From: schlumpf@uimrl7.mrl.uiuc.edu ()
Subject: Re: 2 dogs vs 1 dog
Reply-To: schlumpf@uimrl7.mrl.uiuc.edu ()
Organization: Materials Research Lab
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 22:14:21 GMT

In article <1993Jan21.193821.14709@nas.nasa.gov>,
blake@wk60.nas.nasa.gov (Matthew W. Blake) writes:
|>
|>Advantages
|>----------
|>-Dog companionship during weekdays(or evenings) when humans gone
Yes, somewhat. Right now 1 is crated and the other isn't ... 
|>-Could leave the 2 dogs a bit longer (overnight?) than one dog 
They still both have to go out and go potty, although they are usually
happier
|>-More dog exercise with less human required time
yes, definitely!
|>
|>Disadvantages
|>-------------
|>-Double all costs (food, medical, kennel, etc)
|>-Double work (more poop, 2 baths, double flea battle)
|>-harder to take 2 dogs for a walk,run, rollerblade
|>-Harder to take 2 dogs on trips in car, visit art/wine festivals,
|>etc.
yup, to all 4, unless you have another person to handle the other
dog while you are rollerblading, walking, running, travelling...
|>
|>Questionable
|>------------
|>-Dogs more in tune with each other than humans, ignore humans?
No, definitely not. They both beg for attention...constantly
|>-More destruction by playing together and banging into things in
|>house?
yes, they do bang into a lot of things. we noticed it esp. since we
first
had a Cocker Spaniel and then got a BIG German Shepherd. The GSD is 
always banging his head into something or another!
|>-Less destruction since they play instead of dig/chew?
they still chew and A LOT. Siegfried chews because he's teething
and Baeki chews because Siegfried is chewing and she doesn't want
to be left out and also because she likes to chew. However, they only
chew on their toys.
|>-Happier regularly, less worried about being left behind?
Neither one like to be left behind. Siegfried even carries on when
it's Baeki's time to go piddle (they can't go out together, distract
each other too much). And, well, Baeki, she STILL hates being left
behind even if it's a trip to the vet's for the cats...
>
|>
|>What do people that have had 1 and 2 dogs think?  Which is more
|>convenient
|>for the humans and how much happier are the dogs with a dog
|>companion?

Baeki isn't always happier that Siegfried came along. Sure, sometimes she'll
really want to play and she's a real tiger when it comes to that with a dog
over 3 times her size! But now she tends to stay up off the floor most of
the time because she doesn't want to be bothered by him and his puppy
antics. I think this will change as he gets older and settles down. Right now
he's sometimes too much for me with his antics so I really can't blame her.
He's also a bit too rough with her sometimes. But when they go out for a
run in the park they are the best of buddies and she's definitely happier
with him there as she can chase him all over the place and he's a dog. She's
also happier because it's someone who'll play tug with her and roughhouse
and can play bite with her. She loves that! She doesn't love the competition
for treats though (even though we always make sure she gets her share!)  or
what she percieves as a competition for attention (although we try our best
to give them both an equal amount of it, sometimes it weighs heavier on one
or the other, we're only human!).

Well, that's my 2 cents..

kay & crew