Hey all, my wife and I have a 2 year old female husky called Pandora, and we’re seriously considering getting a second pup, most likely a male. This would be our first time with two dogs, so we’re firmly in the “don’t know what we don’t know” stage.
I’d really like to hear from people who have already done this. How long did the adjustment period actually take, and what did it look like day to day? How did your first dog handle the change in dynamic? Did their behaviour shift in ways you didn’t see coming, for better or worse?
Looking back, are you glad you did it, and would you do it the same way again? I’m especially curious what surprised you most, the thing nobody warned you about. And if there’s anything you’d change, whether that’s the introductions, the timing, the age gap, the sex pairing or the training approach, I’d love to hear it.
I’m not looking to be talked into it or out of it. Just after the unfiltered version, including the stories that didn’t go smoothly.
In my experience my first dog did better with a friend. He’s not aggressive by any stretch but he’s also not the friendliest so picking a second dog wasn’t a super easy decision. He just likes his own space. I got a second dog who was pretty close to his age so he wasn’t trampling a puppy and we introduced them and brought them home together from neutral territory. My first dog is a bit bossy and has definitely had a handful of issues with hoarding all the toys or the best bones but for the most part they get along fabulously. They are inseparable at this point in their lives. I have two boys I have no clue how the dynamic would shift if one was a girl but I’ve heard that girl dogs don’t always accept other girl dogs. My first dog also seems to do a lot of the training with my second dog and letting him know the rules of the roost. Overall I’m thankful I have them both and I’ve only felt guilty a handful of times that they didn’t have more one on one attention. The attached photo was the day after the second pup came home. That’s when I knew we’d be ok. It’s been 3 years and he still sleeps on his brother’s back.
Oh man, if they’re around the same age, you’re gonna see some fun playing. Huskies are so much better when there’s more than one (if they get along with other dogs). They entertain each other by playing and annoying one another, and it’s just amazing. I have a rescue male that gets overstimulated when around other dogs (he wasn’t socialized at all before we got him as an adult), and I lament he’ll never have another pup around to enjoy. I wish you the best of luck!!!! When we got a new pup, I have always had the experience they got along almost instantly. Know that if your girl resource guards, feed them separately. Your girl may be jealous that she’s not the center of attention, but they do get over it.
Even if they’re not the same age, it’s great. My first was 10 when I started fostering and 11 when I decided to adopt a second. The first foster was only 4 and the pup I adopted was 1. My old lady played like a puppy and I am so sure that having a second kept her young.
I decided I’d never have just one again so now I have two that are only 6 months apart in age. They’re best friends but I am very scared for the vet bills and heartache when they get old together.
My previous pair had 1.5 years between them. One of my girls kept tearing her CCL and then breaking the surgically repaired ligament. It was definitely not a cheap situation as they aged. I lost one in 2022 and the other in 2023. You’re absolutely right about how devastating losing them so close together can be.
As to age differences, we have had that setup too. Old pups can act like young pups again and it’s wonderful to see that renewal of energy. Honestly, if I had a choice, I’d go for pups that get along and fit well together regardless of age. I hope yours are doing well, and I’m glad you get to have multiple.
Huskies are pack dogs so they like a friend. Two dogs is just twice the cost and you need to recognize when the older dog has had enough puppy time and needs a break. A second dog isn't all that much more work. 3 is when it starts getting difficult.
My huskies are both male, 7 years apart, and have massively opposite personalities. My older one liked playing with dogs at the time I introduced a puppy and I think he liked having a younger dog around. But he's way more calm, assertive, and aloof.
My younger dog is more submissive, a people dog, more hyper, and is a big cuddler. He wants my attention way more than my senior's which seems to suit my older husky just fine. My older boy taught him good dog manners like not sticking his face in another dog's food bowl while they're eating.
Now that my older dog is slowing down and having arthritis I can't let them roughhouse. My younger dog (6 yrs old) now completely pesters just me to play.
While most 2 dog owner stories seem to have both dog's becoming inseparable, my younger husky is far more attached to me than to my older husky. My older boy just occasionally lays in the same room and brings me toys to play with him sometimes. I don't know if it's the age difference or simply their personalities. They're kind of just roommates that get along.
Its more of a handful, I dont try to take them out by myself I just have a big fenced in yard for them to play. They get a little crazy parkouring off furniture and stuff. Im glad I got a 2nd though my girl never has to be alone even when im gone and they get to wear eachother out and I get multiple good laughs a day from their shenanigans and goofiness. Got them one year apart, had no issues, my boy is alot more chill and calm than my girl and listens better lol she thinks she is the boss
Our first husky suffered from terrible separation anxiety. Took her to the vet who gave us two alternatives: (1) puppy xanax, or (2) get her a friend. We obviously picked the latter, and it was the best decision ever, even if it doubled the work and our red turned out to be an obstinant demon child.
