So...how hard would it be to have a 2nd dog?

Particularly a small dog? (I want a min pin). Am I nuts? Will Casey smush it? I really want one.

Re: So...how hard would it be to have a 2nd dog?

awww i say go for it!
but just so you know a minpin is ALOT of work! serisously!
either way i bet theyll love each other.
we used to have Toby a lab mix (my family dog) and then we got Lukin. they LOVE LOVE LOVE each other! sadly we had to give Toby back to my mom when we moved to brooklyn...
but whenever they see each other they go crazy!
Toby (the big one) KNOWS he is smaller, therefore he palys very gently with Lukin. Theyre smart. Casey is still a pup so she miught be ALITTLE 'rough' with the baby minpin, (or whatever small dog) but she'll realize to be easy.
I say go for it! Two dogs are better than one!!!

Re: So...how hard would it be to have a 2nd dog?

I'll admit that having a 2nd dog is kind of tough but fun! Bailey is so good-she'll hold for 8 hours if needed while Boomer is just on the verge of holding it for 6 hours. It sux. Feeding-not a problem, they eat the same food. Sleeping-tough because they both sleep in the same bed with us .

Playing---OMG, couldn't be funnier! They wrestle and Boomer will jump on top of Bailey and she'll knock him down. It's way too entertaining. They don't play outside since we don't have a fence yet, but they will.

Boomer is also a very routine dog-we went out for dinner to a friends house the other night from 5:30-almost 11. Boomer obviously didn't like the fact that we were not home at night , so he peed in his cage. Now, the day before he was in his cage from 9:30am till 3:45 when I came home to walk them and he was dry.

It's also harder to ask someone to watch two dogs instead of 1.....we're wondering how we'll handle a day trip when my sister comes to visit and when we need to go to FL for a wedding!

Re: So...how hard would it be to have a 2nd dog?

My sister has 2 dogs and the biggest problem for her is getting someone to watch them when she goes away. Granted her 2 dogs are big - Golden and FLat Coater Retievers.

I can't imagine any other dog being as good as the one I have so I don't want a second dog......I think I would compare them and be disappointed!

Re: So...how hard would it be to have a 2nd dog?

Thanks guys Food for thought.

Jess - why is a minpin so much work?

Re: So...how hard would it be to have a 2nd dog?

smaller dogs tend to be more high strung

Re: So...how hard would it be to have a 2nd dog?

Posted by MrsTC

Jess - why is a minpin so much work?

Re: So...how hard would it be to have a 2nd dog?

I wonder if it's a male dog thing that makes them hard to potty train....Boomer still has accidents at 11 months old.

Bailey didn't have this many when she was this age, a lot less, but still had them

Re: So...how hard would it be to have a 2nd dog?

Posted by btrflygrl

I wonder if it's a male dog thing that makes them hard to potty train....Boomer still has accidents at 11 months old.

Bailey didn't have this many when she was this age, a lot less, but still had them

Re: So...how hard would it be to have a 2nd dog?

Posted by Lolita4Life

Posted by MrsTC

Jess - why is a minpin so much work?

i just personally do not reccomend them. i know another girl who had a minpin who also said she will NEVER get another one EVER.
You should also ask Jenn about Martin. Since he's a minpin too. I don't know how he is, but in my experiences......
Lukin was EXTREMELY hard to potty train.
They are very barky. He barks at EVERYTHING.
He really is just psychotic!!!!
Don't get me wrong , I love him to pieces, he is just sooooo crazy!
They are also very energetic just so you know.
I dont know if its just that Lukin is a jerk or if most minpins are. i just know i met someone who had one and her experiences were the same.
For me its like he is such a handful that he would be better as an only dog. (although he LOVES to play woth other dogs)
I dont know.. if u have any ?'s you can ask me and jenn and compare notes.
also, he is very stubborn. and i want to say spiteful.. but i dont know.. he destroys the garbage when we're gone too long.
i love him though

Re: So...how hard would it be to have a 2nd dog?

