January 6, 2014

Monday Musings: Are Two Dogs Better Than One?

Ruby with her "cousin," my aunt's dog, Hachi

No, I haven't adopted another dog, although with fellow bloggers like Abby from Doggerel and Kimberly from Keep the Tail Wagging welcoming new four-footed family members into their homes in the new year, one can't help get a little swept away by puppy fever (except that I don't actually want a puppy...) I will openly admit that I've been thinking about it probably more than someone who has only had her current dog for five months should.  Mine was a two-dog household for almost ten years, and when I had my foster Elkhound I was convinced that three was the perfect number!

This smaller dog thing is new and exciting, too, since I was once someone who didn't glance at anything under forty pounds, so when I peruse Petfinder I'm looking in a whole undiscovered category.  Here are just a few that have caught my eye in recent weeks:

This happy little guy...

Ruby's Mini-Me

Rocco, whose name I wouldn't change

or

This older gentleman

Being an only child myself, there are a lot of things I appreciate about having an only dog, including being able to focus exclusively on her training, play one-on-one and of course developing a bond as Ruby's best pal, but her pure joy around her kin is hard to ignore.  If there is another dog around, I'm definitely second fiddle, so in part it would be hard to give up being the apple of her eye.  I'd feel less guilty about leaving her at home during my work day if she had company.  It's true, though, that most things are easier with one: visiting family, dog walks, arranging care when I go out of town. Managing her reactivity alongside another dog is not something to be taken lightly either, but is something I've had experience with, and I would be carefully selective in choosing a second dog that would be a source of calm confidence for her, as some of the dogs in her life have proven to be.   You can see that I've been doing a lot of talking myself into and back out of it, which all goes out the window when I see those sparkling eyes and inquisitive ears on the screen.  The main thing holding me back is unimaginative, finger-shaking adult responsibility.

When I was younger I thought I would have all the animals! Parrots, rabbits, ponies, goats!  I slowly worked my way up to my first dog in my last year of college, and while it was not the smartest time to do it, I made sure I was fully committed to her.  I turned down my first job offer because I couldn't take her with me.  When I adopted my second dog Freya after having Lasya for four years, I did so without a whole lot of planning, and she certainly was not the most compatible match for Lasya, but I think as a grown-up, I've always had a sense of the gravitas of each pet addition, because to me there is no option but forever.  Having recently exhausted the cushion I had attempting to save Freya and experiencing last week's scary reminder with Ruby of how quickly expenses can mount when you walk through the door of the vet hospital or emergency clinic, I feel I have a more realistic outlook.

Even if one round of catastrophic vet expenses won't break the bank, when you have multiple pets the odds aren't "ever in our favor."  By the time I started thinking about pet insurance, my previous dogs were old enough for it to have been cost-prohibitive.  I got insurance for Ruby as soon as I adopted her, and I would not consider another dog currently without doing the same.  I'll take this opportunity to say, since my day job is in the insurance industry, that if you don't have several thousand at the ready to part with, it's probably worth looking into pet insurance.  I was so thankful that when I had to take Ruby to the emergency clinic last week for vomiting  and suspected obstruction (all clear, thank goodness), I didn't have to immediately start questioning what I could afford and where I would get the money if she did require surgery.  I've made some changes recently with more on the horizon that could allow me more wiggle room, but the financial responsibility of pet care-taking is a huge factor in the decision and not one I'll be rushing in to.  

Another direction I've been seriously considering is fostering again.  I've fostered two dogs in the past, a Norwegian Elkhound called Bjorn and a Chihuahua called Vlad.  Vlad is the dog who changed my mind about small dogs! The rescue I got Ruby from is always looking for foster homes, and I'm also drawn to applying as a foster home for the local American Eskimo Rescue.  I've only known one closely, but I do gravitate toward the Northern/Spitz breeds and Eskies happen to be a good size-match for Ruby.

There is a lot to weigh with either choice, especially since one could lead to the other.  Although I've had no trouble letting my previous fosters move on to their permanent homes, there is always the infamous 'foster failure' and especially if the idea of an additional dog of ones own is not entirely out of the question as it was for me in the past - I had my hands full living on my own with two fifty-pound dogs. 

