Thinking about adopting...

[teatime]

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Hi guys,

I'm thinking about adopting another dog, a corgi/dachshund mix. I have a little corgi mix already (hes my avatar). My dog gets along really well with other dogs, almost to the point of getting attached at the hip if he spends enough time with them, haha. The shelter prefers to re-home this new dog in a home with another small dog, so I think it could be a perfect fit. I'm thinking of the finances of it - not just the adoption fees, but the extra vet care, food, whatnot. I just don't want to get to the point where I've taken on more than I can handle.

Do any of you out there live on your own (my boyfriend does not live with me, i.e. I would be fully responsible for all of its care) and have more than one dog? Tell me your experiences, and anything else I might not be factoring into the equation.

 

[cowgirla]

Hi guys,

I'm thinking about adopting another dog, a corgi/dachshund mix. I have a little corgi mix already (hes my avatar). My dog gets along really well with other dogs, almost to the point of getting attached at the hip if he spends enough time with them, haha. The shelter prefers to re-home this new dog in a home with another small dog, so I think it could be a perfect fit. I'm thinking of the finances of it - not just the adoption fees, but the extra vet care, food, whatnot. I just don't want to get to the point where I've taken on more than I can handle.

Do any of you out there live on your own (my boyfriend does not live with me, i.e. I would be fully responsible for all of its care) and have more than one dog? Tell me your experiences, and anything else I might not be factoring into the equation.

Well, I live on my own, have one small dog, and would probably get another in a heartbeat.

Most important to me would be the age of the dog. At this point in time, if I adopt another dog, it will have to be an adult, and housebroken. Most shelter dogs are already vetted and spayed/neutered, at least where I am now, so that's not too much of a concern either.

Working in a vet clinic now, I pay very little in the way of food, vet bills, flea/tick, heartworm meds, etc. There are always drug reps giving out free stuff, Purina even gives out free 35lb bags of food. I have a feeling as a vet student, a lot of that will be the same.
I buy my dog food in bulk when I'm not using the Purina... last time I bought dog food, I got 2 40lb bags for the price of 1. With a 25 lb dog, that lasts a heck of a long time!

So basically, the cost is of the least concern to me. I worry more about whether I have the time to commit to working with two dogs. I keep telling myself that they'll entertain eachother and tire eachother out, but I think that's more wishful thinking than anything!

 

[teatime]

I know I made it sound like the cost was the biggest concern, but I was just thinking of the practical aspect. I also work for a vet, and I get a 50% discount, so it wouldn't be a huge worry.

Yes, I worry about having time for both dogs, but I think I can handle it. The dog is an adult, and he's housebroken, neutered, and up to date on shots. And I definitely think both dogs would benefit from having a companion, whether I'm around or not.

My other issue is wondering when I move how hard it will be to find housing that allows two dogs, even if they are small....

 

[lei325]

I'm not sure where you'll be looking for housing in the future, but chances are that most places that allow animals will probably be ok with two small dogs. Most issues I've seen friends run into is because they have large dogs. Also, as for the expenses, I would write out a budget to see how much more it will really cost you to keep a 2nd dog. It helps to see it on paper.

My own experience with adoption is with my yellow lab. She was brought in to the practice I used to work for because she needed surgery. She's got hip and elbow dysplasia, glaucoma, and is blind because of bilateral detached retinas (her and her sister were rescued from a puppy mill in TN that was practicing very poor breeding). Since I'm a sucker and fell in love with her at first sight, I decided to foster and later adopt her. It was and still is a huge responsibility because of her chronic pain medication and eye drops and twice yearly blood work. Also, her expected life span is on the shorter side, so I know that she'll break my heart sooner rather than later. But to me, all that is worth having her in my life. So a part of it, though the expense is a huge aspect of the adoption process, is if you're a sucker like me and have already fallen in love with the dog. And if that happens, well...it's too late for you! 😛 But seriously, if you think you can handle the expense and the time needed for a 2nd dog, then I think you should go for it.

