Multiple Dog Households

Do your dogs not always get along?
Do your dogs fight for your attention?
Do your dogs get in tussles over food or bones?
Do your dogs team up on other dogs on walks or at the park?
Is your new puppy annoying your older dog?
Is your office environment getting too distracted with all the dogs and their crazy behaviors?

We can help! We have brought peace
to dozens of homes & offices with 2 or more dogs.

Contact us today to ensure your dogs get along!

Note: If your dogs are currently fighting, please get professional help as soon as possible before it escalates!

Do not let them “work it out”, or work around the issue by removing bones & toys, or feeding them in separate rooms. These tactics just temporarily avoid the issue, but do nothing to fix it. Eventually, you’re going to have a huge dog fight on your hands. Once one – or both – dogs end up in the hospital, it’s often too late for rehab. So please call us as soon as you see any signs of your dogs not getting along!

Looking for a second dog? We can help! Check out our Doggie Matchmaking Service.

Click here for quick tips for managing multiple dog households.

Success stories:

Meet Diego & Charlotte… A wonderful success story.

Diego is 15 yrs old and was recently diagnosed with cancer. Charlotte is newly rescued 5-6 yr old Muttville Senior Dog Rescue dog.

Muttville asked The Pooch Coach to step in because things weren’t working well for Charlotte in her new household. She wasn’t very well-mannered because she had never learned any boundaries or rules.

She was pushing around poor Diego, who was too weak to deal with it. A couple fights had broken out and then Diego became afraid of her and wouldn’t even stay in the same room.

The new parents were worried they would have to give up Charlotte since she was too much to handle, and it wasn’t fair to sweet, frail Diego. Muttville knew a good behaviorist was their only hope.

So The Pooch Coach went down to Half Moon Bay and taught Charlotte to respect Diego and wait for her turn to eat and give him some space. She learned it was NOT OK to snap at him and, if she waited her turn, she got great rewards.

Diego learned to trust The Pooch Coach, and then his parents, to protect him so he could get his fair share of treats, couch space, and lovin’ without fearing an attack from Charlotte.

After just a couple hours working with the dogs and their parents, Charlotte was a new dog. As you can see from the picture, they could comfortably sit next to each other – with a jar of treats just a couple feet away.

A month later, the dogs are still doing wonderfully and the parents have easily been keeping Charlotte in check and ensuring Diego’s safety, happiness and well being.

Don’t you just love a great success story? Dogs learn so easily if we just give them a chance and communicate with them in a way they can understand.

Please don’t give up on your dog! Great trainers like The Pooch Coach are always here to help. Just give us a call.

Phoebe & Cooper
These dogs got along pretty well – when Cooper isn’t being a bratty little brother!

Multiple dog households are always a little more challenging. When one dog starts barking, it’s hard to stop the other from joining in! The key is train them independently to behave and THEN put them together for training. Otherwise, they will keep feeding off of each other and make it nearly impossible to work with them.

Phoebe & Cooper used to get each other all riled up when they were out on walks. When they saw a dog, one started barking and then the other joined in. The Pooch Coach worked with both dogs together and individually to gain their confidence and get them to be calm around other dogs. She also worked on them getting along better in the house. Now they can walk with no issues, making life much easier for their mom!

Here are Some Tips for Managing 2 Dog Households:

Deciding to get another dog:
Never get a second dog because you think it will fix issues with the first dog! It’s always best to get your first dog trained, calm and confident before introducing a new dog into the mix. Otherwise, the new dog is very likely to pick up any issues the first dog has, including fear, aggression, barking, etc. So, work with a trainer or behaviorist to ensure your first dog is stable and ready to help positively shape a new sibling.

Introductions:
When introducing 2 dogs for the first time, it’s best to do so in a neutral area, preferably on leash. Use lots of treats and praise to make it a happy occasion. It’s a great idea to have your existing dog meet the potential new dog first before making a decision to adopt. So, bring him to the shelter or adoption event to make sure they like each other.

Train separately:
Multiple dog households are always a little more challenging. When one dog starts barking, it’s hard to stop the other from joining in! The key is train them independently to behave and THEN put them together for training. Otherwise, they will keep feeding off of each other and make it nearly impossible to work with them.

Walk & play separately (sometimes):
Make sure you walk the dogs separately at least a couple times a week to better form your relationship with each dog and give them a break from each other.

Most people always walk their dogs together and play the same games with them (fetch, chase, etc.). But it’s actually important to make sure to spend some time with each of your dogs separately. It lets them get a break from each other and gives them some precious one on one time with you

Just as you would take one child to soccer practice and another to ballet lessons, you need to allow your dogs the freedom to grow and learn apart. They each have different personalities and needs, so make sure you’re taking that into consideration when training, playing and exercising them.

Avoid “Second Dog Syndrome”

There are several common mistakes people make with their 2nd dog. Make sure you are’t making them, and review these before you get a 2nd dog to ensure you know what you need to do! Click here to learn about 2nd Dog Syndrome