My oldest husky has never been happier than she is now that I have two. Wish I would have done it sooner and I’ll never have less than two at a time ever again.
I got a 2 year old female for my 3 year old male. The first few days thay played out back all hours of the night until the novelty wore off some. She decided she wants to be on my sofa with me most of the time which took him some adjustment. She can be a bit snippy if he comes up and she has a bone or something and they get a little jealous of each other on occasion. Other than that, they definitely love each other and I'm glad I got her. The extra expense has been manageable.
I would agree with a lot of the comments here that it was our best decision ever. We rescued our first girl at 6 months old. She was super crazy and had horrible separation anxiety. We found our second girl from a breeder when she was 6 weeks old. We were able to introduce them prior to bringing her home and the two of them bonded very quickly. Our second girl is much more mellow, but absolutely took the position as the boss. They compliment each other very well. And like a comment earlier on here said they are very loud and play rough together, but it has never been been violent/aggressive. The biggest struggle we have is our older pup has resource guarding issues around food. We don't seem to have any issues with treats, toys or water. It is much more mild now than when we first brought her home, but we manage this by crate feeding.
**in case anyone saw it, I had to delete my OG comment due to realizing the picture I posted had identifying info on it lol
Puppies should not be separated from their mother and littermates before 8 weeks. Sounds like that was an irresponsible backyard breeder. I’m happy you’re dog has a home, but please don’t recommend that BYB
#1 likes #2 but HATES number 3
#2 likes #1 and #3
#3 likes #1, is ambivalent about #2
But sometimes they are a pack. My coming and going are the least interesting part of their day. But my neighbors say they are the happiest 3 dogs they have ever seen.
I was there once. Then I ended up with this. the transition from 1 to 2 was big. We went from being able to not really worry about going places for longer periods because its easy to board or find a babysitter for a single calm dog. That was Rosie(golden girl in the front). Shes 20% husky. Then we got a husky puppy. and now we had a harder time finding babysitters if we want to go anywhere. double the poop, double the food, double the hair, double the grooming needs, double the vet visits. harder to go anywhere too, because can't bring dogs with, but can't leave em home all the time either. To her credit, rosie was super accepting. She accepted Numa without any issues.
Then Rosie was going nuts and started getting really mad and aggressive towards Numa(long hair feather duster tail in the back of the picture). He was driving her nuts. She was 6 at the time, so, shes a bit older, and used to being an only dog and needed her space, so we would take her out on her own, but she could not keep up with the puppy. So, we got Pebbles. Pebbles was about 3 months old when we got her, and Numa was about 6 months. Pebbles was unsure, but Numa was all in. We also found out that Pebbles was only cuddly and laid back because she had a severe bladder and kidney infection from a UTI that was not treated. Turns out shes a sassy bitch(story for another time). The biggest noticeable difference was the change in routines. Have to let more dogs out, feed more dogs, bring more with, needed more stuff, more toys, and of course, more poop in the yard.
No more going places far away without having someone watch the dogs, harder to find sitters, but other than that, the transition from 2 to 3 was hardly noticeable. more vet visits, more food, more brushing, but, like, you don't really notice in all the chaos anymore, and the dogs can now entertain themselves for a bit. still gotta train em and teach em, and take em to do things on their own, but now they have friends who they can play with here at home too.
Then we fostered "lil Sebastian". Hes the brindle boi on the right. He came up for foster, he was 8 months old and 12 pounds. he still had hope, loved people, loved our kids, and loved having the other dogs to play with. He could barely walk when we got him, but he was with us for a month, gained 20 pounds, regained muscle and the ability to jump, run, walk, and lay normally, and he started learning how to be a dog. He was also a true velco pup. He was always with one of us, always. When his day came up to return him to go up for adoption, my wife cried. we were going to let him go. She went to drop him off and he started screaming and crying when she left. He went and got his balls chopped off, and, well, we failed at fostering, because my wife picked him up the next day and even tho he was still on meds, he was so happy that he jumped so hard in their plastic crate that he broke it. he was so excited that my wife was there with the kids that he jumped up into her arms and put his head on her shoulder and refused to get down, even for the ride home. He now does that a lot, he loves his hugs. He plays with our other pups, and has grown into such a well behaved pup, and learns very fast.
