Multiple dog question....

Snark

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#21
Abbey, Murphy and Michaleen are fine together. When Holly was alive, she got along with the boys, but Abbey hated her so it was constant shuffling...
 
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#22
I have a fairly unique trio, lol. They are left loose in the house together. They aren't happy otherwise.

Tallulah's months being kenneled after being left at the vet's made her kennel crazy. A few minutes in one and she's a wreck. When she was a the vet's for her spay, just that short time was enough for her to cut her face up in her panic. They said the only time she quit screaming was when she was sedated.

I feel pretty secure with these three. Bimmer raised Kharma and he's definitely the boss and she backs him completely. Tallulah is just so thrilled to have a family . . . and she's not stupid. She found out quickly that her entire head fits in Kharma's mouth and that Kharma's not only stronger than she is, Kharma's quicker.

I've watched mine share bones -- literally. One of them on each end of a big shank bone, either Bimmer and Tallulah or Kharma and Tallulah.

Usually when I come home all three of them are piled up together on the bed.
 

Doberluv

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#23
I leave my three alone when I'm out. They are like 3 peas in a pod....they adore each other and I've never had any hint of an issue. They all behave themselves too. (as long as I don't leave any food out for Toker to counter surf. lol) These guys are all over 7 years old and they're just couch potatoes when I'm gone.

Thankfully, I've never had any issues with my multiple dog house hold, even the dogs before. But I know people who do and some breeds are definitely better kept separate, just because of their little tendencies to squabble. If there's any doubt, better safe than sorry.
 

ACooper

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#24
Yep, Orson and Phoebe are left out together and I am completely comfortable with it. When Orson was younger, I'd crate him.......but it had more to do with his behavior with OBJECTS than he and Phoebe getting along.

Sometimes he gets on Phoebe's nerves (she's older and doesn't go in for all the foolishness, LOL), she'll snark and snort, then he'll clear out and leave her be..........he pretty much bows to her wishes on everything and has since he arrived ;)
 

Grab

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#25
Aesop, Julian and Ginger are all loose together. Grimm is crated as he's still prone to being a chewy monster.
 
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#26
I just wanted to add that I have NEVER had any issues amongst any of my dogs as far as fighting goes. But I'm in the camp of "preventative maintenance" as I feel it's a better option than the random day that I come home to 1+ dead dogs who "always got along" . . .

Yes, I'm a pessimist. Working on the pet care industry will do that to you.
 
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#27
Even though mine are loose together, I do agree with you Sis. These three are a pretty unique combo. I was sure, when I brought Tallulah home, that I wouldn't be able to do things this way, but fortunately, I've been proven wrong :)
 

ihartgonzo

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#28
Gonzo and Fozzie have been left loose together since Fozzie was about 8 months old. I've never worried about them... they haven't had so much as a scuffle in their 3 years together. Gonzo is an absolute wuss who was never harmed even a dog who was intent on killing him, and Fozzie is the most peaceful dog I know. I can leave out whatever chews, because Gonzo has no posessiveness over food. I'm glad that they've influenced each other in that way. :)

I think it's a big deal to be able to trust your dogs. Something that should be carefully thought out. If my two EVER had a disagreement in any way, I would not leave them alone together. I've even webcammed them... all they do is sleep on the couch together when we're gone.
 

bubbatd

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#29
I do kennel Ollie when I have visiting dogs ....he's more comfortable as he knows he'd get into trouble !
 

Laurelin

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#30
It's a calculated risk for sure. I personally just decide to weight the risks and benefits of it, knowing my dogs well. I don't know that there's a right or wrong way to do this for ALL dogs. It depends on the dogs.

I know when I get my bc or other larger dog, it'll be away from the paps while we're gone just due to size difference.
 

Doberluv

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#31
My little dogs do things to each other that would make 95% of other dogs irritable. For example, Chulita was humping Jose` and he was wanting to walk across the room. He didn't react to her at all. He just dragged himself along with her hanging onto him like one of those women in the old time movies that hang onto a man's leg as he drags her along the floor, trying to leave and she's saying, "Oh pleeeeze, I love you, don't leave me." LOL. I finally told her to leave him alone, but he just goes with the flow about anything and everything. I've never seen him get pissy toward the other dogs for anything except if they walk near his Dremel and that's just a little, mild warning growl to make sure they know that it's his Dremel and since they couldn't care less about the Dremel, there is no problem. Most of the time, it is put away though. And Jose` will sometimes step on her when she's hidden under a blanket. She gives one little, short growl to let him know she's in there and he steps away and that is the end of that. They seem to have it all worked out between them. Toker is the sweetest natured girl too and none of them every have an issue no matter what the other one does.

So, when I leave, I'm pretty sure all they do is sleep on the couch and/or a chair because there's really nothing else going on. When I'm home, they don't play with each other or a toy very much, unless I'm sort of in on the act too. It's interesting, but they prefer it when I'm somehow involved. Chuli will get a toy but she keeps looking at me to see if I'm looking and if I'm not, she generally loses interest in the toy.

