posted 03-16-2004 08:06 AM         

On the other hand, one of the books I have on multiple dogs says that all dogs require a dog companion. People are great, but they need their "own kind" to be happy. Especially when you work all day (but don't they mostly sleep then anyway?).

And say you get a puppy when your first dog is 2-3 years old. How do you bond well with the puppy when it has the older dog to play with?

Bonnie is a good dog. She and Nala get along great and have a fabulous time together.

But how the heck am I going to find time to train them?! I need to find time for each individually (what the heck do I do with the other one?) and then time with them together. At least exercise is pretty much taken care of.

I have been trying to train one while the other is outside eating. I am not having a lot of luck, especially with Bonnie. She is not very focused (which is to be expected). I found that hotdogs are good motivators for her, though.

I know my husband prefers to only have one dog. I love watching the two play together and I feel better knowing Nala has entertainment that is more her style. But I also feel like she doesn't need me anymore - she doesn't play with us at all and her antics have been absent. I guess she doesn't need to entertain herself when she has another dog to play with - is it selfish of me to want her to look to me? But I don't have the time or the ability to play with her like Bonnie does!!

I am so confused. I don't know whether to give Bonnie up if they find a family for her. I keep thinking maybe I should just let her go and pick up Nala's friends (Kona and Tyson) in the afternoons and let them play for a while and then send them back home.

If we go with a second dog, Bonnie is a good match. Do I have the time? Is it fair to the dogs? Is it better or worse for them? What am I getting myself into with an adult dog of unknown past? Will I regret not training her from a puppy?

If I let her go, how will Nala get enough exercise and play time?

posted 03-16-2004 08:47 AM         

But Bonnie won't get adopted right away, so in the meantime I will keep working with them both and see how it goes. Maybe the right answer will be more clear as time goes on.

Any other opinions would be welcome! Maisey, how old was Dooley with you got Witt?

posted 03-16-2004 09:23 AM         

I so wish I could. I am SOOO awful at decisions. I am a die-hard what-if person and I hate it. I am working on it.

I have so many misgivings about a second dog now that it's hard to not listen to it. I don't think I have the time to work both dogs and still see my children. And I really have no one to help me with the other dog, although I can always just toss one outside and she will have to learn to wait.

But I feel so bad that Nala loves to have a playmate. It's been great to see her happy and playing, to not get mauled by her in crazy dog mode, and to have her tired more often and thus not chasing the cats. I don't have to feel guilty when I am too tired to play.

And of course I have fallen in love with Bonnie. I am now positive that I could not foster dogs. I get too involved.

When I walk across the room, BOTH dogs follow me. If I go in the kitchen, they lie down in sight of the gate. If I pet one, the other comes running and I try to pet both, but they end up wrestling each other while vying for my attention. Bonnie is a lap snuggler which I LOVE.

I think I will enjoy Bonnie while we have her, leave her up for adoption and see if any good homes crop up, and look into future playmates for Nala - like regular playdates or something.

I need to build some agility equipment for the backyard.