3 dogs too much???

(sorry kind of long)

Hey guys, I use to post here frequently put then i moved and got a puppy so I have been pretty busy, but now I'm probley going to be fostering another puppy, so i have a question....is three dogs a lot to handle?
I have Winnie a 1 1/2 year old lab who is an angel and always listens to me, then a couple months ago someone was giving away puppys at the dog park so i took one, Syd is now almost 6 months old. She listens pretty well, still has some accidents but only when I am gone and only in the dog room. Sydney and Winnie love eachother, sleep together, kiss eachother, and play great together. I couldn't be any happier with how they get along.
Just recently my friend who works at my vets office was telling me about this 18 year old college student who got a puppy from the pound. Her vet deals with the spays and nueters from the pound. She told me when the puppy first came in it was skinny, but normal skinny from the pound (if that makes sense) After the first visit the guy came back two more times and each time the puppy got thinner and thinner, by the 3rd visit it was a walking skeloton with green goop coming out of it's nose. The guy didnt want to treat it and said the dog was actually looking better! (Better if his goal was to have the dog die!) Anyways my friend and one of the vets at the hospital confiscated the puppy from this guy. I saw her and she is was sad, so skinny. I have only seen a dog this skinny on one of those animal planet shows. She wasn't eating and could barely get around, but when I sat on the floor in the room she hobbled over to me, sat in my lap, and licked my arm!She is adorable and so sweet. The vet that owns the practice wants to put her down, b/c he doesnt want to pay for the cost! So i offered to foster her when she no longer needs to be in the hospital!
I have been thinking of getting a third dog and I was thinking since I am going to foster her I can see if it will work out while she is with me. But is having three dogs much more difficult then having two? I'll have two puppies instead of one. I dont mind the potty training and stuff and I thought my puppy would have another puppy around her age to play with. I live in a house with a large yard. Does anyone here have 3 dogs, and if so can you let me know how that works for you. This little puppy has been through soo much that I would love to give her a loving home with other dogs she can play with. What do ya guys think?

 

Seeing as how you already have two dogs, I think you understand the issues involved in multiple dog households, and could probably handle another one just fine. It sounds like you definately have the knowledge and dedication to handle another dog, my only concern would be financially speaking, are you ready for the costs involved in another dog, especially one that has not been cared for properly and who might have further complications in the future? Also be prepared for an adjustment period with your other two dogs in welcoming the new one. That said, I think they will probalby all adjust to eachother with time, and it definately sounds like you could give this puppy a great home!!! If you think you're ready, I would definately do it, and I commend your kindness!

 

Hi that is awful that lad should have been locked up the poor thing.

I think its great you wanting to foster her and if you have the space, time and energy for another dog and the funds to keep three then i would say you go for it.

Get your furbabies to meet her and see how they get on you should not have any problems with the lab as they are so sweet natured and usually love everyone and everything.

It is harder having more than one dog as its more food more walks unless like me you can take all at the same time i usally have my sister in laws kids with me to walk them aswell.

But if all this does not bother you then i would go for it you sound like a very honest and caring loving person and there is not alot of people that would be willing to take in any animal in this condition.

please let us know what you decide

mike

 

Give some thought to how you will train the two pups at the same time. You need time to work with each one separately as well as together. And some people say the pups will bond more with each other than with you, but I would think that depends on the dogs and on the person!


Jamiya

 

I think the problem with owning multiple dogs come when the dogs don't get along. I started out with one APBT male, a stray and then a year after that we bought another APBT female puppy and they got along well and still do... THe puppy I got had a litter mate that needed a home a year after we got her so I too in her sister as well to foster and then re-homed her. They all got along okay and having the three of them wasn't hard (even on the check book as long as the shots and stuff are spread out) but the girls starting having problems so we had to split them up... THAT was hard...one was always alone and juggling was difficult. I got another female a Boerboel this time and they could at least pair up some...but it was still tough dealing with the two that didn't get along... So we found the foster (Lilly) a forever home and in turn picked up a male Boerboel and it's been easy sailling since. With such big dogs it's definately hard on the finances--I spend $100 a month on food but shots are spread out so it makes that part easier. I just added a 5th dog to the mix, Precious and she's another Boerboel.. All the Boerboels get along and live outside and the pits live inside and it's still not too difficult.

