Downers of having 2 boxers?

[iBoxer]

I can tell my Blue could use an in-house Boxer buddy, I'm thinking of adopting a young boy Boxer.... but I'm afraid of 2 things:

1. I will no longer be welcome at friends/families' houses w/ 2 dogs.
(right now Blue goes almost everywhere with me)
2. Walks will become unbearable thus not as lengthy.
(i don't know if my arm can take 2 Boxers pulling)


Could anyone with more than one Boxer address these issues?

Keep in mind that I'm a single 20-something, and its important for me to be able to include Blue into my busy social life because I don't stay home much.

Thanks

 

[Shefra]

Not speaking from personal experience - although I do hope one day my husband will cave and we'll get another boxer :p - we have friends who had 2 and said they would always have 2 again. It was much easier to train the 2nd one and they kept eachother company. As for walking them - they had one leash with 2 splits at the end and it worked like magic. Can't say as though they took both of them every where but I can see where your concern would be. Good luck

 

[blurble33]

hey iboxer

we have 2 girl boxers, the older one is a rescue. and i understand your worry but there is nothing like having 2 boxers. we loved our life with just one but 2 is twice as fun. it is just my husband and i, but we don't always walk them together. i am usually the only one who walks them. i like the double leashes, the one that is just one leash and then branches off at the bottom. and as for the pulling, have you tried any training? my girls try to pull me and when they do i pull them back and say "no pull" it doesn't always work, but sometimes it does - say "no pill" again. this usually works. i know it is not great training but it seems to work okay. there are plenty of classes you could take or books to read. I HAVE EVEN HEARD OF PEOPLE WHO JUST WALK THEM SEPERATELY!!

as for taking them places, i think if you could get them trained no one would have problems. i mean i wouldn't but then again i don't know the people who allow you to take your dog to their place. good luck.

 

[Quila's Mom]

It was too much for me....

This is just my experience, but I had a female boxer that was abuot 3 when I decided to get another male for my fiance' at the time. Well, the fiance' didn't last, but I kept the dog, knowing that he wouldn't take care of him well enough. It ended up being way too much for me as a single person, and my girl, who always went everywhere with me, never really did adjust to the idea.
I ended up giving the male to some very good friends of mine who are married with children, and have a female boxer. They get along great, and they have the time to invest in him.
Now, I am married with a one year old female boxer, who gets to play with my male (we refer to me as his 'birth mom'). It couldn't have worked out better, but I will never do the two dog thing again, unless I were to get them at the same time.
Of course, I'm sure it's different for everyone.......

 

[Tulsa-Dan]

Whether you have one or 20 boxers, you need to train them properly. That being said, if your busy schedule doesn't allow you time to spend working with your dogs on basic commands and on walking properly, then don't get another dog.

If you do have the time and inclination and desire to do the work, by all means, get another boxer.

I have two girls. They are very well trained and behave beautifully on walks. I walk them together, with separate leads. They walk dutifully at my side with a loose leash. They move to the left side or right side of me on command. Depending on where I hold my hands, they walk accordingly, to wit; if my hands are behind my back, they walk slightly behind me. If the leashes are in separate hands, they get on either side of me; and, if in front of me, they walk slightly in front of my feet, still with a loose leash. We worked extensively on distraction training as well so they know without a doubt that they are never to chase after anything when on leash. No jerking or pulling EVER or their walks end and we go home.

As for your other concerns, I would make sure that new dog was of the opposite sex as Blue to avoid potential problems down the line.

As for friends accepting 2 dogs. Who cares what friends think. Your friends who accept Blue readily will be happy, I'm sure to accept another dog as well (as long as they are trained and under control). I take my girls with me most everywhere, including my training clients' homes sometimes. No one has ever objected to my bring 2 dogs into their homes because they know my dogs are well behaved and are under control at all times. They have nothing to worry about.

Hope this helps you in making a decision.

 

[Kysha]

I have to say that I LOVE having two, and wish I had done it sooner. Tegan, 7 year old female, and Owen 4 year old male.

I am able to walk them with no problem (they weigh more than I do combined, but they don't pull - unless they see a squirell - still working on that), it just takes training and patience. There are some great sites, books, and advice to be found. I would suggest not 'spanking' your dog though, they do not learn that way and it's mean - IMO. I have found a great off-leash park and when we go there they have each other to play with, so I don't have to feel bad if we don't run into another dog... They also play in the house together and burn off alot of energy that way too.

I had Tegan when I was single and she too came EVERYWHERE with me! I loved it and she did too. When the second came around, they both still came with me most places, but when they did stay home when I went out, they had each other so I never felt as guilty. If they are well behaved dogs, it shouldn't be any harder to take two dogs where you have always taken one.