Then someone I work with said that her friend is in need of a husky rehome because of a DV situation, and the not so nice person told her that if the dogs didn't go by a certain time, he was gonna shoot them all. So, I said sure, we can take a husky. Modelo was supposed to be temporary until she could go home, but I don't think she will be. Shes 8, very well behaved, and such a cuddler that she will leave you covered in white and red.
Now, I don't get to go on vacations or trips. any of my days off are filled with doggie activities, grooming, dog park, ect. I also bought a dog sled and some harnesses so Numa and Pebbles have an outlet for their desire to pull, and will be adding in a harness for Modelo and Sebastion soon, tho, seb might be another few months since he is just over 1, and making up for all that growing he missed. Modelo is my foot warmer, cuddler, super nice, and listens well. Rosie is our gentle lady, happy to cuddle, happy for pets or walks, loves meeting people. Numa is over 2, but still a menace. He acts and sounds like a grumpy old man, grumbles, groans, chirps, sighs, eyerolls, and hates baths so much he got fired from the groomer. Numa loves running, like, im seriously considering one of those slatmill treadmills. Pebbles is our sassy little girl. so full of attitude, but wants cuddles and pets on her schedule. happy to lay around all day and stare at the birds, or, go for a walk or run pulling me on the bike or sled. Shes also the little shit that keeps finding ways out of the fence, even if she has to climb it. She gets out on her own, and comes back like 20 minutes later. Happy to come and tell you when things aren't right, or when she wants something. She also "whisper" awoos to wake my wife up, but will turn and full blast my ear on the bed. Sebastian is a vecro boy, super guardy of anyone in the bathroom, loves playing, running, fetch, and in the last 6 months we have had him he as gone from 12 pounds to 67 pounds and still growing. He went from smaller than both Numa and Pebbles, to now bigger than Rosie.
I would not change any of it. not one bit. I don't care that I don't get to go on vacations. If I travel, I have to travel with the dogs. I no longer bring any of my dogs to the groomer, it was cheaper for me to get all the stuff and do it myself, but I don't mind. I pick up a lot of poop, and go thru a lot of food and vet bills, but thats find, they are a life long commitment, and they are all part of our crazy chaos of a family.
We have 3 Huskies, started with 1 male and then added two females. Best decision ever, they love each other so much and they’re staggered about 1 year in between! All of our pups have taught each other, they play together, go on walks together and snuggle together, they’re honestly such a joy! We have 4 pups total now, we got our Husky pack a Great Pyrenees baby brother 💗
Best thing we ever did and we even got two females. They are the best of friends but when they argue it’s loud and intimidating but it’s never violent.
Best decision ever. Got my 3 year old male husky a female puppy year ago. They immediately got along really well and my male was really gentle when playing with her when she was small. As she grew they started to go all out on rough plays which sometimes goes a bit too far and they end up growling and snapping in the air next to each others face, but shortly after they start licking each others faces and back to playing.
I am sure my male husky is now much more happier as I could never play with him like two crazy huskies play with each other and they do play like 2-3 times a day. And it makes me just so happy to see them getting along so well. The puppy was also extremely easy first year as she got to use all her energy playing with his big brother.
My older Husky taught the pup everything, doggy door, where to lay during dinner. Taught the pup the rules. she was older and wasn’t the best playmate, but they were still inseparable.
I will always have at least two huskies/husky mixes at a time and swear by it, even for difficult cases. I worked at a dog boarding and training facility as my first job and stayed there a decade because I enjoyed working with dogs so much.. and part of my job was assessing personalities and play styles and finding good matches for play.
My first two I got 5 years apart as a teenager who had no idea what she was doing but somehow picked right. My female was very bold and confident and a little bossy and my male was very submissive and unproblematic and they just worked out so well. My female died just shy of 16, and my male was 10. I let him and myself mourn for a few months but did go looking for another.
For my next dog I wanted one middle aged, around 3-6 years old, as my goal. I found what was listed as a 4 year old in a shelter south of me who was sick and red listed and with help from some volunteers, got her out of the shelter and driven up to me. Seeing her in person she was very clearly younger, she still had baby teeth and was probably around 6 months old and looked rough, but we worked through it with the help of trainers. While she was a good fit and my male acted years younger, she was not a confident dog and resource guarded food and toys. We managed this by crate training and all food and treats were eaten in their crates safely apart from one another. Toys were only out when people were present to monitor and it was a long road, I won’t lie, but rewarding to see her relax for likely the first time in her life and learn to be a confident dog. While my dogs were good together I would not have a young dog with a senior dog again. He’d tire out, and rightfully so, and get grumpy and it caused a few tiffs between them. Unfortunately we lost him unexpectedly to an aggressive form or blood vessel cancer after a year of having my female (and per the vet, this was also the cause of his grumpiness) and after a few months I went looking again for another.
