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Do you ever regret getting a 2nd dog?

Do you ever regret getting a second dog?

24K views 46 replies 41 participants last post by  Hercules 
#1 ·
I got a small maltipoo and a German Shepherd. I love both of them equally.... BUT sometimes I wish I would only have one at a time lol. They seem to love each other more than they love my fiance or myself! It's a good thing but sometimes I wish it could just be my fiance and I hanging out with one of them. However, it's mostly my fiance and I hanging out and both of them running around the whole house lol. I love them both to death and would never get rid of one but sometimes I wonder how it would be if we only had one dog lol (please don't attack me for this post).
 
#2 ·
Nope, I do not regret it.

Mine both choose me over each other. I love them both equally and I enjoy spending time with both of them. I also like watching them interact and play with each other. Everything is perfect. :wub:
 
#3 ·
At this very moment... maybe.... JUST KIDDING!

I say this because I am trying to get their crates and training bag ready and they are jumping all over me, winding through my legs and whining because they KNOW where they are going. ;)

I don't regret getting a second dog, but sometimes I do have a "whew..." moment or two when they are both going nuts because they need their walk or ball time. Or when I get home from a 10hour shift (my sister is usually home with them on these days but plays inside with them, hardly ever takes them to play outside) and they both need to be walked, worked/trained and fed = and they want it to happen at the same time.. lol.

I love having the dogs, both are so different that each give me something fun to look forward too and do to with them.
 
#4 ·
Nope. I've never had any of my dogs that would rather spend time with each other than with me. Having dogs that are more bonded to eachother than they are to the owner is "handler error".
:)
 
#5 ·
I have three and many times I have said that what I learned getting three is that two was enough. I have also thought at times how nice it was with just the one. I might have less issues if the two I added had the same temperament and lack of issues that we have with our first. I would love to be able to take the two boys the places I can take Clover and do the things I can do with her but I just can't. Max is too dog aggressive and Patton has issues sometimes with strange people and some dogs. We also have issues between the two when we are off property. If I could resolve those things, I would find myself wishing for the old days much less.

Having said all that, I am not getting rid of any of them, but have learned things for the future.
 
#6 ·
No . . . we've had 2 GSDs for the majority of the past 12 years and they've all had different personalities which add so much to our lives. They always bond to us (my husband in particular) more than to each other.
 
#7 ·
I don't regret adopting Riley and bringing her into the family. I love having both of my dogs' sitting, layind down, or layding down on top of me everyday for some attention! Although, they get attention a lot everyday! There isn't a minute without me with them, or them without me. They're both amazing dogs', and I ADORE both of them!!:D
 
#9 ·
Not really... Skylar is my heart dog but I really love Kayden to pieces and love training and adventuring with both of them (together and individually) Skylar is independent and can do her own thing, easier to train and more serious, but Kayden is a goofy, attention-seeking love bug. I will never have more than a male and a female at the same time- I would most likely regret that. It gets hard sometimes juggling attention/exercise/training/adventures for both, but I don't regret it, they're both completely different. BUT next time I will wait until the first is older than 1 year, because I feel like I didn't let Skylar be an only dog for long enough.
 
#10 ·
Regret it? No, but sometimes I wonder how we can give them both everything they need. I wouldn't change anything.....but having a senior dog in declining health and energy as well as a puppy is not always easy. That being said for my children it is wonderful as their beloved Kaos ages and becomes less able to play with them the puppy matures and is becoming quite a play mate with them. It is fun because they compliment each other well in every way except the $ dept where they are both at their most expensive times of their life. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
 
#11 ·
Sometimes.....
We got Josh first at 8weeks, he's a great boy, he knows all his basic obedience and minds pretty good for a 14mo old teenager. Just a happy, happy guy.

We fostered Jenna for a little bit before we adopted her. She has been a trial. She was a yard ornament before and barely knew "sit" when we got her in August, now she knows her new name, sit, down, sit stay, down stay and come. We are working on cutting out fence fighting and getting her used to other dogs now.
Just sometimes, when life is busy, I wish we didn't have all the extra work, she's worth it though
 
#12 ·
When I lost my grand old best friend Chance, a smooth collie, I told my sister it would take 15 dogs to equal one of her. I was wrong about that. It would take 50. I now live with four females, three of whom are rescues. I don't have the intense closeness I had with Chance, but each one is special to me.

