It’s been about three months since Hondo joined our family. Overall, things are going great! He’s getting along with all three Toy Fox Terriers (yes, even Norby), he is understanding the schedule and routine, my husband adores the little guy, and I’m doing pretty well juggling to meet the needs of a four-dog household. What’s not going well is the marking. But that’s for another email.
As long as we’ve had dogs, we’ve had more than one. The maximum we’ve personally had is 5. That was before I had a clue about dogs’ needs and dog behavior. Before I started taking dog training classes and long before being a professional trainer, we fostered Rat Terriers. We had up to 12 dogs in our care at once, and that was crazy town!
Living in a multidog household is not for everyone. I wouldn’t typically recommend more than 3 dogs per household because it’s a lot to juggle when you are going to do things well for each dog. When we agreed to add Hondo, I had to have some pretty clear goals, expectations, and boundaries for myself. I want to make sure they have individual attention without a dog sibling once a week. too.
Hondo needed opportunities to grow in confidence and knowledge. Since he was only 5 months old and a little behind on socialization, I prioritized his growth as a confident dog.
Norby gets the priority for dog sports since he’s the most engaged in those sports and is the eldest. He is currently competing in Barn Hunt and Nose Work. He also enjoys hiking and group walks.
Ahsoka needs time playing with dog friends, hikes, agility class, and scent work time since those are her interests. She’s also very happy to sit outside all day waiting for creatures to hunt.
Panzer loves being home with my husband and going on walks. His priority is very low (he’s the most low-maintenance), but he still gets to have training time and sniffy time at home.
Yes, it’s a lot to juggle some days because I’m also running a business, want time with my husband and friends, and have a lot of interests. That being said, it’s worth it! The benefits of having the dogs we have far outweigh the challenges.
There are two books I highly recommend for those with multiple dogs or who are thinking of adding a dog.
How Many Dogs by Debby McMullen – CLICK HERE
Feeling Outnumbered by Karen B. London, PhD & Patricia B. McConnell, PhD – CLICK HERE
What questions do you have about sharing your life with multiple dogs?
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