Getting A Second Dog

[springer11]

Hello All,

I am very keen to get a second English Springer Spaniel. However I am a little concerned about how this would work if my husband and I were to have children. Can anyone tell me if it is manageable to have 1 or 2 children and 2 dogs? Can you walk with a pram and two well behaved dogs, is it possible to travel log distances in a large 4wd with 2 dogs and children. I am so used to having just one springer. He is a well trained boy and is so easy to take on holidays, walks, cafes etc. Will an extra dog and the potential of children cause me to leave my dogs at home more than I would like? It seems the only people I know with multiple dogs and children have small dogs. Any tips would be so helpful.

[hachna]

Hi,

I think you hold for the answer. Yes everything is possible but having two dogs is not always easy. If I were you, i will wait.

[OSoSwift]

IT will work if you train for it and wish it to.

I got a puppy when I had a 2yo and a 5month old. I now have a 5, 3 yo and 3 dogs. We will have another puppy within 12 months.

When I had just one child I walked three dogs and pushed a pram, they all had their spots where they walked.

[julzjc]

Aslong as you train the dogs not to pull like steam trains or criss cross whilst you walk, you'll be fine. I used to walk our Amstaff and Sibe alongside a double pram and also sometimes had a 3yr and 5yr old walking on the other side of the pram (1yr & 2yr in pram), no dramas atall. Our Amstaff always walked by my leg, behind the pram wheel and our Sibe walked next to her but slightly infront, so he was alongside the pram. With our terrier, she walks behind me whilst our Sibe still stays alonside the pram. I find it easier to walk with the pram as they tend to concentrate on staying in position as opposed to sniffing and getting distracted.

I often take both dogs (past and present) along with our 4kids to Netball games, footy games without any problems. Car trips with the whole Tribe are a weekly thing and the dogs just sleep in the back, completely ignoring the kids.

I have photos of the dogs walking alongside the pram but I'll post them up in the morning.

Aslong as you put time in to train your dogs to walk calmly and not over react to distractions when walking ( last thing you want is a dog pulling/ going off when your holding a pram) then there shouldn't be a problem with having two dogs + kids. Wish you all the best with your future plans, kids and dogs can be a wonderful mix, with training (skin kids aswell as fur kids lol).

[Guest Willow]

I have a staffy, a 6kg SWF, a 15 month old daughter, and another baby due in December. Mine walk one on either side of the pram, and up until recently, we had a three door hatchback, and everyone squashed in. Now we have a wagon and the dogs go in the back, but not because they were an issue in the car.

They were pretty laid back lazy adults when my daughter came long, so putting aside a lot of time for training and exersising a young, energetic dog have not been a concern. I don't think I would have the time or inclination for that to be honest.

[Life Of Riley]

I got my Newfie when my son was 12 months old and my Wolfhound X came along 6 months later, my Newfie was a puppy the Wolfhound was a year old. As long as you train them not to pull on the lead walking isn't a problem, I got out a dog trainer to help me with the training (not jumping, not pulling and recall) and setting boundries so the dogs also knew their places in the house and were easily controlled, both dogs are fantastic with my son they are probably better behaved than him as well , I know a few people thought I was crazy but with a bit of hard work any thing is posible.

My dogs are around 60kg and 40kg

Edited July 24, 2011 by Perfect Paws

[springer11]

Thank you to everyone for the replies! We just wanted to know if it works for people and it looks like with the right effort and training then it can.

Cheers