Having two Dobermans/dogs

[Ddski5]

Guess I am fortunate, Ragnar is not a whiner. Never really allowed it.

No....not actively looking and not expecting one, just always wondered how y’all do it. How folks manage two beast inside?

 

[BamMoMoMommy]

Bedtime for them by 8p.m...and a really dirty double martini for me at 8:15p.m.

 

[jazzies mum]

That green eyed monster....man when it bites..it doesn't shake off easy.

I am also living along with @Gelcoater , Rocky and Millie and totally envious! Trying to remind myself all the time that not all new additions work out so well.

 

[Oh Little Oji]

Double the whining and shedding and nails and baths!

And double the boarding, or double the Dobes with you on any trips your family takes.

 

[Gelcoater]

And double the boarding, or double the Dobes with you on any trips your family takes.

This is a real reality!
Doing our desert trip this year will be an experience, lol.
All of us in the cab of the truck...
We might have to rent something to split the load.
Once there, another new experience.
Introducing the two to another crew of dogs and making it work.

Rocky and Tesa know each other. He will still be an ass for 5 minutes but he will remember her. They will have their other Rottie there who was a 11ish year old puppy last trip. She’s about 85lbs now.
And then there’s Queso the lil white Chihuahua, lol.

Some other folks may be coming with a Boxer female and another dog.

These two clowns, lol.
Anyhow. Back on topic..

 

[BamMoMoMommy]

And double the boarding

Not that it makes a HUGE difference...there's usually a discount for that second dogOur youngest daughter had a destination wedding a couple of years ago....she got a co-worker to come in a stay with her "petting zoo" (four dogs, four cats and often some kind of foster)
WE......... had to board Mo and Bam...for 10 days......my husband called our daughter when we got home and told her he wanted half the money back he'd spent on the wedding so he could get her adopted brothers..."outta hock"

Introducing the two to another crew of dogs and making it work.

OY...this sounds like when we go visits our youngest daughter and her petting zoo..up side ..part of her home is set up like a kennel....we do a lot of carte and rotate and one person for every two dogs in the yard.


Another extra fee for double the fun:

Double pet deposit on hotel rooms...and we have run into a few cases that was non refundable.
(And for some reason companies get upset we try to expense that.

I keep telling DH..he's gotta get inventive filling out the form.......use fancy wording on the expense sheet like hospital billing...like 75 bucks for "mucus collection supplies..a/k/a flippin Kleenex...off brand to boot!!)

 

[BamMoMoMommy]

Reading back over this, this morning, I thought about how we had to become even more in tune with body language, grunts, groans and growls.

They each have their own cues...both body wise and sound..... that one is annoying the other or one is too much in another one's space in that moment...and had to learn the difference between what is "Okay..I'm done with you....leave me alone for a while" attitude adjusting on each other......and out right flexing dominant posturing.

To this point.....going into four years with two we haven't had a full-blown-all-out-war between the two of them...but never say never so we tend to stay on high alert.


I think...that first six-eight months..what wore me out the most..... wasn't the x2 physical activity....it was the mental fatigue of being on that "alert on steroids" watching the two of them to make sure the balance wasn't outta whack and one was gonna snap and go after the other.


Another thought for someone with more experience:

Age of introduction for both dogs...may play a huge role in how they adapt?

 

[BamMoMoMommy]

And now it's time for Mom's really dirty double martini.
Bed time got pushed to 8:40 tonight cuz dad took them out for a walk. This is what it looks like when you have two and don't have room for their crates...and all their bedding.

Bam likes to snuggle sleep...and Mo..for the most part....complies....but Mo was havin none of that tonight...Bam was doing the check the perimeter twirl before laying down....before he made the second turn..Mo' was throwing a paw at him and snorting. Bam jumped on the sofa...and aaahhhhhhhhh...silence.

 

[Gelcoater]

Oh.
Here’s something to consider, especially for the frequent road trippers/vacationers.
Somehow, two Dobermans drink 3 times as much as one does.

 

[Oh Little Oji]

And now it's time for Mom's really dirty double martini.View attachment 104291
Bed time got pushed to 8:40 tonight cuz dad took them out for a walk. This is what it looks like when you have two and don't have room for their crates...and all their bedding.

