How many of you are multiple dog families?

[kayharley]

I have my 2 girls, Winnie almost 11 and Madison, 10 mths and I want another one....definately a Cairn. Everyone around me says "WHY?" and hubby just shook his head (that can be interpreted many ways)

I have the patience, the room, the yard, the love, can scrape up the money so just how bad would it be to have 3 of the best breeds in the world living with you? I'd like a little boy, have a name picked out already and have been trying to get in touch with local breeders.

Can anyone here talk me out of it?

[toomanypaws]

I just found this forum and this is the first time I'm posting. I am about to get my 3rd cairn so I don't think I'll do very good talking you out of it. I have a 3 yr old, 7 mth old and the baby is only 3 wks, all female. It really wasn't planned but dh is fine w/ it and dd and I are so excited. These dogs are addicting but we definitely are stopping w/ 3.

[Eliz222]

We just added our second Cairn. Our older one (Scout) just turned 2 and the baby (Finch)is 10 weeks old. They are both females. Right now we are soooo tired from housebreaking and following her around the house that it's hard to think about adding another one!

[CathyAnn]

I felt the same way as "Shoe" last summer when we were in the midst of training puppy #2. I didn't leave the kitchen for months!

Two is plenty for us to handle. But, if you really feel that you can handle it, then I say GO FOR IT!

BTW-my sister has 13 dachsunds, 2 German Shepherds, a Cocker Spaniel, a bird, a horse, many mini-donkeys!! I am getting exhausted just thinking about her!!

Cathy

[bradl]

Just to offer some additional perspectives. As with everthing, for every example someone will be able to provide a counter-example; dogs are individuals and your experience may differ, etc.

• From past experience it's a short trip from 3 to 6! From observation, once folks get past 6 there seems to be no upper limit
  
• I'd strongly consider getting a male if you've two bitches already.
  
• While we found 2 was less than twice the work of one, we found 3 was more than 3 times the work of one.
  
• Pack dynamics become more noticeable with 3. You may not like (or have any real control over) the pack order that develops. Your newcomer may push around your oldster. Now you have the possibilityof two strong ganging up on one weak. It is not a pretty sight to see a two-dog kerfuffle escalate when a third dog joins in, usually to the detriment of the weaker dog.
  
• When rounding up dogs you move (to borrow a sports ananlogy) from a man-to-man defense to a zone defense.
  

That said, guess how many adult dogs we have at the moment? Three

[CarCarDawn]

HI! All I can say is I need a nap everytime Riley takes one!!!! - - God Bless You!!!

[kayharley]

Thank you so much, Brad. Out of all the comments you made, this one stuck in my mind the most...

our newcomer may push around your oldster. Now you have the possibility of two strong ganging up on one weak. It is not a pretty sight to see a two-dog kerfuffle escalate when a third dog joins in, usually to the detriment of the weaker dog.

That would be an awful situation although I find Winnie to be the queen of the roost and quite frequently puts Madion in her place (I've seen her yelp and run to me for help)

I figure it this way, if it's meant to be, then a male pup is going to drop in my lap in the near future. If not, then I'll keep my sanity along with my two girls

[bubba]

I think about it now and again, but leave it to Cooper to put me in my place and shake that thought right out of my head! Although, now that he is nearing the one year mark (nine more days if we make it!), I do think it would be nice to have another one around....maybe to adopt one about his same age, so as to miss out on all the 'fun' puppy stuff - if you know what I mean!

pat.

(who is sitting here stating at a bone he just 'buried' under a box!)

[bradl]

I'm a believer in Cairn kismet too, kayharley. I'm not a pessimist by any stretch, but it seems only fair to warn people it CAN happen. Doesn't mean it will. Just like some dogs housebreak easily, others test our patience, etc. :-) Much depends on the particular dogs, your environment, household personalities, and so on.

[Toto times 2]

Hi Kayharley

I'd have another cairn in a second if I didn't already have two cairn and two cats. The cairns are 8 years and 9 years (both male)and the cats are 11. We got our second cairn when he was 4 and he fit in from day one (except for a small cat issue which resolved in a few days). He had met our first cairn before we got him and their personalities meshed right away. If you could arrange for the dogs to meet in neutral territory and see how they react you might get a picture of how things would be.

Good Luck whatever you decide.

[kayharley]

The other day we had rain...lots of it. Everything in my back yard became instant mud and that was the day Madison decided it would be fun to terrorize the squirrels, birds and chipmunks that live in our stone wall while she was supposed to be out doing her "business".

She didn't come when called. Actually, she ran the other way of my voice. I was patient, getting aggrevated but still patient. I called her again aand again because I had to get back to work and wanted her inside. Finally "her heiness" decided it was time to obey the queen. She arrives at the back door looking like something out of a mud wrestling video. Absolutely disgusting!!!! Her tail was going like crazy and her eyes were wild with excitement. She did not look anything like the cuddly dog that I allow on my bed every night. Then I pictured "two" of her....(yes, I do have 2 Cairns but Winnie is an angel and NEVER does the things Madison does) with two separate baths, 8 muddy paws on my wool carpet....

Unless my doorbell rings and I find a basket with a Cairn terrier pup inside it, I think I will thank God for the 2 girls I have and not go looking for greener pastures, at least not now!