The key to success in my opinion is to make sure that the 'original' and the 'newcomer' get individaul time with you. It doesn't have to be any lengthy time, just some special cuddling time, or your training time together.

Good luck.

 

[boxerbonkers]

i agree with what many of the other members have said. i have two boxers myself. lucy who is 8 months (bought her as a puppy) and casey who is a 10 month old rescued boxer.
i would NEVER do it any other way! the are much better in pairs !

i agree with tulsa dan about training. they are a joy if they are trained properly. both my babies were and are enrolled in obedience classes, and even though they are far from being angels it has helped tremendously.

it is a battle with walking only because lucy still pulls some (we have really been working on it with her...she has a gentle leader and it's really helped, but we are working on getting her off so when she is old enough we can start agility with her). i am a small female who walks BOTH of them TOGETHER twice a day by myself. they are on seperate leads...and can both walk on the same side of me or on seperate sides. it is work, but the progress has been made is worth it. if it's walking you worry about (pulling) try a gentle leader AND obedience classes.

as for having 2 around the house...the best thing...they entertain on another when i am too worn out from work to do so. i love both of them so much...and even though they are double the fun, no one seems to mind when i bring both of them around...good friends should always understand. just remember to keep them under control and well behaved...then they are always welcome! i hope you do adopt...there as soooo many out there that need homes, and they have so much love to give...lovicon
good luck!

 

[DI_411]

I think if you are prepared for the work then it is great, but if you don't want to invest the time then don't. Being a 2 boxer owner for less than a month I don't know everything but it is easier in some ways and some things are difficult to get used to...but this is true dealing with any puppy.
I do walk them seperate right now until Otis is older ( we only go around the cul de sac and down the street right now) and has some more leash and obedience training. Once I feel he is acclimated better to the leash and has his last rabies shot I'll work on them together.

I agree with Tulsa-Dan - it's about the behavior. Ella and Otis even got invited to Thanksgiving dinner at my future in-laws!!!

I do feel that I'll always have two now.

 

[buddy'smom]

I have two and IMO for the most part two is better than 1. They keep each other amused and by adding Clyde, Kailee has given up for the most part her retired acting lifestyle to a more active one.

I recently sent an e-mail to someone stating my pros and cons of owning two, and I wish I had kept a copy of it to post on here. It was kinda written on the funnier side, but it was my true feelings. In concluding it, I did state the one area I felt I failed them was giving them each the 1 on 1 time I felt they deserved. They do both get that time, but I feel due to work schedules etc. it is lacking and could be better. However, that is an area that can be improved on without a ton of issue on our part, and we have made some better strides in that area.

As for being welcome in others homes with two, well.... I agree with Dan, who cares? To be honest, there was a family I could not take Kailee to anyways, so adding Clyde made no big difference. When the adoption of Clyde was in the works, my parents were not overly happy to hear I would be making weekend visits with two dogs, but hey they got over it. The realization hit if they wanted us to visit, they had to basically deal with both Kailee and Clyde. Obedience and training is the key, and if both of your dogs can behave well in others homes there isn't really an issue.

If I happen to have a copy of the e-mail I sent out, I will post it here, but I "think" it went by the wayside when I cleaned up my e-mail last week.

Jean

 

[Thomas Liggin]

Some people aren't happy if you bring one dog to their home. I would never think of bring a dog(s) to someone else's home for that reason. We do bring them to homes where we know they will be welcome. Most of them have pets as well.

As for walking, Tulsa Dan has it right. It's in the training. But, keep in mind that TD is a trainer, and like anything else we do, we improve with practice. Brain surgeons make it look easy, as do most people skilled in their professions.

Getting them to walk on a loose lead should not be a daunting task. Choreographing their movements as Dan has done is another thing. Bear in mind, they are his best advertising.

The first puppy class that Indy was enrolled in is a good example. The first night we were there without our pups. We were introduced to the instructor and each other. The instructor briefed us on the ground we would cover, and what we might expect.

After this, he brought in one of his dogs without a leash to show how well behaved and under control he was. The first thing the dog did after wandering around and greeting people was to walk over to a pile of sheetrock, sniff, then lift his leg and pee on the pile. Not exactly a confidence booster.

For most of us, a dog who will walk on a loose lead, or back off when he feels it tighten is enough. It's fun to take it beyond that and impressive to watch, but is optional. Walking on a loose lead is not.

There is a current thread that speaks about one aspect of having two Boxers. There have been numerous threads dealing with the topic.

There is more expense involved, feeding, visits to the vet, along will others will roughly double. But, if you can financially handle it, and are willing to put in some effort, you will be rewarded beyond the time you invest into making it work.

Indeed, you will find that they entertain each other, therefore actually demanding less of your personal attention.

You need to weigh all the pros and cons according to your situation, It is more than double the fun, with less than double the work


Tom