At heart I'm a one-dog person.
 
#14 ·
No never regretted. Lucky is my dog and he was our third at the time. If we hadnt adopted i dont know if his HW would have been taken care of .Daisy was the second dog but my first and only from a puppy.OK I wonder now if i had kids would they have been criminals,daisy has been challenging. On the other hand she has been my protector/alert dog and I cant imagine my life w/out both. I do regret that our oldest dog Dodger who was 13 at the time had to be segregateda nd he hung out in our family room/kitchen in the basement where my husband's buddy was staying.Those 2 years were difficult and I would not get a young dog w/ my old dogs now.In retrospect it was wrong for Dodger and I still feel incredibly quilty re that decision but if i hadnt adopted Lucky he might not have gotten tx for HW. Would I have two dogs again yes would I have three not sure Im smart enough.
 
#15 ·
Regret isn't the right word. I feel very stretched at times with three dogs, though. I try hard to provide for ALL their needs and I know sometimes I fail and one gets more and another doesn't. I simply try to make up for it the next day.

My life revolves completely around dogs. They need to eat, need their exercise, training, medication, vet visits, gotta get a bag of food, need this-that-or-the-other. It's very time consuming, tiring and expensive. Every GREAT once in awhile, when I'm tired, or feeling a little sick, I think GEESH, I'd like to have a dog day OFF.! But of course I couldn't do that, because I couldn't trust anyone to take care of them like I do. :)

Regret, No. A break every once in awhile? WOULD BE NICE! :))
 
#20 ·
I'll let you know in a few weeks. LOL We are "adopting" my mom's Golden Retriever who has some issues (because of her) and we have two adult dogs already in the house, plus two cats. I've had three dogs in the house before and it is a lot more work than two! For whatever reason, three dogs adds a completely different dimension.

My other two, I had moments in college years back where I wished I had given myself less responsibility, but it was worth it. Looking back on those years, I wouldn't have changed it.
 
#21 ·
I guess I'm the odd one out here because I do regret getting my second dog. That doesn't change the fact that I love them both, will never give them up, and will give them the best life I can. Hubby and I have decided that were a one dog family so once our guys pass away, we will only have one dog from that point forward.
 
#22 ·
No, I love both of my boys, they love each other...they are both just awesome dogs :D I am however cringing because now my life has taken some unexpected turns, my job changed, my living situation is changing..I don't regret getting them, or having them, however, I wouldn't have taken them on if I had any idea my life was going to be unstable like this. It is going to be a challenge now to keep 'em happy like things were. My training is already suffering, but there is still nothing more uplifting than spending time with my guys, I wouldn't trade them for a million bucks.
 
#23 ·
With my two shepherds, couldn't be happier. My male is a sweetie and gets along great with my girl and they have a good age spread. Now that both are dependable on leash and have good recalls we go all kinds of places together and are a very happy pack. :)


Number 3 will be coming along soon.... (my SOs dog) so now we'll see how we do with three!
 
#24 ·
Sounds to me like you might have been happier waiting to get a second dog. I have 3 no regrets. My dogs are all about 5 years apart. I don't feel my dogs love me less because they have each other.


Age differance is key here I think.
 
#26 ·
I am SO happy we got a 2nd...our first one is so much happier with her around, and they are both very bonded to us and more interested in our attention than in each other. Plus, I've always thought that unless you take your dog everywhere with you, it's sad to just have 1.
The only times I even think about the decision is when it comes time to pay the yearly regular vet bills (twice the fun!) or when they are feeding off of each other's spazziness and barking up a storm.
 
#27 ·
I know how you feel! me and my fiance' have two dogs. Rottweiler and a young gsd puppy (9 months) and I feel overwhelmed because i worry about him getting stolen or killed. my rottie i dont worry about bc she doesn't go near ppl and she runs from you lol but Hachi (gsd) is very outgoing and would probably follow you home and my fence isnt completely up yet. I'm also overwhelmed considering i'm not use to have a puppy in a long time. I got my rott when she was a year old from a family member so i get really angered and upset bc he is so hyper and jumps on and doesnt listen to me. BUt i also learned that i love them and you only live once so enjoy them exspecially since they really aren't giving you alot of trouble :)
 
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