National Simplify Your Life Week: Three Dog Life!
by Christy Caplan
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August 1, 2016 
How to Simplify Your Life: A Three Dog Life
Since this week is all about simplifying your life, I thought a post about living with one vs. three dogs seemed an appropriate topic.
Would my life be simpler with one dog? Yes. It would absolutely be simpler but I cannot imagine my life without Shermie, Walter AND Bruiser. Before Walter there was Sandy and before Shermie we lived with two dogs.
Shermie came into Oregon Humane Society in 2006. I saw his picture and description on their site and two days later he was part of the Caplan pack.
Shermie’s transition was not seamless or easy. He had cherry eye and needed eye drops which he hated. We quickly found out he was reactive on leash with other dogs which was not awesome. All in all Shermie’s transition took some work on our part and it paid off – eight years later. I could not love a dog more than I love Sherm.
Three dogs is a lot of work certainly. Our a.m. and p.m. feeding and walking routine takes between one and two hours. This is also because every dog in the pack has a separate walk due to age and activity level. Unless it’s Mike and I both walking and then we can tackle both walks together.
IF you live with more than one dog or you’re considering a multi-dog household, my recommendation is to have a young, middle aged and senior dog as the pack dynamic –not three seniors. When Bruisy has health issues, my attention (as it should be) is totally directed at him and I’m honestly not sure I could handle two aging dogs when “life happens”. The emotional toll would be very difficult.
So I guess I say – Why Simplify? Multiple dog households…is my preference and I say go with what feels right for YOU!
- If you have the time and bandwidth it’s absolutely do-able – but that’s IF you have the time. I work from home and I don’t have kids so I have time to care for three.
- The older dog(s) teaches the younger one: For example, Bruiser taught Walter to use the doggie door which is awesome – I think the pack enjoys the company of other dogs.
- It’s never a dull moment: I’m constantly laughing at them when they’re doing zoomies or playing chase.
- We do a lot of dog sports: Between Sherm and Walter in nosework and Walter’s reactive dog camp class we spend a lot of time training and keeping their minds active with enrichment – with multiple dogs you need to consider if you have time for all three!
Here are some resources if you feel like you need some support from a behavior specialist or trainer: *there are tons of professionals that can answer questions about how to manage a multi-dog household… here are some folks to look for and definitions of credentials
- Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT)
- Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Skills Assessed (CPDT-KSA)
- Certified Behavior Consultant, Canine – Knowledge Assessed (CBCC-KA)
- Trainers from: Jean Donaldson Academy; Karen Pryor Academy; Pat Miller Certified Trainers
So, I’m not sure adding multiple dogs into a pack is the best way to simplify your life BUT I wouldn’t have it any other way. What’s your preference?
Thank you: @Amanda Jones
Dogs on a Mt. Hood/Pacific Crest Trail hike
We’ve thought about adding another dog to our household, but our current 14-year-old dog wouldn’t go for it. He hated us enough for bringing three cats into his domain! But I agree – why simplify? 🙂
Oh I hear you. If I tried to do that now our 13 year old would not go for it either. The best way to integrate the last dog was by adding a younger dog that didn’t seem to threaten the other two… but you never know how it’s going work. Sometimes they gel and sometimes it doesn’t work… LOL three cats! Yea my guys would likely boycott that ;).
Excellent post, Christy! We have 2 dogs & I wouldn’t have it any other way either. In fact, ID love a third but the hubby isn’t ready for that & probably never will be.
Love & biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
Thank you so much! I totally get it, my hubby wasn’t ready for a third and even many years later we talk about what life was like with two – we cannot remember anymore!
I love the picture with all their bums walking uphill. 🙂
Our two are 9 and 8 and I’m painfully aware of this fact as time passes. We often think of what life would’ve been like for Charlie had we not gotten him a companion and then that gets us thinking about life without Baxter and we can’t even begin to fathom it. Life with them together is perfect and I’m grateful they also have eachother. I’ve always grown up with pairs or multiples and I wouldn’t have it any other way, especially if you work outside of the home.
Thank you!! I also cannot fathom these three not living together as they are thick as thieves. I suppose my life with less than three dogs would be boring 🙂 I love your two – they look like life is perfect with each other!
Life is pretty close to perfect with your dogs, am I right?!
Baxter and Charlie, I couldn’t have asked for a better pair. They’re like two peas in a pod and they’re just so sweet with eachother. Don’t get me wrong they have their moments… Lol!
Oh mine have their moments too – I promise you that!
We have only had one dog at a time. We have had multiple cats and right around the time we had my daughter we also 4 senior cats who all had serious health issues . It was definitely challenging. Lol!
And wow that you have to walk all three separately.
It literally takes over an hour to walk all three – old Bruisy is slow and deserves a nice slow walks, Shermie is reactive on leash so should be walked solo as I don’t want that to run off on Walter more than it already does and Walter is four and needs a super long walk/run at least twice a day. 🙂 lol! I hear you about caring for all those seniors!
We have been a multiple dog house for so long that I can’t remember what is was like to only have 1 dog. I’m sure it was easier but I wouldn’t trade all of the extra kisses and silly antics for anything!
We’re the same way – ten+ years and so much time has passed, I’m sure I remember it any other way. I think it was easier – but we’re way passed that at this point!
I have 4 dogs and I wouldn’t want to change it for the world! They interact with each other in a way that humans simply can’t!
The dynamic between your four I bet is so fun to watch!!
Mom says after having multiple dogs, only one is pretty much boring! Two dogs is easy, and three is a bit more challenging. We find having the age spread makes things more difficult. Mom would prefer two dogs closer together in age, and one in a different bracket. No matter what the ages, we always get lots of one on one time with Mom too as it is important. Who knows what the future holds here, as with us, a new pet usually just happens. Dog sports are a great thing and we spend a lot of time on them but it is worth it and it is so fun for all of us.
