Author Topic: Calling those of you with 2+ dogs!!  (Read 3727 times)

Luvmydanes

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Calling those of you with 2+ dogs!!
« on: May 19, 2005, 08:38:49 pm »
How the heck do you do it??? We just got Jasmine and it is INSANE in our house. Dane is usually outside during the day (depending on the weather) and in during the evening. But it is crazy. Our once, calm nice boy who listened, doesn't anymore! How do you guys do it? Are there any tips you can give me to help us out? When should we start training Jasmine to sit, stay, etc? I think its kind of unfair to make Dane lay on his blanket while she is running around. Any tips would help us so much! Thanks in advance...

Kandi

nickerbokker

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Re: Calling those of you with 2+ dogs!!
« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2005, 08:44:53 pm »
start training right now IMO.  

i am not the expert on dogs, but i dont think you can start too early.  i have always started RIGHT away with all my dogs and they caught on very quickly.  angus actually learned A LOT just from watching cody......

angus started humping his rabbit at 8 weeks, because he watched his big brother doing it!  that was not a lesson i was happy about!

i never even taught him down.  i would tell cody down, and all the sudden angus would lay down too.  so he would get treats and all that crap and he now knows it.  same thing with stay.  he just watches his big brother and does everything he does.  

when angus was 5.5 weeks old (i know i got him young leave me alone), he started shaking his toys.  cody would pick up his rabbit and shake it voilently from side to side, and lil angus would watch him and then would grab his elephant and shake it voilently from side to side.....IT WAS THE MOST ADORABLE THING EVER......HE WAS 3 POUNDS, HIS ELEPHANT WAS THE SIZE OF A MOUSE, AND HE WOULD GRAB IT AND SHAKE IT AND KNOCK HIMSELF OVER.....oh the good ole days!  now, 5 months later, his paw is bigger than the elephant is!

« Last Edit: May 19, 2005, 08:46:50 pm by nickerbokker »

Offline newflvr

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Re: Calling those of you with 2+ dogs!!
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2005, 09:38:35 pm »
I completely agree with nikkerboker... .have the older dog help the younger one learn the ropes.  Chester is 12 weeks and he's learned sit and down and wait from Cowboy.  He now brings the newspaper in...Cowboy gets the big one...Chester the little one.  They both get mail to bring in.  If Cowboy pees, Chester pees.  So cute...so funny!!!  They are sleeping side by side as I write.

ilovemyaussies

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Re: Calling those of you with 2+ dogs!!
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2005, 09:47:31 pm »
Try finding a puppy kindergarden class in your area.  Its great socialization for your puppy, a great place to ask questions, and fun way to meet new people (who also have puppies too).  You will be amazed at how much you can teach a puppy.  They can learn a lot at a young age.  Just keep the sessions short and fun and you will be pleased by what you see in the long haul. 

GR8DAME

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Re: Calling those of you with 2+ dogs!!
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2005, 08:25:53 am »
We have always had at least two fur kids, and currently have three. Again, start training right away, and whatever you expect Dane to do, start making the pup do it as well. Sit stay before the food goes down or the door opens to go out is something all the dogs could do together. I don't know about Dane, but generally Merlin begs for a nice quiet, undisturbed lay-down when Strider is still full of the devil and puppy zooming everywhere. I find myself in the position of referee, just to get a few minutes of peace for my big boy. But then I remember how Merlin used to drive Bandit (his doberman foster-dad that has left for the rainbow bridge) crazy, and think HUMPH. What does around really does come around.
Stella

lins_saving_grace

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Re: Calling those of you with 2+ dogs!!
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2005, 09:27:13 am »
It can be a little insane...but what a relief when they finally fall asleep.  :) 
It's not so bad.  Training them at the same time decreases the need to duplicate teaching the other one the same trick or behavior.  Grace is more of a monkey see monkey do dog and Lady is a good leader.  So I find it easy to make them both learn the same thing at the same time.  And they like to compete so one will try to out learn the other or do the same thing better than the other.  It's kinda fun.

Offline mastiffmommy

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Re: Calling those of you with 2+ dogs!!
« Reply #6 on: May 20, 2005, 11:55:39 am »
I think it is pretty much the same as having more than one two legged kid, it helps if you grow an extra set of eyes in the back of your head, at least two more arms, and stock up on the patience  :D We have also always had more than one dog, now 4. But I think the biggest change is when you go from  one to two dogs. I totally agree with the others, start as soon as possible, everything doesnt have to be "training" just something you sneak in when you give a cookie, make her sit to get it, that way it more or less comes automatically. And it is real helpful to have an older dog to teach the puppy, they do see and learn a lot from them. Unfortunately even the bad habits Nickebokker - lol..... isnt it too cute with a humping puppy, Galahad started the very first day he came here, I asked the breeder if he had done that there too, she said nope... its gotta be something in your house  :o Ohh and you getting Angus as 5,5 weeks, concidering that his mom passed away and he was handfed anyway, and now when you know what that "breeder" is going for, it was probably a real good thing that he came to you that young.

Marit
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Offline LandaraCurl

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Re: Calling those of you with 2+ dogs!!
« Reply #7 on: May 20, 2005, 12:48:11 pm »
I understand, I have 4 curlies.  Last year when Hunter was 10 months old I brought home the two puppies and they were 12 weeks old. It was necessary to establish the balance of an older puppy wanting to play with his new younger brother and sister, with fun, love, and enough discipline to keep control of the lot,  we did it.  :D ::)   It takes sometime, they learn from each other, we did obediance classes to. Last October I introduced my little girl who was then 12 weeks old it was only like having one new child join the day care.  It was fun to watch the interaction, the gentleness, tolerance of the older pups with the little girl.  I think its a great to watch all the interacting between them. 
You get to watch the pac animal instinctual behavior. It allows dogs to be dogs, to communicate as dogs do with each other.  Not always a human to dog or dog to human communication.

Kudo's to those who take on the task of a multiple dog family !!!!

My dogs are now 24 months, 2 are 17 months and my little girl is 9 months old.  Basicly still puppies. Now, its realatively sane in my house :D ::) 

Offline mastiffmommy

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Re: Calling those of you with 2+ dogs!!
« Reply #8 on: May 20, 2005, 12:55:01 pm »
ouch..... 24, 17 and 9 months well you do have your hands full. I think it is plenty to have one puppy at the time lol..... I cant even imagine having 2 or 3 Galahads running around here.

Marit
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Offline Carolyn

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Re: Calling those of you with 2+ dogs!!
« Reply #9 on: May 20, 2005, 12:55:59 pm »
We have 3 dogs now. Chazzy was alone when Cheyenne passed on, she's 10 now. We got Apache now 2-1/2. When we brought him home he tormented poor old Chazzy to play,play, play & play some more. When she had enough he'd come to me & look to me as his playmate. I finally convinced Billy to let me find Apache a little sister. Kiya, now 1, came to us at 14 wks with a bit of basic training. She looks to him as her big brother & learned a lot from doing what he does. The funny thing is he still looks to me to play games with him, where as Kiya always looks to him for playing. I laugh my butt off when Kiya keeps going & going like the energizer bunny, chewing Apache anywhere she can. He looks at me as if to say "does she ever stop!" I look at poor old Chazzy & said oh isn't it fun when the tables turn!. Chaz still plays but not like they do. The best is to watch them running around like nuts in the yard, playing. Even better when they come in all tuckered out & go to sleep!
Carolyn
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