A few weeks back we looked at 28 Reasons Why Owning Two Dogs is Better Than One and there are a lot of advantages. 2 Dogs is better than 1 for a lot of reasons, although you will need the time to care for them well.
As I own 3 Dogs I thought I would share with you the many reasons why looking after 3 Dogs is even better. Owning multiple Dogs is, naturally, a challenge. It is one that is well worth it though. There is certainly never a dull moment!
Which brings me to number 1:
- Life is never boring with three Dogs.
- Make sure at least one of the Dogs is a Rescue Dog. You have now saved a Dog from a life of misery.
- Easy Training. Two Dogs will be of great assistance in making it easy to train a third Dog. The newest Dog will copy the other 2 Dogs and make it much easier to train.
- Super Security. No one is going to be too inclined to break in to your house if there are three Dogs on the premises.
- If you have a Shy Dog then it will do much better with some Doggie company. Our Dog Daisy may be shy around new people and Dogs but she is not at all timid with her two Dog buddies. She is the picture of confidence.
- Walking three Dogs is quite a challenge alone but there is one major advantage. Not going for a walk twice a day is NOT an option. 3 Dogs means you will always be getting that twice daily dose of exercise.
- Lots more Fur to clean up every day! Not such a good one that. Makes you do the chores daily though!
- 3 Dogs may make you more inclined to take up a new hobby. Like getting a Dog Powered Scooter or some other new and fun thing to do with the Dogs.
- If you Spay or Neuter 3 Dogs then think about how many poor Dogs you will have saved from a sad life stuck in a Rescue Shelter. The reality is that lots of Dogs that have not been Spayed or Neutered end up having or creating multiple births and too many Puppies for the owner to care for.
- Lots more Face Licks!
- Lots more Dogs on the bed. Questionable one this but some owners love a big pile of Dogs on the bed!
- You can write a Dog Blog and have a catchy title!
- You can bore your Friends silly with all the stories of the fantastic things they did today. Faye pulled a funny face earlier, ooh how interesting!
- 3 Dogs means you always have an excuse if someone comes to visit and you are not really in the mood! “Yeah, one of the Dogs is being sick. You better come back another day”.
- Looking after Dogs is a challenge anyway. You may as well GO FOR IT!
- The more Dogs you have the more Bonkers they are. Owning 3 Dogs means that there is always something amusing going on.
- Owning three Dogs will make it even easier to pick up strangers at the Dog Park. You can talk about what a great Human you are for saving so many Dogs from the Dog Shelter!!!
- You can fill up your Hard Drive even quicker, with thousands of repetitive photos, and get told off by your Partner even more for never taking any Pictures of them! “But did you just see how cute that was when Daisy cocked her head to the side?”.
- A lot more Gassy Dog problems to try to find the answer to. Hmmm.
- Three Dogs in the Car with their Dog Seat belt harnesses on means you can pretend to be a Bus Driver!
- You can invent more stupid names. “Little Ninja Bed Diving Monkeys” comes to mind. By the way, if you want to see some really Cute Dog Pictures, this site has found a bunch of dog pictures and includes many captions that are funny, but just as stupid as “Little Ninja Bed Diving Monkeys
- You can make more stupid noises just to watch the Bone Munchers heads wobble from side to side in total confusion.
- 3 Dogs means they will burn off a ton of energy as at any one time there will always be at least 2 Dogs that will jumping about like loons seeing who can get in the best “Body Slam”!
- Looking after three Dogs means constantly wondering what trouble they will get in to next. Keeps you on your toes.
- Six ears means six things that will make you smile! Do Dogs ears actually have an independent existence from the Dog? I sometimes wonder.
- You will always have at least one Dog that wants to play with you.
- Three Dogs means that even after years you will still call them by the wrong names on ocassion and get everyone in the House totally confused. Including yourself!
- Triple belly rub! You know it makes sense!
May the Doggie Force be with you all,
We are dog sitting at the moment and we have three dogs in our house. I forgot (since last we dogsat) how much extra everything three dogs is.
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yeah 3 dogs great. WE have one rescue dog, a fab Gordon Setter x, (Totty) who only spoke French when we got him. Also have a beardie x (Willie) and a Flat coated retriever.(Charley)
Cuddle time difficult cos they all wanna cuddle at the same time and only got two hands!
Had four dogs and one died (FCR : Harry) just before Christmas. He was the Alpha and the remaining three have taken on some of his characteristics, but no-one bothering to be the Obama of the pack yet.
Th boys miss their pal but we sit by his grave on nice days watching the dordogne flow by and remember him.
Hate rainy days cos whole house smells of dogs and the river, but we still adore our boys!
I love dogs, though I don’t have one living with us right now. Three years ago, we moved back to our city home so we had to leave 16 dogs in the country. They were not spayed or neutered so I could imagine their numbers now. Hopefully, their foster owners would be able to feed them all. lol. After reading about your 3 dogs, I wished I brought at least 1 of ours with us here. sigh. I missed them now.