 

[Bearby]

Right now I only have a cat and his vet bills are kind of insane. However, there is a possibility that I will adopt a 10 year old cocker if I go to vet school. This dog's owner has 4 cockers and will bring them to the clinic and just forget that they're there for weeks at a time. He doesn't take care of them, pays someone else to feed and walk them. The one I want to take gets beat up by one of the others and has to be locked up all the time to prevent injury. I haven't talked to the owner about this yet because I don't want to get his hopes up about getting the dog off his hands. Cost would be a major issue for me, and like cowgirla said, I would never take in a puppy if I was going to be by myself. Whatever you decide, good luck.

 

[StartingoverVet]

Not living alone but you still might find my input helpful...

Had one small dog (Italian Greyhound) and we decided to get another to keep her entertained.... We had been fostering so we figured there would not be compatibility problems with getting another (by the way, there is also a cat in the picture).

The first several months were some of our most difficult times. Unlike with the fosters, we tried to give the newer dog equal time and affection as the original while always making sure there was no question who was the alpha. Although there is no limit to how much we can love, there is a limit to how much time we have to love. Even with 2 of us, it was difficult for a while. Whatever one dog had, the other wanted, love & affection, food, toys, a lap, position on the bed, etc.

Instead of the 2 dogs entertaining each other and giving us free time, we were spending more time than ever taking care of them. The dogs really did get along fine, and did entertain each other a bit, but for us there was just more to handle.

Eventually we all adapted to the new situation, but I still feel 2 years later that it would have been easier to have just the one, and the first dog would have been equally happy either way, but she is a bit of an independent sort. We are very, very happy with both the dogs, and love them, and would never undo what was done, but it definitely was a lot harder than we thought it would be.

Sorry for the long message. Have lots more I could say, but am biting my tongue (or my fingers in this case).

 

[NStarz]

Well, I live on my own, have one small dog, and would probably get another in a heartbeat.

Most important to me would be the age of the dog. At this point in time, if I adopt another dog, it will have to be an adult, and housebroken. Most shelter dogs are already vetted and spayed/neutered, at least where I am now, so that's not too much of a concern either.

Working in a vet clinic now, I pay very little in the way of food, vet bills, flea/tick, heartworm meds, etc. There are always drug reps giving out free stuff, Purina even gives out free 35lb bags of food. I have a feeling as a vet student, a lot of that will be the same.
I buy my dog food in bulk when I'm not using the Purina... last time I bought dog food, I got 2 40lb bags for the price of 1. With a 25 lb dog, that lasts a heck of a long time!

So basically, the cost is of the least concern to me. I worry more about whether I have the time to commit to working with two dogs. I keep telling myself that they'll entertain eachother and tire eachother out, but I think that's more wishful thinking than anything!

Just wanted to add to this point. At least in my shelter, we always tell people that we can't guarantee that the dog they're bringing home will be housebroken. It's very stressful for a dog to be thrown around so much in such a short time. Even if the dogs never soils his crate at the shelter, you can expect some accidents when he/she gets home because he/she needs to get used to your schedule, and you need to learn what his cues are.

So, you need to have sufficient time, at least, to semi-housebreak and provide refreshers as needed. The more consistent you are with him, the faster he'll get it.

Also, you can't just throw two unknown dogs together and let them duke it out. For the first couple of months, every time the new dog is with your present dog, they should be supervised. If you're not home or watching like a hawk, they should be separated. It's definitely doable, but it also requires a time commitment to make sure your new family is amiable with each other! Good luck with your decision!

 

[mhlaur]

Getting a second dog before vet school starts rather than after would make more sense to me. You'll have more time now to devote to any behavioural issues. When I got my second greyhound, I was very stressed out because I was busy and didn't want to spend the extra time cleaning up poop every day. But it all worked out over time. I'm still thinking of getting a 3rd grey if I get into vet school. My vet keeps discouraging me because of cost and time, but I'm ok with that. I just learned that racing greyhounds may be an extinct breed within 10y so I want to enjoy them while I can. By the way, I also have 2 cats and am on my own. All 4 have been pretty healthy. Of course the 4th pet has had the most issues, go figure! If you feel this dog would have a hard time finding another home and the two dogs get along, I say go for it.

