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Multiple Dog Owners - 2 arms more dogs than that...

1117 Views 12 Replies 10 Participants Last post by  princessre, 
maltlovereileen
For those with more than 2 dogs, what do you do to ensure that each feels they are special and not lost in the crowd? How do you deal with coming home and having them all vying for your attention? Do you have an order in which you always greet them (how do you decide)? Do you take turns/days taking them out with you on errands?

-Signed, 3 very loved dogs but always hitting us up for attention at the same time :blink: :p
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The A Team
Before I get up in the morning each dog comes up to my face to say "Good Morning" and I give them some lovin. It's one at a time for the most part. So there's no problem there.

When I get home from work, they're all jumping and excited to see me. I bend down and pet each one and then just go put my stuff down and look at the mail. Then we all go out back for pee pee time. They get all wrapped up looking around the yard.

During the day I get requests to pick someone up....and i do. Sometimes it's two at a time, but rarely three and never four.

I bought a love seat that both sides have leg rests so in the evening, it's me and all four dogs sprawled out.

At bedtime the three malts sleep with me in bed and Tink sleeps in a comfy crate (his own choice) the the door is never closed.

I don't know, it just never seems like a problem here. We all go out for a walk together, that gets challenging sometimes, but it works.

I do give each dog their own special loving every day and they all seem to be happy. Well, Arch would like it better if i took him out with me instead of Ava...but he's not mad. He's still got the UPS truck to look forward to.
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Alice Ana
The A Team said:
Before I get up in the morning each dog comes up to my face to say "Good Morning" and I give them some lovin. It's one at a time for the most part. So there's no problem there.

When I get home from work, they're all jumping and excited to see me. I bend down and pet each one and then just go put my stuff down and look at the mail. Then we all go out back for pee pee time. They get all wrapped up looking around the yard.

During the day I get requests to pick someone up....and i do. Sometimes it's two at a time, but rarely three and never four.

I bought a love seat that both sides have leg rests so in the evening, it's me and all four dogs sprawled out.

At bedtime the three malts sleep with me in bed and Tink sleeps in a comfy crate (his own choice) the the door is never closed.

I don't know, it just never seems like a problem here. We all go out for a walk together, that gets challenging sometimes, but it works.

I do give each dog their own special loving every day and they all seem to be happy. Well, Arch would like it better if i took him out with me instead of Ava...but he's not mad. He's still got the UPS truck to look forward to.
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:aktion033::goodpost:
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MandyMc65
Mine is first come, first serve. :) I.e. The dog that came first gets everything first. Jax gets his food down first, my attention first, etc... then Joey, then Kenzie. This also helps with Jax since he is a reactive dog. It helps him think he's top dog.

We don't have the greeting issue because Jax & Kenz go to work with me and Joey goes with my boyfriend. If we leave all the dogs and come back - they are let out of their crates in the same order: Jax, Joey, Kenzie after we've been home for a little bit. Then they go outside or we just ignore them for about 5-10 minutes. Then they get attention when they've calmed down.

I make sure to give each dog one on one time with me every day. Generally it's not a big issue because they know how to take turns. :)
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LJSquishy
London came first, then Preston...but for the most part, the one that gets attention/greeting/treat/etc first is the one that performs the command first.

I'm a housewife so I am with both dogs all day and they don't fight for my attention or anything. London is much more independent than Preston who loves to snuggle all day, so we don't have an issue of who wants to be picked up, etc during the day. I have to make sure I give London more attention than she asks for because she is content laying by herself most of the day (when not playing with Preston). Preston always wants attention. lol

When my husband comes home from work, it's a nightmare (which we are working on) and both dogs bark their heads off and once my husband is in the door, they sometimes get in a scrap fighting for his attention. We make them both sit quietly before he will pick them up and greet them. Other than that, the dogs don't fight for attention anything...we take them both on walks together most of the time, but London occasionally gets to ride in the car if I go get coffee, etc. I don't generally take Preston as he's not as into it as she is.
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michellerobison
With 5 of them coming up for lovings,the easiest way is to sit on the floor and just hug them all at once. I usually get to them first come first served.I go through and love on each one at least once,then they usually come back for seconds... Every morning it's "love on the puppies time". Everynight they all get their hugs and kissies. They usually take turns through the night moving sleep next to us then trading off,one moves up andother moves down.
I sometimes worry I might love on one more than another but they all end up getting loved on throughout the day.
Easiest is when we do couchtime,all 5 end up on the couch and they pick their spots. It's my favourite time of the day is having us all pile on the couch to settle in for the evening of DIY or Animal Planet...or just a movie. We call it,"pile o' puppies".
Both of us just covered in fluffs,it's like heaven.:wub:
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maltlovereileen
Thank you guys very much for your insights... this is my first time having more than one dog and I just want to make sure they ALL know how very much loved they are - don't want anyone feeling left out. :)

