Multi Dog Households

[affieluver]

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Hi guys im just after a bit of advice :thumbsup:

For as long as i can remember i have always wanted to have a whippet to show and possibly breed any way possibly next year i will be looking for another whippet to show but i am undecided what to have a dog or bitch .

I would really love a dog but having two unspayed bitches i was just wondering how those of you cope in multi dog households when the bitches are in season as all of my dogs would live in the house as part of the family as i couldnt bear to kennel them and wouldnt think it fair to any of them to have to be either

Please do not start any raving debates on how irresponsible i am as like i said this is not something i will be taking lightly and i am seeking all the advice i can from experienced breeders and showing fans such as your selves any advice gratefully recieved

THANKYOU :thumbsup:

 

[Paula Roberts]

We have 7 bitches and 3 entire males, 2 of the males can not be allowed together under any circumstances as the old one who is the softests most gentle dog you could ever find, will attack the other male, so we do shift work, :lol: they both get along with the little male but i dont think either see him as a threat. :luck: with whatever decision you make. :thumbsup:

 

[buffyrannoch]

Ive got Mother and son, Buffy is in season at the moment - standing, so she is staying with a friend for a few days as it drove him insane last time, and a few weeks ago he was used at stud so now he knows about the birds and the bees I cant take any chances :wacko:

 

[Karen-Coral]

We have 4 bitches, 3 dogs-(once had 6 bitches) and to be truthful the bitches are more of a problem than the dogs when 1 or more of them are in season-the bitches are forever trying to mount each other-

Cages are the answer and keeping dogs/bitches in a separate room-especially at night time when they can't be supervised as well.

It is manageable :thumbsup:

Most of our bitches are 6 month breakers too-so if it wasn't manageable we wouldn't keep dogs/bitches.

Karen

 

[oakmoorehill]

We have 5 bitches and 7 dogs only 1 dog is castrated I use cages with mine . The only problem I have is Owe ad Bandit cannot be allowed together unsupervised when I have a bitch in season or they will fight . Zoe is in season now and none of the boys are particularly bothered she has been in season for 4 weeks

 

[Flowerpot]

Hi...I do the same...I use my crates. I have 5 dogs....3 Jack Russell Terriers, a mongrel and my Whippet.

All my babes are spayed girls ( my puppy JRT will be spayed when old enough)

All my dogs have always got along great and had great freedom but this year one of my Jack Russells, Millie...got into a dreadful fight with Topsy (Mongrel) over a cat which came into the garden.

Since then they have been very antagonistic towards each other so I keep them separated.....I work it so that Millie is out with all the others...then Millie goes in her crate while Topsy goes out with the others....It is working very well.

Topsy likes being by herself but Millie likes company so she usually has Rosie (JRT) in for company.....by the way....Bluebell , my Whippet, sleeps through all of this cocooned in her blanket !.... :teehee: What a big girls blouse she is !!!! o

Welcome to the forum...I`m sure you will work out a good routine which suits you. When I joined here and saw all the girls with so many Whippets...Oh my...I wanted another one or 4 !!! hahahahaha ! :b

 

[jinnyfizz]

Can't offer any advice as I have a bitch pack here :wacko: but good luck with whatever you decide to do :luck: :thumbsup:

 

[jok]

This is just my personal feelings on the subject.....

I would not like to keep an in season bitch in the house with my entire dog. Frankie is fine for the first 10 days but once it's the right time......well! :lol:

Luckily with having Rachel and also my mum and dad nearby, there is no need to keep them together during this time. When Holly was last in season she stayed at my mums house (she has two neutered dogs) and she loved it there. Ruby will go there too when she starts. The bitches don't seem to give a toss about going to stay with a relative (who they obviously know well) but i know that both Frankie and Logan would be stressed out at having to move out of their respective homes for a short while.

I suppose it all depends on what facilities you have at home. If you have a trusted relative or friend nearby i'd make use of them at season time :thumbsup:

 

[Karen-Coral]

a few of you have mentioned dogs fighting....

strange isn't it-how they're all so 'different'-

my little 20lb dog is an absolute killer when he meets other dogs out walking etc

but he's never ever fought with the other dogs in our household-even at 'season time'

 

[*Lesley*]

I wouldn't change things now (3 bitches one dog) but it can be a pain at times especially if you take them on holiday, at home it's much easier to keep them seperate but it sort of makes you have to rethink a lot of things.