I wouldn't automatically leave just any dogs together if I weren't home. But it just happens coincidentally, I guess.... that I have never had any problem, any doubt... over the course of years with my particular multiple dogs.
 
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#32
It's a calculated risk for sure. I personally just decide to weight the risks and benefits of it, knowing my dogs well. I don't know that there's a right or wrong way to do this for ALL dogs. It depends on the dogs.
ditto!

I suppose something could happen while I am out but I see them interact so much and I never have to interject myself when it is just the two of them, to tell them to stop or clam down or anything, so I dont foresee that changing when I am not home. And the first time I left them I set up my webcam and my mom "babysat", she was to call if anything happened... she even took screenshots for me, they didnt even play together which they always do, they just waited for me to come home.

I think the size difference makes a difference too... they are a couple of ounces different in weight, so basically nothing... If I had dogs of much different weight I might be more concerned but neither one of them would have an unfair advantage if they were to get into a scuffle.

Honestly when I leave them I am more concerned about Chloe eating something she shouldnt.
 

Miakoda

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#33
Never. No matter what the breeds are, I never leave 2 or more dogs alone together when I'm not physically able to supervise. They are either kenneled or on their chain set-ups at those times.
 

sillysally

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#34
They are in the same room, but Sally has the run of the room and Jack has the ex-pen. I've never had an issue with fighting, etc, but I don't like to borrow trouble. Either way, they would probably play a lot while we were gone--not good for Jack's elbow.
 

Whisper

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#35
Millie and Lucy are absolutely great together, so I have no worries in that regard, but I don't trust Lucy with the run of the house, so for extended stays Lucy is crated and Millie has free rein.
 

DanL

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#36
Gunnar and Daisy are left out. Bruzer is crated for his own protection, as the 2 big ones can get a little rough with him when they are all playing.

Gunnar and Daisy don't bother each other much. The only incidents we've ever had involved food or bones, Daisy starts it and it's always finished in quick fashion by Gunnar. Usually a certain bark with body language and she submits though she has challenged him before and "felt the wrath" resulting in some blood. Those happen very quickly and end very quickly, before you can even react.
 

FoxyWench

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#37
this lot are left out together...

jasper cant be crated during the day without doing hos personal rendition of a banshee, weve had the cops called because people thought a baby was being murdered...
(whihc is weird because he sleeps in there at nigth no problems)
ruby is another who hates her crate during the day. shell bite at it paw at it very stressed behaviour, but at night tell her bedtime and in she goes no problems and sleeps through the night...

vixie dodger and rosie CANT be seperated, they cry constantly for eachother...
vixie will also howl and cry for ruby, and jasper and ruby dont like to be in seperate rooms...so its less stressfull on the little ones to leave them together.

and if we try and seperate charlie out he howls and howls and howls...hes never been crated...and he can open doors...
when hes loose with the others, he curls up and goes to sleep, often with 3 chihuahuas and 2 cresties piled ontop of him. hes a super mush dog!

were very lucky that our "pack" do interact very well, there is a very very specific set of rules between them, and everyone knows their place.
we also do play it by ear, and its not often there ever actually left completly alone in the house. (theres usually the likes of my brother hiding in his room ect)

i also feel that this situation woudlnt work for everyone...its definatly on a case by case i think.
 

Pits&Pugs

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#38
My guys are separated....Chloe is gated off in the kitchen..and Isis and Bishop go into crates...I have a few reasons size difference, breed, 2 don't get along, and one can open drawers and cabinets :D
 

Beanie

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#39
Happy and Kota were left together when we went out for a long time.
Auggie was always crated, except for one time my dad left to pick me up from work and left all three of them out together. I was terrified I'd come home to find Auggie had annoyed the crap out of Kota and had ended up attacked for being a PITA... nothing happened, but I never left them out together again.
Except for the one time that Kota (assuming it was Kota, Happy is too dumb) opened Auggie's crate and let him out.

They pretty much just slept whenever nobody was around. I don't think they ever played together when they were home alone. They did get into trouble, however, so eventually I got crates for them both and all three dogs were crated when we left. Not because they would fight or pick on each other, but because they would (or KOTA would) get into trouble when we were gone.

That said, Auggie is crated 99% of the time we leave just because he's still a bad little dog and it's safer for him to be crated, and I will probably crate my dogs when I leave in the future too.
 
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#40
I just wanted to add that I have NEVER had any issues amongst any of my dogs as far as fighting goes. But I'm in the camp of "preventative maintenance" as I feel it's a better option than the random day that I come home to 1+ dead dogs who "always got along" . . .

Yes, I'm a pessimist. Working on the pet care industry will do that to you.
This...every word of it. :hail:
 

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