Are two (or more) cold noses better than one?
by Janine Adams
My husband, Barry, and I have two dogs, Kramer and Scout, both standard poodles. Two dogs, two people - it's a nice ratio. Back when Kramer was an only dog, I would sometimes feel left out as I watched Kramer and Barry snuggling on the floor. Now I have my own furry belly (it belongs to Scout) to rub.
After four years, having only one dog started to get a little ho-hum and I itched to add another dog to our fold. I even started to think that walking Kramer was getting dull. Adding another poodle to our pack would make walks more interesting, I thought.
I should be careful what I wish for. Walks with Kramer and Scout together (and I'm too lazy to walk them separately most of the time) are anything but dull. Perhaps unwisely, I walk them on 26-foot retractable leads. On a typical walk Scout is reading the newspaper (that is, carefully sniffing a telephone pole to find out who's been there first) 26 feet behind me while Kramer is 26 feet ahead looking for big black dogs to bark at. I swear my arms are longer than they were before Scout joined our family.
The worst part about walking my two dogs is the synergistic mania they display when they spy a dog they feel they must fend off through frantic barking and lunging. They whip one another into a frenzy. Of course I hold their leashes short during these outbursts (resembling a puppeteer whose puppets are possessed by the devil). On bad days, the poodles turn on one another and I have to holler to prevent them from hurting one another. Behaviorists call this "displaced aggression." I call it annoying as all get out. I have to admit that it's more an affront to my own dignity than anything else. I'm no treally worried they'll hurt another dog or each other. I just hate looking out of control.
Putting aside the challenges peculiar to walking two dogs together, I can unequivocally say that I'm glad we have two dogs, not just one. Even if it's twice the work, it's certainly twice the fun. Having two dogs with very distinct personalities, despite being the same breed has taught me to take breed generalities with a grain of salt. Kramer is a serious dog who tends to worry. Scout is a happy-go-lucky dog, the Alfred E. Newman of the dog world, whose motto seems to be "What, me worry?"
Just watching the two together - whether they're lying in exactly the same position as one another (which they do a lot) or drinking out of the same bowl (which happens less frequently) or just sitting next to one another, bright-eyed, in anticipation of a treat - brings a big smile to my face. My favorite sight in the world is Scout chasing Kramer (Kramer never chases Scout). Kramer is longer legged and faster than his sister and I'm sure he slows down so that Scout can occasionally achieve her goal of grabbing his pompom tail in her mouth.
Of course, once you add a second dog you've doubled your pet-related expenses. And making arrangements when you go away from home is more difficult. We used to be able to pawn Kramer off on friends (and return the favor). But asking someone to care for two dogs is a much bigger deal.
So how do people who have many dogs do it? And why do they do it? My friend Kelly Graham, who lives in Mayfield, Ohio, is a single woman with ten greyhounds (all retired from the racing industry) and a whippet. They are: Hunter, Hasty, Rosie, Ripley, Lydia (the lone whippet), Dream, Velvet, Pawnee, Sweetpea, Lighting and Bernadette. It boggles my mind, but I know that Kelly is a very conscientious dog mom. And perfectly sane.
Her pack is quite old. All but one are nine years old or older, many of them adopted as seniors. Kelly rescues senior greyhounds - she's founder of Golden Years Senior Greyhound Referral Program. Five of her current pack came to her through that group and she's helped place many more.
How does she care for all these dogs? She has an all-important fenced yard where the dogs enjoy chasing small critters and one another. She also walks them on leash and uses walks for special one-on-one-with-mom time. Being senior citizens, Kelly's dogs don't require a vast amount of exercise at this point in their lives. "Old dogs need love and a soft bed above all else," Kelly says. She gets a pet sitter when she goes out of town.
I applaud the generosity and abundance of love that allows Kelly to open her home and heart to so many animals, particularly older ones. "I know I have more dogs than most people think is reasonable," she told me, "but all are seniors (except five-year-old Ripley) and many are special needs. My money is my own, and I have more than enough love to go around."
For me, two is the right number of dogs. For Kelly eleven - or maybe even more - is right. One might be the perfect number for you.
No matter how many dogs in our packs, I think we dog lovers can agree that our canine family members add a dimension to our lives unmatched by other species. I was 30 years old when I got my first dog as an adult. I find it hard to believe that I waited that long. On thing I think I can say with certainly: I'll never be without one (or perhaps two) again.
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