Letting them out in stages, never leaving them alone together,things can't be relaxed as normal ect

Callie and Sienna aren't too bad because they won't allow Kane to interfere with them and luckily he doesn't push the point but Spry is a right tart and flaunts herself at him :*

Kane wasn't bothered the first 2 seasons but as he is getting older it makes him aggitated and he howls a bit which can be distressing for him and us

They have to be watched like hawks too because take your eyes off a male and bingo (w00t)

Mine don't fight though :huggles: so thats a plus and its only tense for a few weeks, so it's not the end of the world

I'm not trying to put you off because we manage fine, just wanted to let you know what it's like :thumbsup:

 

[jayp]

I would just say why cause yourself problems when you dont need to?

If the dogs cannot be homed with relatives or friends for a few weeks then it is a great big PAIN IN THE ASS. The breeder of my first bitch told me it would be fine to keep a dog out of her first litter but it drove me nuts and i know a lot of others who have one bitch after another coming in and the poor dog loses weight and is just miserable. Im sure lots of folk have worked it out but if you dont have to i wouldnt. :luck: :luck: Jan

 

[Rae]

We've got 6 dogs - only 2 entire a dog and a bitch. Poor little Supe gets very disctressed when Holly is in season; goes off his food, cries at the bedroom door (where Holly is) and even when out walking he cant concentrate on his frisbee (w00t)

However, we also use a cage for Supe (which he loves) and Holly wears those 'bitch pants' in the house which I hope apart from making her look ridiculous hide the scent a little bit from Supe. Lastly, we used a homeopathic pill from Dorwest Herbs and it really did make a difference. Our friends had to give their dog them at the same time as he was running away and we kept finding him hanging around outside our garden - again it seemed to do the trick.

It is perfectly manageble but do find it hard work and I hate seeing Supe distressed Even though I know I've left Holly in our bedroom and Supe in his cage I still panick when I've left the house :b

 

[05whippet]

I think it depends on the dogs and how you bring them up and react with them.We have 4 whippet bitches and 3 whippet males and have no problems at all...ever!

I have 2 bitches at the minute who are just finishing their seasons (3 days apart) and my two boys were interested naturally BUT it is very easy to cope with...mine all sleep in the bedroom with us at night (the boys are always crated seperately anyway to the girls so there is no change when in season) with no whining (I think seperating them makes them much worse) and the only difference I have is that they do drop a bit of weight ,actually I find as the dog matures he does'nt get affected as much,it seems to be harder on them when it is their first encounter of a season (if they are old enough to understand,my youngest boy is just over the year) and they are in seperate rooms during the day when I am busy doing other things and can't supervise them 100%,but in the evening they are all in the same room uncrated and the boys just get told to "go and lie down" if they get a bit excited and they go and get up on the chairs and go to sleep.They are'nt exercised together obviously and I use a different paddock for the girls to "toilet" in and exercise in when they are in season so as not to disturb the boys.I have NEVER had any form of aggression at all with my boys whether they are "used" or not,they still are all crated together at night and at shows with no problems.

My advice is...it can work and as long as you are aware of the possible problems (which you seem to be) and that you will have to keep them seperate at certain times you should be fine. :thumbsup:

 

[joe90]

great topic but unfortunately i cant offer any advise either as i have 4 bitches but i do have a nightmare with them as one of the bitches doesnt get on with any of the others which is very annoying so it makes everything i do difficult eg kennel cleaning lettinf one out etc etc lol

 

[*Lesley*]

I wouldn't mind if Kane dropped a bit of weight, but no such luck :lol:

 

[affieluver]

thanks for your positive replies it certainly has answered a few questions for me i do have friends that would help out when the need arose both my girls know them well and any future dog i have either dog or bitch would also get tto know them i am still undecided but knowing how you all cope with both will make the decision when the time is right a little easier :thumbsup: i knew fellow k9ers would give me a sensible approach to what could have been a disastrous decision if i hadnt thought it through properly THANKS ALL :thumbsup: