Benefits of having two dogs?

The benefits of having two dogs ... twice the love!

They have each other for companionship and to play with.

Now ... the real truth about having two dogs:

Twice the vet bills, and expenses (food, supplies ...etc)

Twice the poop to pick up

If you go away - twice the boarding expense

If you don't have time to spend with "one" dog to keep her happy and not bored - how are you going to keep up with the training and attention that two dogs require? Getting a second dog doesn't relieve you from the responsibilities of dog ownership. You can't expect a second dog will make things less work for you, it will double most everything (except you can walk two of them at once).

I'm afraid that two wrongs don't make a right! Quite simply. Yes, your Beagle may well be better off with a canine companion, but whether this is to be the answer is a lottery. You could end up with two destructive, bored animals because there is NO substitute for the family/owner being there. Somebody (breeder!!) should have warned you that a Beagle does not do well when forced to live alone for long hours during a working week. This is a pack animal and although I don't like to hear of any dog being left alone for 8 hours, I especially don't like to hear of any hound having to live like this. This Brittany has had a poor start - and you can bet this dog will need lots of sorting out ... people always paint a pretty picture if they need to have a dog rehomed. So the 3-year old he lived with 'abused' him. Great!! He may have loads of issues there, for starters. And he loves to chase cats and run after bunnies ..... couple that with your Beagle, and they'll be gone!!

I think mum and dad are dead right. If your Beagle is bored during the 8 long hours, get him enrolled into a creche so he'll have the physical and mental stimulation he obviously needs.

Dogs are primarily pack animals , so many do thrive of being in the company of other dogs .

However some breeds do prefer to be in single dog house holds .

The dog is destructive , as because by your own admission it is bored . It is being left alone for 8 hours a day , what do you expect ?

Getting another dog and you will end up with two board dogs . Twice the mess twice the destruction.

Work on making the dog you do have happy . Exercise it more , hire someone to come and walk the dog while you are not home etc etc . Dogs are sociable animals , and being left for eight hours straight daily is really pushing the limits of what is acceptable

The biggest benefit I found was longevity. I had a mutt that I got from my aunt and raised her from about 1 year. After she hit about 3 years, she started to slow down and didn't seem to want to do anything anymore. I found a puppy at a horse sales barn and brought it home and they were a match made in heaven. I noticed after the older one passed that the younger one was very depressed, so I bought myself a German Shepard, now these guys run and play like you wouldn't believe. The Mutt that I have now is going to be 6 this spring, and my GS just turned 2. You would not believe how well having a companion dog has helped the mutt w/ her depression and to stay more fit in her older age.

If they do not want to get another dog, find a toy that they really like, a ball that they can play w/ by his/her self or a few good chew bones. this should help with some of the anxiety and energy that she needs to exert in the 8 hours that you guys are gone all day.

There are definitely no benefits of having two dogs if you're already having problems training the first. If you haven't trained the first one yet, and she continues to be poorly behaved by bringing in a second you will only be teaching the second of the bad behavior the first is showing you. Start by taking your dog to obedience classes. Second, she needs to be walked more! I see this all the time on here so many people are saying their dog is badly behaved. Well of course, she has so much energy she doesn't know what to do with it. Young dogs are very energetic, as for hounds they have even more energy! I know, I have a hound cross and until he was 2 years old he needed to be constantly moving! Take her out for at least 2 half hour walks a day and if you have time take her for a 3rd. If she enjoys to play ball, play with her 15 minutes of playing catch will tire her out. Work with the dog you have before bringing in another, it won't solve your problems it will only give you more.

Two dogs can be fun, but I can see why you're parents could be apprehensive about it. First of all, your beagle is only eight months old. He is going to get into things regardless. Puppies just have that way about them, curiousity and what not. Having two of those around is going to be a handful! Sometimes it seems like dogs actually CAN talk to each other and help each other be more micheivious than ever! HAHA!

On the contrary though two dogs can be a blessing. They would grow to love and protect each other. I have a basset hound and a dachshund. They get into trouble alot, but I wouldn't trade them for anything. Although I have a lot of time dedicated to them in teaching them what's alright to do and what's not. You just need to take into consideration the financial aspect in owning two dogs as well as the time it takes to train them.

Good choice of dog name :) (we have a boy and girl dog and her name's pippa)

If you were to get another dog, preferably get a male (if you get 2 of same breed, they tend to fight over dominance).

2 dogs are good because they are able to keep each other company, but also, the new dog may follow Pippa's example, so you should probably try and train pippa first. Just, when she is being destructive, discipline her. Jus a short, sharp 'AAH!' (with aggression) so she will realise that she I doing wrong an that it angers you. Itay take a couple times, but she'll get better

Other than that, you could just put citronella on things that she chews. E.g. Our dogs are bro and sis, so we couldn't get them separately, however, they would chew their beds so we would paint a layer of citronella on th chewing-prone areas and that would stop them for a while. But they would still chew, so we'd take their bed away from them during day and only let them have it at night. This worked, but I also think that it's just because they're still pups.

Ours are getting better now, now that they're getting old-er (turn 1 on 26th)

Sorry if I got a bit off track...

But good luck :) :)

It can be harder having 2 dogs. If they are well trained to walk on a leash (no pulling walking beside you), they are socialized with dogs and people, it's not hard. I have 2 dogs, on a walk one is on each side of me. They don't pull and know not to lunge and other dogs. Going on vacation can be harder, but it depends on where you are going. Watching 2 dogs is more work. If you have control over both dogs, it is not much harder than having one. It is more expensive to have 2 dogs. Twice the food and vet bills along with having to buy toys and accessories. If you are flying anywhere, it is more expensive to bring both.

Nope cann't think of any. Since my ex brought home a second. That was twice the destruction. Twice the mess. Twice the food. And twice the boredom. Not to mention twice the shots. Twice the flee and tick medicine. And the territorial desputes. I think she learned the lesson.

well for me, having 2 dogs is a difficult task since you have to raise two kinds but it is also beneficial because these dogs will be your helpmates! if they will be raised at the same time, they can also be two good buddies for each other..