Questions about adding a second dog

[Moe]

Charlie just turned 4 and we are thinking of adding a second dog. I'm a bit concerned because everything is going great and I don't want to mess things up.

I have two concerns:

1.Food Issues:  Charlie has always been extremely lean and usually doesn't finish her food. When we have other dogs in the house they always run over to her bowl and eat the food. She will just lay down and watch them. I give her two meals a day but she usually doesn't eat breakfast until 2-3 in the afternoon. Sometimes she doesn't touch it at all and I just add the dinner portion to what is in the bowl. I have tried picking it up after 1/2 hour but I gave up. I lasted a month - more often than not she didn't eat the food. She ended up losing 4 lbs. She went from lean to skeletal. I gave up and went back to leaving the food out. I'm worried that if we have two dogs the other one will eat all of Charlie's food and she'll end up starving.

2. Leaving one alone: We hike off leash for about 45 minutes almost every day. I am planning on getting a small dog this time, and I'm worried that it won't be able to keep up with the pace. I'd also like to take the new dog for obedience classes. Can you leave one dog home alone or will the dog left behind have separation anxiety.

Any insight into these issues or general advice on adding a second dog would be greatly appreciated.

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

1. Yogi has become very pokey about finishing his meal. Maci usually rushes over as soon as hers is finished. I've just gotten so I body block her when I know she's finished and heading over. Yogi usually will eat within ten minutes though. Yours could be more problematic if you have to leave the food out. Since he's big, could you place it in on a higher surface so your smaller dog couldn't jump up onto it and get it?
2. On obedience training, it is good for the puppy to learn to "stand alone", so it actually is good to take the puppy on his own to training. They need to know how to be without each other, so it is good for both of them. As far as running, I agree your smaller pup probably won't be able to keep up. But this could be your alone time with Charlie. Again, not a bad idea. Then your new pup learns how to be alone in his crate.

Have fun, I have loved having two doodles!

[Abigail *George & Juno*]

1. Our first dog is EXACTLY like that. What we do is, one meal a day (depends on the day) we use a topper. The other gets left out like normal. Our second dog Juno is a chow hound, so if we have obedience with her then George's dinner is left out and it's usually gone when we get back (about 2 hours later). If there isn't obedience, then breakfast gets left out because Juno goes in her crate when we leave and George is left out so she can nibble throughout the day. They both eat the food with the topper (though George is slower and usually ends up eating hers in the pantry). This gives me some reassurance that George is at least getting the nutrients she needs.

2. We don't have a problem with this. Before Juno had her shots, George still went everywhere with us. Now that Juno can leave the house we take her sometimes (when George is worn out), and take George sometimes. They both have different obedience classes on different days and different times. George also goes to daycare occasionally, and Juno goes to the groomer pretty often as shes still getting used to it. My advice is, it's a lot easier to leave Juno when we've worn her out, and wherever we're taking George just isn't on Juno's level (think music performances in the park, a restaurant with friends). Most of Juno's outings are "training trips". :)

[Marie and Hoka]

Hoka has a little "big sister", 13 lb Moxie. Before Hoka, Moxie was added to a household with 2 big, full grown dogs and it was really easy. Moxie was full grown and about 2-3 years old at the time.

She keeps up just fine on 4 miles walks. She just moves her legs way faster! Moxie never seems tired and loves to walk.  I think you just need the right combination.

I also have no trouble taking the 2 out for a quick walk, and then taking Hoka out for more. 

[Moe]

Moxie is so cute!!! I'm thinking of getting a dachshund or small mix breed. 

[Lynda Kamrath]

A second dog would be great, particularly for Charlie, but do remember that once a dog has a canine companion, they usually cannot do without one.  At least that is what we have found.  We thought our Harpo would be a fine only dog, but he definitely was not - hence our newest dog, Zeppo.  Regarding food issues, just feed them in separate areas (one of our dogs eats outside and the other inside) and do not leave the food out after meal time.  If she doesn't eat in the allotted time, just put it away.  If you get a puppy, (s)he would be eating more frequently anyway so separate eating areas is a good idea.  Leaving one alone is going to be a problem as I imagine the one you will be leaving is the new little dog.  They can get used to a time of separation or you may want to take the new dog on leash and leave Charlie off leash.  They will both get used to whatever routine you want to follow.  In our area, I frequently will take one dog out for a walk and leave the other at home.  I had three dogs when I started this and two would be at home howling when I went out with the third.  We live in the country so not a big problem but I could hear them a block away.  Now they are accustomed to it, but the dog who was left at home always expects a walk also afterwards.  It is whatever they get used to.  Dogs definitely keep you on a good exercise schedule.  I feel guilty if I don't take the dogs out every day to do something.

[Marie and Hoka]

Aa far as feeding goes, we have 2-3 dogs at a time (up to 4 with a frequent houseguest). The pack has figured out the meals once I have fed separately for a bit.  Until about 9 months I fed Hoka locked in the crate.  I now feed Hoka in his crate with the door open.  Hoka would steal Moxie's food for sure, but I use a slow-bowl for him and that has fixed it.  I always wonder why he doesn't steal hers first, then return to his slow-bowl... but I guess he is not that devious!

[Moe]

It's good to hear stories of how people work it out. I'm still in the thinking process but I'm getting closer to getting the second dog. :)

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

Second the slo-bowl. We started Maci on that right away. At least it takes her about ten minutes to eat and also gives Yogi who is not as interested in food a longer time time to dilly dally. We also feed them in different areas of the kitchen. Yogi knows to leave her bowl alone, hopefully in time she will leave his alone as she matures and becomes less interested in food.

[Leslie J]

I just wanted to comment on your picture of Charlie- what a fabulous picture and what a handsome boy!

[Moe]

Thanks :)

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

My Sasha is a foodie and I got her first and 10 months later I got my Oliver at 10 weeks old.  I feed both my doodles 2x a day.  I feed Sasha first, when Oliver was a growing puppy he always wanted to eat Sasha's food so we used that time as training time where we worked on sit and stay etc. etc.  Now, I still feed Sasha first and Oliver could care less about food - LOL.  I have to stay in the kitchen while he eats because if he does not finish Sasha will finish it for him :)   As far as walking I would take the puppy with you but limit according to his age.  I walk my doodles separate daily, when I'm done with one the other stays home alone for like 45 minutes and they are fine.  Its good to teach them to be OK without each other and I would work on that as well.  You want your doodles to be close but you want them to be OK without each other too!

[Moe]

Exactly. I would like the two dogs to get along but be OK if they are separated for a while.