Bam likes to snuggle sleep...and Mo..for the most part....complies....but Mo was havin none of that tonight...Bam was doing the check the perimeter twirl before laying down....before he made the second turn..Mo' was throwing a paw at him and snorting. Bam jumped on the sofa...and aaahhhhhhhhh...silence.

Ahhhh, and unlike human babies, you don't really have the threat of them crying or calling out at any given moment of the night. That is, unless they are likely to alert on noises they hear outside. With my last Dobe, many nights I wanted to leave the windows open at night and let the cool fresh air through the house; but he always heard wildlife out in the yard and the woods/wetland behind it and would bark.

 

[crypticintent]

Oh.
Here’s something to consider, especially for the frequent road trippers/vacationers.
Somehow, two Dobermans drink 3 times as much as one does.

Two Dobermans still only drink enough for two Dobermans. The water for the third doberman is on the floor spread throughout the house.

 

[BamMoMoMommy]

Two Dobermans still only drink enough for two Dobermans. The water for the third doberman is on the floor spread throughout the house.

I was thinking the SAME THING!!! One Doberkid leaves you a puddle or two to walk thru...two..leave a wading pond ankle deep to slog thru

Ahhhh, and unlike human babies, you don't really have the threat of them crying or calling out at any given moment of the night. That is, unless they are likely to alert on noises they hear outside. With my last Dobe, many nights I wanted to leave the windows open at night and let the cool fresh air through the house; but he always heard wildlife out in the yard and the woods/wetland behind it and would bark.

Exactly...if these two hit the floor before 4:00 a.m.....then we need to hit the floors...cuz they have alerted on something...or something didn't agree with them and they need OUT NOW!!...either way..it all paws on deck A.S.A.P. We live on the far edge of town, backed up to woodsy/brushy dry creek....abut four feet from the back/side windows we leave open. The first couple of weeks here...the boys were alerting so often at night...DH and I took turns sleeping in the living room with them....so we could get them trained to understand they don't alert on every single sound ( went from being inside city limits ..so all new noises.)

After a couple of weeks, they did get the clue...and now they don't alert until the hear it under the trailer...I say they don't.....they will sift and snort a bit...but don't they go full on ---hit their feet--- alert with the

"Dad..get the gun..sumptins out there and we need you to get the gun!!" low throat growling and snorting....unless what they hear is under them.

MORE DOUBLE THE FUN...

GAS!!!
Not sure which one it was tonight...but it ran us out of the living room to the front porch ( not a lot of places to get away from..LOL)

As bad as the odor was....it HAD to be both of them.

Here's a tip..don't use roasted Brussel sprouts for the evening training treats

 

[BamMoMoMommy]

Another thing to keep in mind....is how they will "feed off each other's energy levels".
Had a good reminder of that this morning when I dropped them off at Doggie day camp for bath/nails "spa day"

Mo really is VERY laid back and mellow....not much flusters him.....rarely do we have to do more than use a hand single with him once we have his attention....Bam....OY..LOL.
Bam was doing really well this morning with unload and getting in the door......until Mo noticed one of his "favorite doggie day camp people"...and started the wiggle butt.... on warp speed.....Bam caught on to Mo's amp up in energy.....and all the sudden...I was skidding across the floor.

Bam was moving and Mo wasn't about to let Bam get to HIS dog day camp human FIRST!!!

This all happened in about a 30 second span...and I didn't help it cuz I was talking to another person and only had one eye on what was going on around us.

(Upside.....what had me with only one eye on them.....we got the name of a local trainer who also has a background in behavior!!! Turns out...talking to everyone you can..... who deals with pets, asking to have them help you find help for a pet.... and a lot of shaking your fists and screaming at the universe works!!!
At some point the universe is gonna do SOMETHING to shut you the hell up)

 

[jazzies mum]

Oh my. Double the alerting at night factor! This might just be the deciding factor AGAINST having a second dog anytime soon for me! Not that I don't appreciate the job Jazz is doing keeping all safe and trouble free in her territory. It's one of her main jobs in life and it works well for us as she has different barks and growls for different things and I know which ones to just ignore and tell her to quiet after a couple of barks, and which ones mean I need to get up and go out with her and the torch to check it out. She's loud enough all on her lonesome.............can't imagine what that would be like doubled up!

