One Dog Missing Out

[Malamum]

For those that have multiple dogs do you always do things with them together or do you often do things individually.

Our male has had arthritis for a number of years and due to this can be prone to being crabby and wary around strangers. He also can't do large amounts of vigorous exercise or he gets too sore.

Because of these things we are a bit limited with what we can do with him outside our home but it's also impacting Kira as we've fallen into the habit of only doing with her what Indy can do.

This is not fair to her and I plan to get her out and about more this year but I know I'm going to feel guilty about leaving Indy behind. The worst punishment you can inflict on him is to make him miss out on something and he sits out the back and cries like he is being tortured.

I know he just has to suck it up and I can give him extra special snuggle time in front of the TV etc which Kira is excluded from but it's hard as I know he wants more than anything to do the things he can't.

So, ease my conscience please and tell me all about the things you do with one dog while the other gets left behind.

[wuffles]

I find it hard too I am hoping to compete in obedience and agility with my young girl, so my big boy (who gets tired faster and doesn't like training) gets left behind a bit.

Mine get walked separately most mornings which I think helps give him individual time. I also try to take him out on his own outings a few afternoons a week, just a quick walk or even just to the shops with me.

This probably isn't the "right" thing to do but Satch is also much happier if I leave him with a treat of some kind when I take Ava out without him... a rawhide or bone or chewy. And my OH is usually home with him as well rather than being left alone when I take Ava out.

[Chezy]

I take gizzi most places with the toher 2 dogs, but sometimes i leave her for her own good eg agility trial where I will be very busy and she will be crated all day or if it is hot / rainy , may as well stay home and roam .

She does not like being left nehind though

[Clyde]

I find it hard too, but then I wonder if they really think they are missing out on something or just aren't used to being alone. Like you, I give the other extra cuddles etc to make up for it but then wonder if that's really fair either as I don't think the other dog would relate to his day out as not having extra cuddles that night.

[Cosmolo]

I have the same problem except i have 5 dogs- 3 healthy, young, active dogs and 2 who desperately wish they were. One of the 2 doesn't mind not doing things- while she loves walks etc she is also very happy sitting on the deck outside. The other dog, while not anxious doesn't like to be left out and he is very bonded to me so i feel guilty leaving him too. He is also young and wants to be very active so we have to balance his personality with what his joints can handle.

[Kaz]

I have one disabled dog and two young ones.

This means that all three can go for playtime at the beach where each does things at their own pace.

For walks I only take the younger ones but only one at a time. This means that I never leave one dog at home alone.

The dog with the dodgy legs gets more car rides and shopping outings without the other dogs and he can have a little wander outside the car or I will get a takeaway coffee and we will just chill in a park.

Life is actually easier with three dogs than two.

[Cosmolo]

That sounds good Kaz. I so wish my guys would do things at their own pace at places like the beach- the old dog and the sore dog are so full on and try to keep up with everyone else. Silly dogs..!

[Bubitty]

I am notorious for doing different things with each of my dogs.

People have even told me I am mean by not letting them both do the same thing! I keep the relationship as even as possible but not by letting them do the exact same things. For instance Bitty is a darling with people. She just LOVES visiting people and makes a fantastic impression and everyone loves her. I take her out to my parents and to my friends places all the time because she has fans.

Bubby on the other hand demands food when he is at people's houses and then whines at their front door until I take him home! So no visits for him! But he will get more interesting walks than Bitty (with plenty of stuff to sniff along the way) because he adores his walks whereas she is fat and I chose her walking path based on what I think will burn more fat off!

I spend a lot of time teaching Bitty more complex tricks and charging up and down the yard with her like a maniac because she enjoys that kind of thing!

Bubby, I only do very easy, basic tricks with and reward him with lots of yummy food. He is not really into training and tricks and likes to do the same 5 commands over and be told he is a little genius and get lots of cuddles.

[Guest Willow]

It depends....mostly they do the same thing, because they like each others company, and go at a similar pace, but this week my old staffy has stuffed his shoulder & is strictly housebound, so I'm just taking the SWF for walks. I like the walk too, and it seems daft to leave him behind, although I have had people tell me I'm mean for doing so!

I also play a lot of fetch with the SWF....he loves it, but staffy man gets fed up after a couple of goes

[JulesP]

I've got 3 and I tend to either take them all out or just take one out. They all seem to enjoy one-on-one mummy time. I enjoy spending that time with them too.

It was to cater for my old girl that I started walking in my own paddocks. We would trundle into the middle and hang out together whilst the younger dogs ran around crazy. Everyone was happy. Interestingly since my old girl went one of my other dogs is choosing to sit with me rather than running around. That is rather cute.

4 dogs was pretty handy as you could leave 2 home and take 2 out

[Loving my Oldies]

With my dogs, it is just for walks that I have to arrange things. I take Myrtie on her own first to work off some of her energy, then I double back to pick up Danny, Jeune and Tamar and take those four, with Myrtie still wanting to go like a Mack Truck . Then I drop them home and take Mufti out on his own. He used to go around the block, but doesn't go that far often. For him, the main thing is to give him the interest of getting out into other smells and sights. For the past few weeks, I've had a tiny little Pomeranian and once she was out of quarantine, I would take her with Mufti.

