not watching them until they get more used to each other.

2. Train your new dog to urinate and defecate outside and follow basic commands soon after you bring it into your household. Keep training your other dog, especially if it is still young. Training both dogs can help to establish you as the dominant member of the pack. Use positive reinforcement during training, giving treats immediately after they follow a command.

3. Neuter or spay one or both dogs to keep them from mating or fighting. Get male dogs neutered to keep them from lifting their legs on furniture. Female dogs will also sometimes urinate in the same spots to mark their territories. When one of your dogs urinates on the carpet or furniture, clean the mess up with pet spray as soon as possible to keep your pets from urinating on the same spot again.

4. Play with and exercise both dogs separately and together, so that they each get time with you by themselves. Make sure to spend extra time with the dog that has been in your home the longest to reassure it that it still has a prominent place in your household.

5. Provide your new dog with separate food and water bowls when you first bring it into your home. Keep separate dishes for both dogs if one tries to keep the other from using a food or water dish. After dogs have become familiar with each other, you may be able to let them share food and water dishes.

Tips & Warnings

• When bringing a new dog into your household, hide toys so that your dogs do not fight over them. Buy new toys for the new dog and give them to it once your dogs have become more comfortable with each other.

• Keep your new puppy in a crate when you are first training it to teach it to refrain from urinating indoors. Try to establish a schedule for going to the bathroom, eating, training and playing, which can be the same or different for each dog.

• Before bringing a new pet into your household, put the dogs together in a controlled environment, such as the animal shelter, to see if they will get along. Keep them on leashes during the initial introduction.

• Watch your dogs for aggressive or fearful behaviors, such as growling or barking at each other, putting their tails between their legs, glaring at each other or standing with rigid stances. Dogs will often wag their tails or lay down with their rears in the air if they are open to playing with other pets, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

References

• Humane Society of the United States: Introducing a Dog to Other Pets
• City of Palo Alto: Before Bringing a Second Dog Into Your Home
• SPCA International: Introducing a New Dog to Your Household "Pack"
• Pacific Northwest Pitbull Rescue: Managing a Multi-Dog Household
• Dogs in Canada: Multi-Dog Households
• Basset Buddies Rescue of Texas: Bringing Your New Dog Home

Resources

• Dummies.com; Bringing An Adult Dog Home; Gina Spadafori
• Perfect Paws: Training Puppy the First Week
• Pawsitive Alliance: Bringing Your New Dog Home
• Happydogconnections.com: The Ups and Downs of a 2 Dogs Household
• Unleashed Unlimited Dog Training: Choosing a Second Dog
• Vetinfo: Introducing a New Dog in the House