 

[cowgirla]

Just wanted to add to this point. At least in my shelter, we always tell people that we can't guarantee that the dog they're bringing home will be housebroken. It's very stressful for a dog to be thrown around so much in such a short time. Even if the dogs never soils his crate at the shelter, you can expect some accidents when he/she gets home because he/she needs to get used to your schedule, and you need to learn what his cues are.

So, you need to have sufficient time, at least, to semi-housebreak and provide refreshers as needed. The more consistent you are with him, the faster he'll get it.

Oh yeah, good point, I would never expect a dog in a new house to never have an accident, and to automatically adjust to my schedule. My hope is that an older dog would at least have the basics of "house=bad." Semi housebreaking, I can do. Cleaning up puddles and piles when it's my fault for being gone too long or ignoring the cues, I can do.

An obnoxious little puppy, not so much. Mine was a nightmare to housebreak, and I was on Christmas break from undergrad at the time so had nothing but free time. 🙂

 

[teatime]

The dog is being fostered right now, and it's a no kill shelter, so even if he doesn't find a home (which I'm sure he will!) they will keep him. Also, since he is in a home, they would have a good idea about how housebroken he is/isn't. My dog was a total unknown when it came to housebreaking, and he had some pee accidents at first, but he learned pretty quickly. I guess I'm just questioning whether I would be the best thing for this dog. I know he could also go to another great family that might be better for him. Such a hard decision!

 

[mhlaur]

I guess also you might want to consider when another corgie mix would come along if that's a breed you like. Really having 2 dogs is not much more work than having one. Have you introduced the dogs to each other yet? I would start there and then decide. Can you foster the dog for a week in your home? It's hard to return the dog, but you can do it. I did that with one dog that I didn't keep and plan to foster greyhounds this summer just to transition them into house life and look after them post-neuter/spay.

The dog is being fostered right now, and it's a no kill shelter, so even if he doesn't find a home (which I'm sure he will!) they will keep him. Also, since he is in a home, they would have a good idea about how housebroken he is/isn't. My dog was a total unknown when it came to housebreaking, and he had some pee accidents at first, but he learned pretty quickly. I guess I'm just questioning whether I would be the best thing for this dog. I know he could also go to another great family that might be better for him. Such a hard decision!

 

[teatime]

I guess also you might want to consider when another corgie mix would come along if that's a breed you like. Really having 2 dogs is not much more work than having one. Have you introduced the dogs to each other yet? I would start there and then decide. Can you foster the dog for a week in your home? It's hard to return the dog, but you can do it. I did that with one dog that I didn't keep and plan to foster greyhounds this summer just to transition them into house life and look after them post-neuter/spay.

Yeah, I do like corgis. I didn't want to have to go through the work of having the dogs meet if I wasn't prepared to go ahead with the adoption if they got along. I know it would be hard to return him, but the shelter says they will always take the animals back. I could ask about the trial period...Do you really feel like you have the time to devote to both of your dogs? I know feeding them and walking them will obviously occur at the same time.

 

[sumstorm]

I have 6 dogs total. Generally 3-4 live with me and 2-3 with my husband (3 hours away.) For me, the total time for 3 isn't much more than one (very compatable dogs, had all before vet school.) My working shepherd is more than a hand full, but that is because we went from training an average of 16 hours a week to a couple hours a week, and she is still young (3yrs.) Now, there are things that vary; dogs that require routine grooming take more time than dogs who are wash and go. The allergy dog takes more time than the non-allergy dogs. The working shepherd, and retired SAR cocker require more exercise. Dogs with issues, whether that is anxiety, storm phobia, lack of socialization, etc take more time than those who don't hve thos issues.

One caveat; I do NOT study at the school nearly as much as some other students. I would rather be at home with my dogs, and several friends than at the school anyways (really, 8+ hours a day is more than enough!) I have dog beds set up around the areas study in (kitchen, desk, bedroom.) I have a yard, and take 15-30 minutes to really play when I first get home. I feed out of treat balls.

There are student's whose pets I feel sorry for, but for me, multiple dogs have always been better than singles, partly because I have pretty social animals.