Managing a multi-dog household
Living with multiple dogs is a joy, but it also means more effort to ensure they live in harmony. Here are some tips.
Work with each dog individually — whether you are training, walking or even playing, make time to work with each dog individually. Each of these activities is a means to communicate with your dog and build a bond with her. When the dog is alone with you, she can focus on following your commands, rather than process the multiple stimuli she receives in a group. Leash-walking multiple dogs can be very stressful for you, and consequently for your dogs. Walk with one dog at a time and you will see that your relationship with your dog will improve and walks will be more joyful for both.
Multiply your resources — avoid guarding behaviour by multiplying the number of resources for the dogs. For two dogs that go crazy over balls, have six balls to play with.
Even if one dog does manage to gather three balls in her mouth, the other one is still left with three to play with.
Food-time manners — ensure each dog has a bowl and eats out of her own bowl. You may have a dog that guards her food, or see that one dog finishes her bowl faster to try and eat from other dogs’ bowls. In such situations, the dogs can be fed in separate rooms. That way, they can eat without getting stressed about competition.
Remember, among dogs, eating from the same bowl does not help in building bonds!
Allow them to sort out their issues — Frankly, very often, dogs don’t need our help to sort out their differences. More often than not, it is human interference to protect one dog that escalates issues at home. Or maybe the dogs are fighting for your love and attention! Just the way children have their ways of fighting over something and becoming friends again, so do dogs. If your dogs are fighting over something, give them space to sort it out. Of course, if you see it spiralling out of control, i.e. where the fights are physical, then you must intervene.
Managing a multi-dog household is about teaching our dogs to be polite, patient and respectful – virtues that we humans need as much as dogs do!
(The author is a canine behaviour consultant and can be reached at rajeshwari.09@gmail.com)
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