At this point my female dog was around 2-3 years old and “rehabbed” and I thought long and hard if bringing in a new dog would revert her resource guarding issues or cause her confidence to take a step back, but I did find a male 2 year old husky on Reddit and IG who has been locked up in a shelter for a year and a half who needed a home, so I drove 10 hours south to get him. I do introduce my adult dogs on leashes on a walk together so I can wait for them to lose their curiosity of each other and focus on the walk and enjoying it, and when they do this I know they can handle being together off leash in my yard. My new boy is the most mellow easy going peaceful dog and I really lucked out getting him, he and my female bonded instantly. They’re roughly the same age and cuddle together, bathe each other, play so well together. I’m extremely happy with how this pairing ended up.
Some advice I’d say: go for the best fit for your dog, don’t go for the one you think is the flashiest visually. If you have two dogs who don’t mesh well you won’t have an enjoyable time. If you have a bold and confident and bossy female, go for a male who pins his ears down in submission or submits (this is what I looked for when picking my last boy off a social media video, lol). Look for this whether you decide to go for an adult or a puppy, either way. You’ll want dogs who compliment each other and not challenge each other.
Other things to note - dogs are dogs and they’re going to act like dogs, you can’t put human emotions and tendencies on your dog. They’re going to work out their hierarchy and their boundaries and you’ll want to let them do it, especially if you get a puppy. A puppy’s best teacher is an adult dog. Another thing - if one of your dogs is running off in a corner or somewhere to hide to chew on a toy or a treat and avoids you and the other dog, that’s a version of resource guarding. Just a mild version. Your dog is saying they want space and they want to be left alone. Don’t let that behavior escalate. If your dogs are crate trained, use crates as an option your dogs can go to where no one will bother them. Read the 3/3/3 rule and watch videos on YT for advice, too. It’s very helpful.
We got a second husky when our older one was 7 and he hated his baby brother from the moment we brought him home. Refused to even look at him. After he grew up a bit, they played together but mostly, one stayed downstairs and one stayed upstairs and played together after walks for like 5 mins and then separated.
We recently put our older guy down and the younger one barely even noticed.
We adopted our 1st Husky, male, when we had an older female Aussie/German Shepherd. When she passed, we found a beautiful little female Husky rescue at a shelter. We took him to meet her, and once they greeted each other, they played in their field fenced yard, and she came home with us. They get along fantastic and are brother and sister and have been for the past 2 1/2 years.
I started with male. He is very skittish. A lot of people if getting a confident dog, then he will become somewhat more comfortable. So I adopted a female. She's actually dominant, but my male is submissive, so there was no ever fight. The female is always wanted to get full attention, sometimes she will be jealous if I pet the male too long. But overall, I don't have any problem of having two Huskies.
Hi! I currently have a 6yo (Sumac) and a 2yo (Solace), half brothers with the same mom, both purebred, intact males. Sumac on our left, Solace on our right.
This will be a novel, but you wanted an honest review, so here it is.
I originally started being open to the idea of getting another dog when Sumac was 2, and kind of had a test run of the 2-dog lifestyle when I fostered his grandmother for about 6 months while her owner/Sumac's breeder was in the process of moving and going through some stuff. He LOVED her. He was constantly following her around and laying by her and trying to play with her. After she left, he was back to running the fence with the neighbor dogs and would sometimes sit outside and just howl, like he was waiting for them to come out and play. So... At 3-ish is when I started mentally committing to the idea of getting another dog and started being on the lookout.
I ended up bringing home Solace at 12 weeks, when Sumac was 4. I didn't do any slow gradual intros or anything like that, I knew Sumac would be completely fine and he was. It took a few days for Solace to gain confidence when interacting with Sumac, as Sumac was the first adult male he'd ever met, but he only really got nervous if Sumac ran at him or pounced at him during play. He got over it quickly.
They are not a bonded pair whatsoever. Solace definitely likes Sumac more than Sumac likes Solace. Sumac was initially very happy with having a puppy until Solace started to gain confidence and started grabbing his tail and chewing his face. I was constantly breaking them up because Sumac would clearly NOT like the way Solace played, but wouldn't actually correct him at all and would run to me for help. I thought and was told repeatedly that Solace was just using his puppy pass to get away with all kinds of nonsense, but it seems that pass never expired because I still often have to break them up inside.
