How many dogs do you have – Really?

Having more than one dog can be a challenge. For starters it’s tougher to take them to parties the way you used to! But of course, it’s so much more than that. Each dog is an individual, with individual needs, skills, filters and responses.  Each is trying to get through every day without an issue, and ideally with some fun, or one-on-one time with their favorite person – sound familiar??

But we tend to group our dogs as one. Treating the pack as if it’s one unit rather than made up of separate identities. Sometimes this can be beneficial, but often it overlooks the individual needs of the different dogs.

If you have a pack of three, you actually have four

 

 

Each dog brings something to the table; each dog has different responses and behaviors that may or may not require your attention. But the pack acts differently. The pack can draw dogs out, challenge them and force them to act differently than they may otherwise.  That’s why it’s imperative to see your pack as one more than you thought – and train them that way.

Each dog needs individual training (and of course time and attention but that’s another post) but at the same time it’s important to work the entire pack. By doing it this way you can take into account the dogs natural tendencies and practice over and over until they’re no longer an issue.

For example, many dogs have no desire to be away from home or away from you. So even if a gate is left open, they’re not going to wander. But, there are those dogs that seem to have to wander. These dogs can often pull the others in a pack, away from home. By managing the dog that wanders, you can easily keep the entire pack close to home. The same is true for barkers. Typically there’s one maybe two instigators in the household. Manage their behavior and the others in the pack will quickly quiet down.

Trouble in the pack?

Trouble within the pack can often be lessened significantly by individual attention on the dogs. Just like with kids, there’s an underlying communication happing constantly in a pack of dogs. And sometimes that communication is bullying, annoying or outright punky behaviors.

A typical example would be a younger dog is constantly in the face of the older dog. The older dog takes it and takes it, correctly slightly but trying to wait it out. Eventually the older dog snaps and (finally) corrects the younger dog. If you’re dog savvy, you keep your mouth shut. After all the dog was just communicating to the pup and finally in a way the pup heard. But so many people correct the older dog, thinking he was rude or not patient.

Jealousy exists in dogs, as anyone who has had more than one can attest to. So be vigilant to keep it at bay by giving each of your dogs individual attention. Just because you’re thrilled that you have a new dog at the house, doesn’t mean that your dogs are. Be sure to associate any new additions to your household with even more love, treats and fun for your other dogs.

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