May 10, 2011
I have two female Standard Poodles, and am thinking of introducing a new male into our home. My fear is that three might be too much to manage. Is it TOO much work?
Full Question:
Hello,I've been reading your articles on your website about adding a new dog to your home, but I'm still having trouble. I have two female Standard Poodles, and am thinking of introducing a new male standard into our home. My girls are 6 and 3, the new dog is about 7 months.
My eldest dog, Tasha, is sweet, even-tempered... we say the younger one, Maya is a toddler... full of mischief, into everything, but so, so loving and fun! They get along sooo well... they are actually "sisters"... with the same mom and dad. They love sleeping right next to each other, the younger one follows the older one around, and they are inseperable.
The boy were are interested in is from a rescue group, and from what we can learn, healthy, and happy. My fear though, is that three might be too much to manage. I know it's a lot of work, but is it TOO much work? I work part time, I have two boys, 12 and 16, but yet, I feel like I can do it.
How do I know if this is the best decision? Do I need to worry that it'll be overwhelming? I feel up to the challenge, but I'm not sure my husband is. He's saying yes because of me...
I'd appreciate any advice,
Cathy
Cindy's Answer:
I will say from experience that 3 can be much more difficult than 2. Think about kids. Two kids are easy, but add a third and you change the dynamics in a way that is often very stressful and potentially violent. There is a lot more interaction between three dogs to determine rank. If there are 2 dogs, one is submissive and one is dominant. With 3, it seems there is a lot more turmoil (which is normal). If you do decide to add a third dog I would HIGHLY recommend you have been practicing pack structure with the 2 original dogs and getting them accustomed to being crated if they aren’t already.
Here is the link to our Groundwork program and the video that picks up where the article leaves off - Pack Structure for the Family Pet.
I would have 3 crates at the ready and follow the outline from the introducing dogs article.
Three dogs can work out fine, if you are prepared ahead of time and you are prepared to be a manager. It may be that you will always have to manage things a bit more strictly than you are accustomed to. Whatever you decide, let me know if you have any other questions and good luck!
Cindy
Here is the link to our Groundwork program and the video that picks up where the article leaves off - Pack Structure for the Family Pet.
I would have 3 crates at the ready and follow the outline from the introducing dogs article.
Three dogs can work out fine, if you are prepared ahead of time and you are prepared to be a manager. It may be that you will always have to manage things a bit more strictly than you are accustomed to. Whatever you decide, let me know if you have any other questions and good luck!
Cindy
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