I think one is boring too – we agree! I think the one on one time is super important too and that’s why walking all three separately is cherished time where no one has to share time with mom. I hope you all are doing ok – I think about you guys and I hope as time passes happy memories are replacing some of the sadness. That’s kidn of how we are – with Sherm at nine and Brui at 12 they kind of fall in that bracket of two vs. one. In my mind Sherm is not a senior and I’m in denial… clearly.
I hope to add a third (and last) in about a year. Jaxson is less than a year old so I need to give him some more time.
That’s awesome- I will look for posts and please holler if you want to bounce things off of anyone! Another Doodle for SURE!
I have two dogs, and actually just added the second one as a 6 month old puppy about 4 months ago. My older dog is 8. Luckily, they seem to get along well. Obviously there have been a few issues to work through, but it does seem like a dynamic that is working out for us.
I did the exact same thing! I recently (four years ago — wow time flies) added a puppy as I thought that was the only dynamic the older dogs would tolerate – and I was right, even a puppy seemed tough for my two older guys. I’m so glad that all is well and it’s working out for your family!
My two complement one another perfectly, and they love one another enormously. But I am not sure I’d have two dogs at the same time again. A part of me misses the me-and-my-dog-are-a-pack vibe I had when I had only one dog. They must share my time, and I am not always sure they like to share!
Jean from Welcome to the Menagerie
I hear YOU – in fact, I’m positive that Bruiser doesn’t enjoy sharing his time at all! he tolerates it most of the time but sometimes he just wants to be an only dog! It’s a handful. : )
I agree some things are just not worth simplifying.
Sarah and Shadow
Sometimes two or three is just a lot of FUN! As you realized when the “gift” arrived!
That’s great advice to stagger their ages. I can’t imagine having three puppies or three senior dogs at the same time, haha! They sure do keep you laughing and entertained, don’t they?
I agree and even though Sherm is nine I’m still putting him in the middle aged category rather than senior category. 🙂 I honestly cannot imagine three seniors or three puppies! Three puppies – I would run screaming out of the house!
I couldn’t imagine my life without multiple dogs. We got our routine and it works for us. I hear what you say about having all senior dogs, my brother put down his two senior dogs on one day as they both were failing. Sad Space it out.
I’m SO with you! It tool awhile to figure out our routine but now it’s turnkey. I wouldn’t change a thing! That is awful having to say good-bye to his two senior dogs on the same day – I cannot even imagine, my heart breaks for him. AWFUL.
We only have two dogs and I don’t think I could handle more. 😉 Although I desperately want more. LOL
Even though my guys are 1 1/2 years apart, they are both now considered Senior dogs. Sampson has a partial knee tear and can’t walk as far or as quickly as Delilah, so I walk them separately, twice a day. Since I provide 99% of their care, it is challenging to say the least. But they really are worth it, and I’d much rather take them for a walk than just about anything else, so in a sense, they have simplified my life. 🙂 Thanks for joining the Pet Blogger Showcase and I’m terribly sorry I’m so late in checking in.
LOL. That’s basically what happened over here – and three is a handful for sure! I agree I’d prefer the three walks since all have different exercise needs and I also need the mental break and exercise so I found myself needing it as much as them! Thank YOU for commenting on this and highlighting my post in your showcase!!! Love this twice a month showcase – so thanks for hosting this.
I love this post! We had four dogs at one point, and that was too much, but of course we made the best of it! Now with three I still find it a little overwhelming at times, trying to keep up with everything. But I still don’t think I’d choose to go to one or two; though with the issues Luke has we may end up with just him when the senior girls are gone. I definitely agree that having more than one senior at a time can be tough! One thing I definitely learned is that adding a young dog to an aging family is the best thing we did – Luke really brought some energy back to his older sisters!
Thank you so much for hopping over! I totally AGREE with you – adding Walter to an aging family keeps everyone on their toes! I think old bruisy loves it and Sherm now nine likes the younger company. I would try four… but I hear you. The only thing I have to say is — those seniors are so sweet. I love our senior dog so much and after all these years I can look at him and know what he’s thinking. So two at that age is a precious time.
[…] National Simplify Your Life Week by Christy at My Life With Dogs, Is life simpler with three dogs? Christy acknowledges, probably not, but she couldn’t imagine life without her dogs. Something all dog lovers can relate to. […]
Awww, your trio are adorable. I’ve been there with 3 (2 OES’s and a goofball standard poodle). It’s like a 3-ring circus coming down the street (sans elephants) but I wouldn’t have changed a single paw!
Thank you! It’s exactly as you describe!! 🙂
[…] My Life with Dogs: National Simplify Your Life Week: Three Dog Life! […]
I have 3 dogs who are all approximately the same age. Nelly is 9, Sophie is 7 and Theo is 7 or 8 (we think.) I know it will be tough when they are all acting like seniors and having issues, but it does make the daily routine easier for now. My last dog was an only dog and it was easier in some ways. However, when she passed away, the house was unbearably empty, even though I had 4 awesome kids at home. For most of my life, I lived with more than one dog and it has been great. I don’t see myself as a single dog person in the future, but of course, you never know. My sister’s sweet Pug, Lulu, passed away today and I’m so grateful that my sister has two more dogs at home to help comfort her.
Oh Beth – I’m so sorry to hard about Lulu – my heart hurts for you and your sister. Having the other two at home will absolutely help and time will heal. Me too – not sure that the future holds but I for now three works. I bet they all love having each other in their pack and I will say that seniors are the SWEETEST!