Peggy, it sure can be a lot of work, but worth it.
Cheyroux, nothing worse than damp Dog smells. Well, apart from Gassy Dog smells! Sorry about Harry, it is awful when you lose a great friend.
Rose, 16 Dogs! Wow.
“You will always have at least one Dog that wants to play with you.”
Well….that could be a BAD thing (if they don’t have off-switches, and you need some downtime).
Same things applies when you’re baby-sitting to a Duck-Toller. But in that case, you still have the equivalent of THREE dogs that want to play with you.
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Having four dogs means you’re one over the…er suggested limit by city ordinance so you’d better be a quiet, law abiding citizen.
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100% right on the biscuit –todd
Friar, sounds like the Duck-Toller is quite a handful! I better win your contest too!
Jan, “suggested limit” really?
Todd, um…Thanks!!!
A few months ago we rescued our third and the biggest change as been our other two dogs’ interest in toys. Our newest pup loves ANY toy. Our other dogs historically were much more picky, but not anymore. It’s like the two older dogs have discovered a fountain of youth as their level of play has skyrocketed.
Fun times!
Lol. I’ve learned that my dog limit is two. Maybe it’s because my dogs are not really dog-dogs as much as they are people-dogs (though this has changed with the new dog Star, who is the first very dog-loving dog I’ve ever had), so they are always hounding me for attention and play time and on and on. They really don’t do anything with each other.
I do foster from time to time, bringing my total to three for a short period. It’s the best I can do to help save a dog without going completely crazy or making my senior resident dog intensely jealous. And of course, more dogs means more money spent on food, more space in my house needed for crates, more supplies to buy, more fur and dirt, more house cleaning, more time spent training and walking, more waste in the yard… and my husband does not help me. Ever. Even if he’s the one who brings the foster dog home without my permission. [Strangle.]
I have a MOUNTAIN of respect for the folks who manage to have three or more dogs and still give them all the individual training and attention that they need. That takes a lot of time and effort! I think it increases exponentially with each additional dog. Maybe it is easier with smaller dogs. 😀
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Anne, sounds like they are happy with their new friend. Mine can go ages taking no notice of a Toy but if one of them stumbles across it then, of course, they all want it!
Hi Jennifer, the work certainly mounts up and it is not for everyone. The expense too, you are right. Luckily ours love to play with each other and burn off a lot of energy (just not enough)! 🙂
I always want more dogs. I think that’s the case with all dog lovers. Unfortunately (of maybe fortunately), I live with a boyfriend who is the one obstacle stopping me from having multiple dogs.
When I foster dogs though, I get stressed and wish I had more time devoted to my one dog. If I had two dogs of my own, I might feel like I wasn’t giving either enough time, let alone if I had three. But maybe if I thought of them as my own dogs, I would somehow make it work. When we visit my parents, there are three big dogs running around (their two and my one) and it is not so bad.
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Lindsay, it is a lot of work but they all get loved the same. I guess it may be more difficult if, like you, you spend a lot of time with agility training. It may be tough to do that for lots of Dogs. It is great fun though.
Three is fun, but it was easier with 2 – just because I only have 2 hands and arms and sometimes they all want hugs and pets at the same time. Like if I’ve been gone for an hour.
During mud season I could do with just one, or maybe smaller ones – or some kind of invention that would self-clean them. 3 dogs to bathe every night can be tiresome, even if all I do is legs and belly. I think about that invention a lot, but haven’t come up with the solution just yet. Getting mud out of long hair seems to call for using both hands and shampooing vigorously. And then repeating with the rinsing.
Oh well, I wouldn’t trade any one of them for a more peaceful life… each one is special and an entertaining individual.
So I agree, 3 dogs is better than 2 because it gives us one more to love.
P.S. All 3 of mine are rescues – and fixed, of course.
I have had two (both doxie X jack russle) little ones for the last 12 years… both rescue’s. I think one day I went off the deep end cause I came home with a 6 week old bull mastiff X great dane puppy. Here it is a year later and I wouldn’t change it for the world! I love having three dogs… the fun never stops and I have the best protection in the world! One for each ankle and one for your crotch! Step unwelcome into my home and your going to hate yourself!
I have two dogs who never want to be separated. That makes training hard. I’ve always thought that if I had a third dog, I would be able to take one out to work on training or go to classes and there would still be two at home (less guilt for me). But I still think that the more dogs you have-the more you have to really focus on holding them to a standard of behavior and giving them routing. Without that, they will completely run the show.
I own Two Purebred Rottweilers and getting a Third this summer! I think it will be fun to have a lil pack! I am the Pack leader in the pack here and Mine are all well trained so makes it easier to train the third as it will copy the other two. I am getting a Third Rottweiler mine are Germanbloodlines with the big bodies 🙂 Anyway I fiine there is never a dull moment with two three will be fun! at same time Patience and firm handling will be my Keys! Cesar Millan is my IDOL for dog training!
