How to Live with Multiple Dogs

Living with multiple dogs is very challenging but very fun. They definitely keep you on your toes. Our family/household has 5 dogs. When I was younger, I lived with only one dog. It wasn't as fun, entertaining, and rambunctious as living with multiple dogs. When I'm having a rough day I come home to a pack greeting me, which in turn brightens my day. Dogs are great companions who sense our emotions and feelings. No two dogs are alike. They have a tendency to teach one another. The good, bad, and ugly. A couple examples: 1. Macy was taught to "sit pretty" now, Pongo is able to do it by watching her. 2. Bella jumps up on the kitchen chair, now Apollo will do the same.

Keys to a peaceful kingdom

A hierarchy ranking takes place in the house between household members (canine & human). It's important for the human(s) to be at the top of the hierarchy. This in fact establishes who's boss. The more dogs in the house, the more "in charge" the human(s) have to be.

Spending individual & quality time alone with each dog makes your bond strong w/each dog & I think makes it easier to set up the "leader" position.

Having realistic expectations our expectations of dogs' abilities to live peacefully and in harmony around and with one another is obscured. Dogs will tolerate one another, but it doesn't necessarily mean they have to or will like/love or want to be around one other 24/7. Some dogs bond better with others depending on their personalities, breed, age, and drive. Dogs have different personalities, characteristics, & demeanors as do humans. Not all humans like one another or personalities clash but it's still important to maintain order, have respect, & have boundaries.

Understanding your breed can also be helpful. Some breeds are more testy/moody, need more exercise or mental stimulation, or don't do well around other animals or children. Knowing these things is just as important. I will say not all dogs in the same breed are the same. Genetics play a role in this. I've seen this 1st hand with many years of being around dogs but mostly in the past 8 yrs. For example, you could have a laid back german shepherd who doesn't want to learn or a rambunctious german shepherd who wants nothing more than to learn. Of course, these came from 2 different litters/offspring.

Use management tools such as crates and gates. When we are not home, my dogs do not have free roam nor do they have access to be around each other to physically interact with one another. It's important to protect the old, young, small, sickly, or medically compromised members. Some may not be unable to defend themselves. Keeping those members physically safe by separating them is important. I would never leave any of my dogs home alone w/o any supervision. They are all kept separate & crated when there is no human around for precautionary reasons. I feed all my dogs separately (in their crates) at the same time. So there is no competition over food. I also mix up who I give the bowls to 1st so, no 2 get fed 1st the same time, every time-there is a rotation.

Problems you could encounter

Dogs are typically very loveable animals, but some dogs have "trauma" just like us humans do that will set off aggression more than others. Aggression isn't necessarily a bad thing, it just needs more attention, with some leadership, and training to get the dog(s) back on track. There are squabbles, snarling, and snapping from time to time.

Aggression/fights I believe there are 2 main reasons that aggression happens in a multi dog household…. medical condition/ailments and resource disputes. Usually it's from resource disputes.

1. Medical conditions that cause pain or discomfort cause stress. An example… One of my older dogs was having dental issues and was lashing out at me. Once he had his teeth cleaned and the infected/problematic teeth extracted, he was pain free!! He no longer had aggressive behavior towards me or the other dogs.

2. Resource disputes. Examples… Not wanting to play anymore or playing too rough, not wanting to share attention, area/space, or a toy.

Solution for aggression/fights

1. Maintain a calm demeanor. For example, no yelling, screaming, throwing objects, hitting or other means of punishment. Your own personality, demeanor, behavior, & commitment to managing the household (humans/canines) plays a big role in having a peaceable home for your furry friends. Being calm around your dogs can and will help defuse a potential conflict. Using a stern voice without yelling or screaming is key. Yelling and screaming can cause stress and make things worse.

2. Be observant. Keep an eye on energy level during playtime. When I see the energy level start to rise, calmly step in and break it up before it turns into something more.

3. Make sure the dog is getting plenty of mental and physical stimulation. A tired dog is typically a behaved dog. A pack of tired dogs is less stressed or excitable, and more likely to live in peace with one other than those who have an abundance of energy.

4. Let dogs be dogs and let them "work it out" to solve small squabbles. I think this helps resolve hierarchy issues and restore the pack back to harmony. If conflicts get out of hand and escalate to where there may be bloodshed, then it's not ok to let them "work it out" The more dogs in a household, the better it is to have all or most dogs trained. Breaking up a fight is much easier and effective when dogs will respond to commands.

Making hard decisions

Quality of life is an important consideration for all the family (human & canine). If the quality of life is poor for you or your dog and is way too stressful & no amount of effort seems to improve the relationship in a packs dynamic, then other options need to be considered. Finding one or more of the dogs' new homes may be necessary. Keeping the more difficult ones and placing one or more of the easy-going dogs with friends or family members may be the best bet. Not many people will want to take on and deal with problematic dogs thus making them a higher risk for euthanization if brought to a shelter.

Humans definitely benefit from living with dogs. It lowers our blood pressure and increases our sense of happiness. We immensely love living in a multi dog home and wouldn't trade it for the world.