Managing the multi-dog household

I teach family studies, and one of the things I have learned along the way is the importance of treating each child differently, according to his or her own temperament, needs, personality, age, etc.

I believe the same is true of dogs in a multidog household. Each personality is unique, and consequently each of my three dogs has different needs, differently comfort levels with various experiences, different levels of energy and different interests.



Caleb

Caleb, my five year old pitti cross, is a serious guy but also the youngest, largest and the most intense of my canine crew. I cannot move from room to room without him getting up and following (and he communicates his frustration when I am puttering around the house and don’t stay put for more than a few minutes!). He is the first out the door, the first to the gate, the first to wolf down his food, the most persistent when I pick up the car keys. He never barks or whines, but he makes it clear that I am his person and he wants to be with me every minute. He is the persistent counter surfer, cat chaser, bed hogger, and poop eater.

Because of his age and breed and personality, he needs more exercise than my two senior dogs. And because of his size and strength, he walks faster, runs more vigorously, pulls harder when on leash, and is less patient with a gentle stroll. Because our society currently holds such distorted views of pitties and pitti crosses, I am ever sensitive to how others might view him and unfairly stereotype him. Therefore I am extremely motivated to keep Caleb constantly interacting with other dogs and humans, to ensure he is well socialized and exposed to a multitude of situations. As part of my commitment to him and to his socialization, I make sure he goes to doggy daycare once a week.

This isn’t just any doggy daycare but one that takes the dogs for a 2-3 hour hike, often on rigorous mountain trails; where the person who runs it is a trainer who uses only positive methods and who has an amazing relationship with each and every dog; and where there are dogs of all shapes and sizes who are socialized to play well with each other, to listen to the human, and to respect everyone – canine and human. Caleb has a great time there.


Charley

Charley, who will be eleven this year, is quite happy to stay at home. She’s not crazy about car rides and finds younger energetic dogs rather tedious. Daycare would NOT be something she would enjoy. She is quite content to stay at home curled up on the bed or couch while I’m at work, though she has told me that she would really like to lie outside under one of the big hazelnut trees in all but the most rainy of weather. Sorry, Charley, dogs stay safely in the house when the humans aren’t home.

Charley would rather be an "only dog". She gets along well with all animals, of any species, but during the two short periods of time when she was the only dog in my household, she truly blossomed and showed her affectionate, playful side. Consequently, I try to make sure that Charley gets more than her share of one-on-one time and personal attention from me.


Belle

Belle, age twelve, is quite similar to Charley in energy level, but more like Caleb in her need to follow me from room to room and her love of car rides. She is most annoyed with me that one day a week when Caleb gets to come in the car for the ride to daycare, while she must stay in the house with Charley. And she has the most persistent bark when she wants to communicate her needs. There is nothing quite like "sheltie attitude" (or, as a friend of mine calls it,"sheltitude").

Belle is the newest member of my household, and perhaps the least secure having lost her lifetime home so recently. Her need is for lots of cuddle time - she likes nothing more than to curl up in my lap while I read a book or watch TV. It is also very important to her to feel like "one of the family", so including her in everything we do is essential to her sense of wellbeing.

Today was Caleb's daycare day. I decided to slip home for a couple of hours between leaving work and picking up Caleb at the end of the day. It is amazing how different my tiny little house feels when my big lug of a pitti isn’t here - a totally different pace, much lower key. Belle and Charley each received a bully stick (a much safer, more digestible treat than rawhide) and spent an hour side by side on the kitchen floor, each relishing a good chomp. Caleb practically inhales bully sticks and even a 12” one seldom lasts more than five minutes – after which he tries to harass the others for theirs. Needless to say, the dogs have to be crated or babygated in separate rooms for their treats when Caleb’s around. To see my “girls” leisurely enjoying the chew together made me smile.

As we headed out the back door after their snack, we saw Martin the alpaca tearing down the path at breakneck speed towards us. Guess he’d just noticed I was home and figured it was dinner time!!!!

We fed Martin and put him in his pen so the three of us – Charley, Belle and myself - could go for a stroll in the pasture. While the snow is still about 10 inches deep, the ice-hard crust has finally given way to a softer, slushier groundcover. Charley and Belle rushed through the pasture gate and joyously explored the smells of coyote and alpaca droppings, checked out the creek which is nearly brimming over from the quickly thawing snow, snuffled through the dead wood and old straw looking for any little rodents wintering there, and generally reveled in the pleasure of being outdoors.


Charley and Belle in the snow


When it was time to pick up Caleb, their reaction was predictable – Charley took one look at the car keys in my hand and headed for bed in the house, while Belle began the notorious Sheltie bark, telling me in no uncertain terms that she was coming along for the ride.

Three dogs, three different sets of needs. Each unique, each special in their own way. Together, a great family of canine kids. I love each one of them.