We have two dogs, Lucy and Titan. Lucy is a 2 year old Jack Russel/black Lab mix and Titan is a 9 month old Gerberian Shusky. We just recently got into a swing of things with the Titan and Lucy dynamic the past few months, but now we are taking in Titan’s sister maybe. I’ve been trying to do my research on multiple dog homes in the hopes of making this a smooth transition. Titan’s sister is going from being an outside to an indoor dog, so the transition may not be as smooth as we hope :).
I have 3 boxers 2F 1M mum, dad and daughter.. I’m having huge jealousy and dominance issue.. The mum is really well trained the dad isn’t as well trained because when I got him I had major issues with my back after falling from having a seizure. The mum is alpha and the oldest she is very protective of me and often snaps at my male.. But now my male has started to take a stand and barks at her in protest which is stirring things up.. Anyone have any suggestions?? Plz!
I am getting dog #3 in a few weeks. A half sister to my 10 month old maltipoo. I have two little dogs and they are a complete delight. Our children are gone and have families of their own and our pups are like our ‘kids’ . Being small (under 12 pounds) they come with us when we travel and always love being with us. They are intelligent and well behaved — I am seeing #3 as one more sweet little furry pup to love — oh and my dogs don’t shed. Very nice plus to have around the house!!! Thanks for the blog! Enjoyed it!
My husband and I have three dogs. All are rescues. The first dog, Loki, is a pure-bred Chihuahua (offspring of show dogs) that my husband got from a Chihuahua rescue before I met him. He’s long-haired and golden, much like the Taco Bell dog. He is very territorial and timid, and didn’t accept me at first, but now that we are married and I feed him daily, he trusts me, too. He still favors my husband, and is extremely hostile toward just about everyone else, even barking/growling at my stepkids who visit every other weekend. They have been in the picture since he was adopted! He is now about 6 years old. Still, he has a good heart and would take a bullet for us, that’s how loyal he is.
The second dog we got was a Pitbull/ Black Lab mix. His name is Samson. We got him less than a year ago through our county animal shelter, but he was staying at a Pitbull rescue. Fortunately, he was not from an abusive environment, but had passed hands a few times due to severe allergies. Most grains, any grain-fed meat, etc. are the culprits. Through tons of Benadryl, trial and error and patience, we’ve finally found food that he does well on. He is about 4 and while he has some anxiety issues (vacuums, loud trucks, any stick-like object, etc.) he is very sweet and I have brought him far with basic manners training. He is extremely patient and gentle with the small dogs (the next one I’ll mention loves to climb all over his face, and he just stands there and takes it.)
The third dog we got just a couple months ago, and although he was also a rescue, he was the first dog we got who was still a puppy. We call him Kato. He is a Chiweenie (Chihuahua/ Dachshund) and is black with small touches of white. He is still a puppy but has grown significantly. He loves to get right up in your face and LICK. He licks the inside of your mouth, nose, etc. Gross but kind of funny (you’ll never need a tissue again!) He does all the typical puppy stuff: chewing, peeing, pooping, etc., but thankfully I have been crate training him and he is showing some progress. I let him out to go potty with the other dogs, so hopefully he’ll learn. In spite of his messes, he is just so adorable, I can’t stay mad for long.
We got him as a buddy for Loki, and the two little dogs get on famously. At first, Loki was extremely jealous, but after a few days they started to play fight, and have been inseparable ever since.
Samson, the Pit mix, tends to show more intelligence and maturity than the small dogs, so he seems rather aloof and disinterested in their affairs. He would much rather spend time with me cuddling, taking walks, and chasing his ball. He also “talks” to me when he wants something.
I do walk all three at once, and it’s a ZOO. I’ve taught Samson not to pull, so he does OK, but little Kato is all over the place with puppy excitement. Loki acts like he is just tolerating the whole event.
Overall, though, I wouldn’t change this for anything. I love all three dogs for their very unique personalities.
Any
helpful hints. I have two great dogs (rescued) one rottweiler and one pit bull. The best dogs I ever had. Rescued a three year old female pit bull today who’s deaf. Getting her tomorrow, any suggestions.
*Three dogs are a challenge to walk* understatement of the year. I have a 15 year old jack russell, a 9 year old chocolate lab and a 7 month old chocolate lab. The only complaint I have is lately when I walk people have decided to stop their cars and give me snide remarks. I’m used to hearing ” whose walking who? ” so that doesn’t bother me. However this week ( including today ) cars have slowed or stopped – one guy said ” ya need more dogs ” and today another guy said ” have you got enough dogs? ” The first guy I just ignored. Today I told this guy ” No, I need more ” I’m pretty sure I heard hm laugh and call me an a-hole as he drove off.
Apparently three instead of just two drives some people nuts.
I’m getting a third large dog today. I’m going to be in so much trouble with my husband.. ??????
What! He doesn’t know? Brave lady 😉