You seem to know about multiple dog households so I woudln't worry too much except food and vet bills... 3 dogs is easy as long as they all get along...since you'll have two puppies you have a better chance at them getting along with eachother.

 

I only have 2 dogs so I don't really have any advice but I think it would be nice if you could foster her for now, see how things go and adopt her later if all is going well and 3 dogs does'nt prove to be too much to handle. Keep us posted.

 

We now have 4 and fifth one on the way. The only problem we have and I seem to have that under control is feeding time. Our males don't get along at dinner time so we feed in different rooms and walk them out one at a time. As with any pack of dogs there has to be a leader and that means there might be a fight. Even our female well get in a huff if she thinks her turf is being invaded. Our biggest guy 165lbs is very easy going with our Jack (female)but yet he won't share with our Collie (male). It has taken time for the two males and a little help from my "cooking pot" to help them learn to get along but as time goes by and they get older it seems to work out. Of course I am and avid person on having any dog fixed if not breeding this seems to help with the attitude of most males and well give both female and male a longer healthier life. I don't know if I look at the draw backs that much but here is my daily schedule. Up at 5:00 AM let the guys out for the day, fresh water bowels check outside licker faucet (3), Food home made liver cookies, Clean up of there area outside, hose and disinfect area. Male one 1/2 mile walk, back get male two 1/2 mile walk back female block walk. Female two sit and play and rub hips. We are now at 6:30 and they all go down for a long sleep till around 11:00 - 12:00. I work at home. Fresh water and play time I sit down and roll around with them for a half hour. On there own they play run around bark and sleep off and on till 5:00 PM dinner time. half hour mix up there foods and then out they go, half hour later clean up time. Wife home at 5:30 PM plays with dogs gives each a cookie and fresh water, and takes two for a walk. 10:00 one last check for clean up and water bowls and in for the night. Jack out two more times till 11:00 PM and then to bed with them. That's a good day and there not always like that. Week ends make food for the week, brush check nails brush teeth and run my business 7 days a week. By the way we consider retirement in this house is when you die.

2pyrs

 

Before any one gets there bowels in a up roar. The COOKING POT>
Well it was a nice day for a few hours about a year ago but my two males decided it was time to challenge each other. I was just starting to cook there food when they got into it. I tried to get them apart but had little room as they decided to get into it in the back laundry room. I was left with only two choices and I did not like the one of them getting hurt so I grab the large pot and banged it on the wall two three time this did no good so I took it up a level and gave each a smack in the butt soft but it did little good and they were getting more hostile, there was now blood. I don't think anyone wants to hurt there pets but there may come a time you have to chose. I hit one in the head with the pot and tried to take them apart only to have the other one take advantage of the other so a second hit at the other guy stopped them both. They both stopped and gave me a look and it gave me time to separate them. Were they hurt not from my pot but they both had miner cuts and bites and one broken tooth. I could have sat down and held each of them and loved them but I chose to let them know how unhappy I was and bang the pot on the floor and wall. No love no cookies for the day. The next day after I let them back together they would give each other the evil eye and take fighting stands so I would grab the pot and bang it on the door and to this day when they hear the pot from any where in the kitchen they walk off, NO FIGHT, The pot is now used only for cooking but I think they know it could come out if need be. Keep in mind I did not us the pot as a teaching tool for all there training just for there fighting and as I have said it was year ago and since that time I have only had to show them the pot twice.They now know I am the leader in the pack and my word is the last word.
New topic control 2pyrs

 

I have all of my dogs crate trained and the Boerboels in a Dog run. At feeding time they're either out in their kennel (the Boerboels don't have problems eating together) or they're all in their crates at night... If the Boerboels did have a problem eating I'd have one in the Kennel/run and one out or in their crates seperately. Every now and then I see the Boerboels getting inot it periodically but it's all challenge nothing serious...no ones even inflicted a scratch on either. My Pits aren't allowed to challenge one another and it took some pretty hefty OB to get that kind of control but it works... It does take work to get the dogs under control when there's multiples in the house... TRAINING...they all need to have a good ammount of OB under their belts... That control thread will be a nice read for us... I'll have to post there in a bit.