I really love the dynamic of multiple dogs - they have so much fun running around playing with each other when they aren't swarming us. It's so fun to watch them when they don't know we're watching... before having a single dog each time, they were always fixated on us all the time. Now, they just dash in and out the dog door and chase each other and sleep with each other all day long... the cutest is to watch them kiss each other. I feel better and have enjoyed reading all your how you do its :)
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Cosy
I think dogs are like children. Some are more demanding of time and attention than others. It doesn't mean one is deprived. I've never had a problem giving all the attention needed over the years - be it one or 5.
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wooflife
With my 3 it's first come first serve and the squeeky wheel gets the oil. Izzy always wants to be with mommy as does Wedge and Hemi sits a little apart but close. However when Hemi wants attention I make the others get down or move over - after all Hemi was first and I will not deny that boy any lovin he wants. He will always have a special spot in my heart.

At night Izzy stays cuddled up under the covers with me and switches sides when I roll over. Hemi sleeps on my pillow or next to it and Wedge cuddles with Daddy. In the morning they take turns coming up for kisses - Izzy always growls but she doesn't get her way. If I take a nap during the day Wedge moves in for serious cuddles. Usually at night when we watch TV they all move in around me and find a spot. They even let the cat in for lovin.

Izzy goes out with me more than the others but I do try to have little outings with Hemi and Wedge when I can. I also whisper in each of their ears how special they are to me and why they are unique and important. I'm sure they have no idea what I'm saying but I still do it.

It all works even when I bring in another animal they all figure it out somehow.
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maltlovereileen
We do OK at bedtime, they all rush us for kisses when we first get in bed, but then they all seem to like their own place (Daisy likes being at the bottom, Pip likes the pillow up by our heads and Gracie takes turn lying against each of our sides). But when we are going about the day and one sees someone else getting lovins, they all run up and want some. We have the Me!Me!Me! syndrom here... I just pick them up one at a time to love on them but wondered if someone would feel rejected when I set them down to pick another up...I probably worry too much :p
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Morkie4
With four fluffs, it all depends on how they are feeling and needing. When we come home, I always mention each by name and try to touch them as they gather around me.....sort of like acknowledging them. Once I have greeted each one of them, we go out the door to potty. By the time we are back inside, they are sitting by the fridge for their treat and then they are settled and ready to just rest again.

At night they all sleep in bed with us and they have their own special spots by their own choice.

Kallie is content just being touched. The other three have their own way of showing their need...........playing fetch. Of course with all of them in full coat, they each get some special down time with mommy when I do their daily brush out. It all works out in the end and each gets equal time. Buffy is almost always on my lap when I am at the pc............the others just get too hot so have no interest.
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LJSquishy
maltlovereileen said:
We do OK at bedtime, they all rush us for kisses when we first get in bed, but then they all seem to like their own place (Daisy likes being at the bottom, Pip likes the pillow up by our heads and Gracie takes turn lying against each of our sides). But when we are going about the day and one sees someone else getting lovins, they all run up and want some. We have the Me!Me!Me! syndrom here... I just pick them up one at a time to love on them but wondered if someone would feel rejected when I set them down to pick another up...I probably worry too much :p
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I think you worry too much about them feeling neglected; If they all get a turn to be picked up and snuggled, they are probably content...but of course, they always want more. Also, I believe dogs feed off of your body language and verbal cues, so if you act like one is being neglected (ie: "Aww, poor so-and-so" or if you look sad), they will basically milk it for all it's worth. lol Preston will get belly rubs, and if I talk to him like a baby, he will move his arms back and forth on his back to get more...he could do that all day long. :thumbsup:
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princessre
Bijou is an attention hogger. She will knock Casanova out of the way whatever it takes, i.e. head butt him away, step on his head....She's stepped on his eye before to get to me!! It's usually easier to greet her first so she doesn't go connipt. When I'm done with her, I grab Casanova and kiss and hug him, too. Occasionally, Casanova gets pissed at her antics and growls at her when she cuts in front of him. They are really close, nevertheless. It's just an older vs. younger sibling thing. One thing is I never leave just one of them at home. I've left the apartment with one and felt so guilty I came back for the other. Usually, I hold both of them in one arm in the city, but walk them both on the beach. Bijou sleeps in a crate, so sometimes I cuddle with Casanova extra after she's gone to sleep. Just to remind him that I love him and he is the "original". Life is good!!
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