Managing Multi-Dog Households: Tips for Harmony and Training

The more the merrier? It can be done, but beware! Living with two dogs is not just double the work and cost; it’s much more. Living with three or more dogs can be off the management, expense, and worry charts. On the other hand, multiple dog households are off the fun and the love charts, as well.
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Dogs are social animals. Therefore, we expect they should live effortlessly in perfect accord within a group. Many dogs can. Our function as leaders is to create a harmonious home. This can be achieved through a commitment to management, training, and attention to the needs of all family members, both canine and human.

Training Multiple Dogs-The Real-Life Facts: Living with and training multiple dogs would seem a Sisyphean task. With a bit of planning, thought, and radical patience it’s not. Nonetheless, it’s not always a walk in the park.

Here are a few tips to maintain peace in your pack:
 
Train Each Dog to be Comfortable Alone: In a multi-dog household, we need one-on-one time with each dog for training. Consequently, we must be able to separate them and make sure those dogs waiting their turn are comfortable with alone time.
 
Teach the Basics: Each dog in a multi-dog household must be well trained. Otherwise, the situation can be unmanageable. The key to success is to teach each dog individually. When he’s reliable with the new behavior on his own, it’s safe to ask him to perform in a group.
 
Individuality: Oftentimes in relationships, the space given to each other brings us closer together. To continually treat dogs as a pack instead of the individuals they are is a detriment to training and our relationships with them.
 
Training as a Group: We often need dogs to do things simultaneously, such as waiting at the door. In order to perform cues in a group, each dog must first be masterful in the behavior.
 
Competition: Dogs often compete for attention and resources in the presence of other dogs. We can mitigate canine competition by training each dog to stay while the others get attention.
 
Living with multiple dogs can be both a privilege and an incredibly rewarding experience. It brings joy, companionship, and a deep sense of fulfillment. However, it also comes with its unique challenges, which can be managed effectively with the right approach, an abundance of patience, and lots of love.
 
For a complete guide to living at peace in a multi-dog household, you can book a consultation with me and/or order my book entitled Paws in Sync: Training and Harmony in a Multi-Dog Home (one title in my new series Taking the Lead without Jerking the Leash.) https://tinyurl.com/2axzm754

​Happy training!

 
 
 
 

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