[tlc]

I have always made a habit of doing different things with mine but I try to even it out between all of them.

My OH goes to his Mums every weekend so who ever I don't take to training he takes with him.

I take one of the girls each Monday to visit the hospital and the rest stay home.

If I am visiting someone and I can take dogs I usual pick the one I take depending on who we visit.

I take all of them when we go off lead running at the dog park.

I try to keep it on an even keel so they all get the same amount of attention.

One thing I never do is leave one at home on thier own. However I do alternate thier inside outside time so occasionally they each spend time alone outside.

[Malamum]

Thanks guys, you have all made me feel a bit better.

I find it hard too, but then I wonder if they really think they are missing out on something or just aren't used to being alone.

I'm sure with Indy he is upset about missing out on something as he has never minded being alone. He was an only dog when he was younger and was never phased about being left alone.

I don't even think he likes Kira that much so I'm pretty sure he's not missing her.

But he totally understands what the leash and the car means and if Kira is involved in either of those things without him you can hear him crying from about half a K away (he has a big set of lungs and boy it's loud).

[rastus_froggy]

I have 3 dogs and no I don't find it hard to leave one or 2 behind, I actually think it's really good for them, that way when one passes it will not be so hard on the other one/s as they will be use to them not always being there.

Sometimes I walk 3, sometimes 2 (always making it different combinations of who walks and who stays home) and sometimes just one. When I go to comps sometimes I take 1 or 2. When I go away and can't take them 2 stay home and 1 goes to the kennels.

I find it SO important for them to have seperate time.

It's funny because some of my friends say to me 'Oh Stimpy is totally your favourite' and others say Froggy is - it just depends on where they see me as to which dog I have.

[wuffles]

But he totally understands what the leash and the car means and if Kira is involved in either of those things without him you can hear him crying from about half a K away (he has a big set of lungs and boy it's loud).

Mine is the same, he has no problems being alone, but he hates missing out on something fun! That's why I usually give him a treat as I leave... the rawhide takes him about 5-10 minutes and it keeps him happy while we walk out the door

[Bundyburger]

I have one who comes everywhere with me, and another who stays home. When the kelpie stays home OH is normally there so he doesn't really 'miss out' as he gets one on one with my OH which he doesn't get as much now the Viz is here, so he doesn't mind. I'm hoping to get him to a stage where he can come places too but it's a work in progress with his car fear and DA and other things. I try not to leave him home totally alone though, as he will howl and cry and it makes me sad so I end up leaving the Viz with him for company instead

Edited December 30, 2010 by Bundy's Mum

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

It's a sad reality that with multiple dogs you just can't do everything with all of them.

I have a very ancient 16+ foster dog, it's not so hard in the cooler weather as he can wait in the car but at the moment he's going on the 2nd walk to the oval (I do 2 walks each morning as I have my own plus fosters usually). He potters along in his own time - once he's pooped while I walk the two younger ones much faster then we go back for him, he's often started heading back towards the car anyway. He sleeps most of the time and I don't think he worries about being left once he's had a walk and breakfast.

I will always be in this position, I've had a disabled dog previously and we did the same sort of thing. She'd have her little potter round and I'd play ball with the others, I never left her just in case someone came into the oval with another dog and I was too far away. She was very fragile.

[huski]

I do more with Daisy, I can't deny it, she is the only one of my dogs I can do dog sports with and she is the youngest and most active one.

Cherry is too old now at 12 to do all the things Daisy does, and Micha simply can't now with his arthritis and he can be DA so there are places I simply won't take him for his own benefit.

Cherry doesn't mind so much as she loves having 'alone time' but it kills me with Mish as he has always been a social and active dog. I have always walked the dogs separately so that has never been a problem but I do feel guilty sometimes because I do SO much more with Daisy. I try to even it out by taking Mish out on his own, dedicating time to train and play with him etc. If I am taking Daisy somewhere sometimes I give him a pigs ear or something when we are leaving, though he doesn't have any separation anxiety and doesn't seem bothered when we do go somewhere.

[Parkeyre]

This is the reason I find having 1 or 3 dogs is easier then having 2.

[Malamum]

Cherry is too old now at 12 to do all the things Daisy does, and Micha simply can't now with his arthritis and he can be DA so there are places I simply won't take him for his own benefit.

Micha sounds exactly like Indy. It would be easier if he was in a degree of pain that made him not want to do things but as we manage it by not letting him exert himself too much he thinks he can still do all the things he wants to - he just pays for it that night or the next day.

He also thinks he still loves all people but then remembers at the last minute that his legs hurt sometimes and he doesn't like people he doesn't know touching him. So we now limit his interaction to people he has known all his life.

It's sad as he gets so excited when he thinks he is going to be included in something.