 

[Gelcoater]

Oh my. Double the alerting at night factor! This might just be the deciding factor AGAINST having a second dog anytime soon for me! Not that I don't appreciate the job Jazz is doing keeping all safe and trouble free in her territory. It's one of her main jobs in life and it works well for us as she has different barks and growls for different things and I know which ones to just ignore and tell her to quiet after a couple of barks, and which ones mean I need to get up and go out with her and the torch to check it out. She's loud enough all on her lonesome.............can't imagine what that would be like doubled up!

Millie is figuring it out.
She’s popped off a couple times over a noise or something Rocky is used to.
Once the new dog acclimates a bit the doubles alert will wane off.

Now. They will still feed off each other’s energy to a gear degree as @BamMoMoMommy suggested, lol.
But!!!
Lol.
The elder, if in the right mode will tone down the newb.

 

[Gelcoater]

The feeding schedule.

If you have an adult and bring a younger into the house, then you and your adult have some adjustments to make, lol.,

 

[Gelcoater]

Patients!
I have to say arocky has been very patient.
This new girl drinks slower, and more princess like than sloppy Rocky, who trails water 18 feet away from the source.
And he gives her first drink.

I’m feeding them breakfast and dinner at the same time.
In the same room.
The first two nights were chaos, lol.
But she is getting the space thing. Rocky sorta insisted
And so did I.

It’s been 7 days now.
Every night after they eat, Rocky gets done first....Princess vs pig thing again
He gives her her space.
Once they finish they both go inspect the others bowl.
Tonight, she missed a little bone broth in there and he found it.
She walked over, and gave a little growl/grunt/toothy glimps. It was a sort of growly snort. And he backed out of there.
Looked at her and looked at me, I was looking at him like “don’t be a dick” and he walked away.
He’s such a good boy.

 

[BamMoMoMommy]

No doubt anyone looking ay all this that has more than one dog...can relate to everything being written.....what comes with owning more than one dobe...all the quirks, tics and neurosis these four legs toddlers have..come at you IN STEREO...with the volume cranked to an 11!!!

The feeding schedule.

If you have an adult and bring a younger into the house, then you and your adult have some adjustments to make, lol.,

to infinity.

We always started out feeding in the crate...as part of the crate training.....Mo wasn't reeeaaallllll keen on the fact that Bam seemed to be getting special attention at feeding time...cuz Ma and Pa we praising Bam, he got to eat in the living room (that's where his crate was) he didn't have to go the "dog room" and Ma and Pa stayed with Bam while he ate.


Mo never got pissy about it..Mo's a pouting drama queen....he'd go eat..then come into the living room and THROW himself on to his bed and sigh and sigh and sigh.....flopping around...the only thing missing was him throwing one paw over his brow and holding a Calla Lilly in the other...ala pre talkie female screen star..in the throes of dying.

As soon as whichever one of us was working with Bam and the crate feeding...and moved away from the crate...WHOMP....SUPER GLUE VELCRO ACTIVATED!!!

It never bothered us..it gave us a lot of good chuckles and some times out right belly laughs. It could be something so bad....Mo was the "only child" to some very indulgent parents for 14 months before Bam slammed his way into his life.

DH and I never ever take for granted that Mo was so amazing ( and still is) with dealing with being the "second child" while we worked to help his new adopted brother recover from a bad beginning.

 

[Kaiser2016]

@strykerdobe posted this ‘dog care on air’ link a while back and it has some great presentations including this one which was rather helpful with regards to pack structure. I used some of the tips even with the cat and dog and it did make Kaiser back off the cat quite a bit, thus enabling her to not run away so much which was huge in preventing his prey drive from kicking in. I looked it up to watch it again, so figured I’d post it here. It does start off slow, but watch to the end. It’s Dr Nicholas Dodman and the presentation is called
SIBLING RIVALRY: MANAGING AGGRESSION BETWEEN YOUR CANINE KIDS

Join me for Dog Care On Air

@Antman408 might want to check this out to get some tips for his new pack member too.

 

[BamMoMoMommy]

looked it up to watch it again, so figured I’d post it here. It does start off slow, but watch to the end.

THANK YOU!! My biggest worry is for one or the other just one day decided they are fed up with the arrangement.