Is anyone else considering a second (or third or fourth) dog this year, or thinking about fostering for the first time? If you've experienced both, what do you love about having one dog versus multiple dogs?

11 comments:

  1. Our current foster is so sweet, easy, and gets along so well with Honey that my husband has been sorely tempted to adopt her.

    Honey does like playing with other dogs. But I also sense she appreciates having us all to herself once they leave.

    I've found fostering very rewarding. I love Honey more than ever for seeing how she tolerates our visitors. And I love having a chance to love and nurture other dogs without taking permanent responsibility for them.

    Maybe you could try fostering and if magic happens and the right dog comes into your life, adopt.

    Whatever you decide, I can't wait to read about it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm proceeding very slowly, keeping an eye out even for just the right foster. I can see why Ginny is tempting! As much as I adored them I was not tempted by my previous fosters - I do know when I'm at my limit and three dogs/one person is just too hard.

      Delete
  2. As you of course know, we recently adopted a new addition to our home. The reasons why were not well thought out nor planned, but seemed to just inspire to be the right time and the right dog. As Tsavo gets older, I wanted to have another dog in the house for her to interact with and play with. She has missed Loki so much since he left to go live with my mom. Zen of course has come with his own struggles but he is such a grounding force for me, unexpectedly. I am beginning to connect with him in a way I've not connected with my other dogs. He's a gentle soul with a long past. I don't regret our decision for a minute. I'm so glad he's home with us.

    I know you will do what's best for you and Ruby. I think fostering is a great place to start.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's interesting how they come in to our lives. I looked at so many faces, and it was Ruby I couldn't look away from. I would like to get to know Zen more!

      Delete
  3. Nothing like positive peer pressure to add another pup to the household! :-)

    We fostered five dogs before we adopted Eden, and I'm really glad we did. Fostering was a great way for us to see if Pyrrha was OK sharing her space with other dogs (she was) and to see if we (my husband and I) could coexist with two big dogs all up in our grill (we could)! Fostering also really helped us refine what we were looking for in a second dog, and I kept my standards high and tried to resist keeping any foster that wasn't what we wanted (which was hard).

    I occasionally miss how calm life was with just Pyrrha, but I think Eden will be a great and perfect addition to our little family -- craziness and all!

    Looking forward to reading about what you decide!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think what you say about fostering is exactly why it would be the right choice for me when I'm ready to take a next step. I'm very excited for you and hearing more about Eden and her interactions with Pyrrha!

      Delete
  4. Whoo, boy. I'm not the right person to answer this, but... Cooper was our first foray into fostering. And we failed. :) That took our count up to 3 dogs. He's been with us for three years, and now we have our second foster, Molly. Four dogs is far too many for us, so I'm praying she finds her family soon. All that being said, I love having more than one at a time because I think it helps them to have that doggish interaction and company, especially when we have to do silly things like... go to work or run errands.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was able to successfully re-home my previous two fosters, but there was an elkhound puppy I transported for rescue that I wanted to dognap! I only had her for a half day and it was so hard to hand her over!

      Delete
  5. Lara I totally understand where you are coming from. It's hard not to adopt another dog because I work in rescue but I LOVE have an "only dog." I spoil him so much because he's very independent. I am afraid he wouldn't do well with another dog in the house because we are each other's everything. Two dogs is so much more work and expense than one. Honestly, I enjoy giving my undivided attention to one dog, and getting his undivided attention in return!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Amanda, thanks so much for commenting! I really love having an only dog, but since I spent many years with two (or sometimes three when I fostered), I appreciate the dynamic of a duo as well. Ruby has so much fun playing with her cousin it's hard not to consider a full-time playmate for her! You are right that it's more work and expense, for sure.

      Delete
  6. I just realized that my boyfriend and I have never had just one dog. We've always had at least 2 and for the past 2 years, we've had 3 (or more). One thing about having a full house is that we're unable to foster, which I think is so important. So many dogs lose their spunk when in shelters. Foster families are so important to rescue. But we do what we can and we enjoy our noisy, busy home.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for visiting The Ginger Sisters at Rubicon Days! We enjoy each and every comment and love getting to know our readers.