I have two dogs, a 20lbs Jack Russel and a 70lbs border collie. For me, having a 2nd dog wasn't any additional work for the most part. They both eat at the same time, they both go out at the same time. They play "hide and go seek" in the yard which is so cute. They are extremely attached to each other even though they didn't grow up together. We adopted one from a shelther when she was about 3 years old and the other we got when he was a puppy. I say, go for it! Here's a pic of my little ones....

Image Attachment(s):

Re: So...how hard would it be to have a 2nd dog?

we thought about getting another Bull Terrier for Tiger to play with. We have a cat, but Blackie sleeps all day and doesnt want anything to do with the dog.
I dont know if I could handle 2 dogs and a cat

Re: So...how hard would it be to have a 2nd dog?

i honestly think 2 dogs is easier than one.
they occupy and entertain each other!

Re: So...how hard would it be to have a 2nd dog?

We have 2 dogs. One is a tibetan terrier and the other is a toy poodle. While having 2 of them is a lot of work, I also see that they keep each other occupied and entertained and I dont feel bad when we leave for work because I know they have each other all day long.

As far as everything else goes...they eat the same dry dog food but they both love table food. So when we have to feed them 'people food' it can get a little annoying because there is two of them.

My poodle sleeps in his cage...he loves it, hes used to it from when he was a puppy. My terrier sleeps either with us or on the floor next to us. So sleeping isnt a problem.

But they are just like kids in a sense...when one gets sick, its pretty much known that the other will be sick soon thereafter. For some reason, they both wind up throwing up at the same time which makes it oh so much fun. They play with each other nicely most of the time but if one of them is in a "mood" than they fight which is very annoying. They make great watchdogs but the barking can drive one insane. And as someone else said..its hard when we go away. Usually my family will watch them but when we go away as a family its impossible to take the both of them so either we have to board one or both which is heartbreaking and expensive.

I think they are the best of friends honestly but it is a lot of work. They started living together when Murphy the poodle was a year already and Shaggy was 2 years so they kinda grew up together which I think makes it easier. We introduced Murphy to my moms german shepard mix when she was 8 already and they didnt get along AT ALL. So I think that makes a huge difference.

Good luck with your decision!

Re: So...how hard would it be to have a 2nd dog?

Thank you guys I appreciate all the feedback.

Shamrock I LOVE that pic!!

Re: So...how hard would it be to have a 2nd dog?

Re: So...how hard would it be to have a 2nd dog?

Posted by Lolita4Life

Posted by MrsTC

Jess - why is a minpin so much work?

i just personally do not reccomend them. i know another girl who had a minpin who also said she will NEVER get another one EVER.
You should also ask Jenn about Martin. Since he's a minpin too. I don't know how he is, but in my experiences......
Lukin was EXTREMELY hard to potty train.
They are very barky. He barks at EVERYTHING.
He really is just psychotic!!!!
Don't get me wrong , I love him to pieces, he is just sooooo crazy!
They are also very energetic just so you know.
I dont know if its just that Lukin is a jerk or if most minpins are. i just know i met someone who had one and her experiences were the same.
For me its like he is such a handful that he would be better as an only dog. (although he LOVES to play woth other dogs)
I dont know.. if u have any ?'s you can ask me and jenn and compare notes.
also, he is very stubborn. and i want to say spiteful.. but i dont know.. he destroys the garbage when we're gone too long.
i love him though

Re: So...how hard would it be to have a 2nd dog?

Re: So...how hard would it be to have a 2nd dog?

Posted by Lolita4Life

Posted by btrflygrl

I wonder if it's a male dog thing that makes them hard to potty train....Boomer still has accidents at 11 months old.

Bailey didn't have this many when she was this age, a lot less, but still had them

it COULD be... but then when i was speaking to the other girl wiht the minpin she said the same thing... and went on to dsay how othr minpin owners had the same problem, and she thinks its a breed thing.
who knows. i think jenn said martin was easy to potty train, i forget.

also know that MinPins are EXCELLENT watch dogs!!!!! (not too good on gaurding)
but they will let you know whats up!

Re: So...how hard would it be to have a 2nd dog?

old thread, but good info