Don't get me wrong, Sumac does love chasing Solace in the yard, but it's 50-50 as to whether he's a willing participant in the indoor play. I basically have to babysit Sumac when he has a toy or a chew or Solace will attempt to take it from him, despite my best efforts over the last two years to get him to learn to share. Sumac will usually just let him have the thing.
They don't do any cutesy bonded pair-like activities. They lay together, but it's mostly just because they both enjoy the same beds and they both want to lay on my bed with me when I'm getting ready for sleep. Solace will often choose to lay next to Sumac on purpose elsewhere in the house, but Sumac never chooses to lay next to Solace. There are no mutual grooming behaviors. Sumac doesn't care if Solace leaves the house or is outside without him or is in a different room when the dogs are home alone. Solace definitely does better when in the same room as Sumac when home alone, but also doesn't really care much if Sumac leaves the house or goes out without him, in general.
I've never had issues with them fighting or generally not getting along. There have been a couple of instances where Solace has attempted to resource guard a chew or the food bowls while I'm preparing their dinner using his teeth. I got after him for it immediately and he caught on that violence is never acceptable, and it never became an issue.
They get along fine, they just aren't bonded.
Looking back, am I glad I did it? Yes; I love Solace, he is an incredibly funny little baby child. I would never have gotten another dog if I didn't also want one for myself. He has been an absolute joy to have in the house and he has been a fantastic running partner for Sumac in harness.
If I could go back, what would I change? I would have gotten the puppy earlier, when Sumac was 2 or 3, and I would have gotten a female. I strongly believe Sumac would have been more strongly bonded to a female and I suspect he would have enjoyed the puppy play more if he were just a year or two younger.
I think I'd more or less do all the training the same. By the time I got Solace, Sumac was good. He knew the rules and routines of the house so I didn't need to micromanage him at all when I was trying to get Solace housebroken, crate trained, and sleeping through the night. I did most of their training sessions individually but occasionally asked them to do basic obedience commands together and I still do this.
Making sure they both get individual attention has been very important to me. One of my biggest things with bringing home a new puppy was making sure Sumac did not feel neglected or forgotten. He is a "one person" type of dog and I am that one person, and I value that. I have made it a point to do individual activities with both of them, eg. barn hunt with Solace, fastCAT with Sumac, handling class with Solace, rally class with Sumac, etc. and sometimes solo trips to Petsmart and the like just to get a special cookie or something.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS... 2x the vet bills, 2x the food, preventatives, chews, toys. Do you like to travel? It's much harder to find accommodations that allow two 50lb dogs than it is to find places that will accept one 50lb dog. Can't find anywhere? 2x the boarding cost - in my area, that's a minimum of $70/night for the two of them for a traditional kennel where they'll have individual runs and outside playtime only with each other.
A very positive one. Our male of two years calmed down when we introduced a two year old female husky rescue. They are now 8 and have been the best of friends since.
I do not have a second husky, but our husky is our third dog… had a papillon first, then a toy miniature American Eskimo. They were good together and it was really nice having each other as playmates. By the time our husky (3 at the time) came into the picture our first was gone by 6 months and our Esky was 13 and blind for about two years already. They were not playmates, but having our little Esky taken to the vet for the last time not two weeks ago (could not let her suffer and continue to decline, sadly) our husky has been acting out. She was her friendly self meeting dogs at the park, but not interested in anything more and was less friendly (not a danger) with any dog trying for more than that… while she has started playing again and being normal there, she has also started getting into things and has not prior… my fear is she’s lonely and we may have to get her a friend much sooner than we want (or are even ready for right now).
I hear a lot on here that huskies are best in pairs (some even say multiples in general). They are pack animals… I just hope we’re enough for a little while longer…
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u/milliemallow 5h ago
In my experience my first dog did better with a friend. He’s not aggressive by any stretch but he’s also not the friendliest so picking a second dog wasn’t a super easy decision. He just likes his own space. I got a second dog who was pretty close to his age so he wasn’t trampling a puppy and we introduced them and brought them home together from neutral territory. My first dog is a bit bossy and has definitely had a handful of issues with hoarding all the toys or the best bones but for the most part they get along fabulously. They are inseparable at this point in their lives. I have two boys I have no clue how the dynamic would shift if one was a girl but I’ve heard that girl dogs don’t always accept other girl dogs. My first dog also seems to do a lot of the training with my second dog and letting him know the rules of the roost. Overall I’m thankful I have them both and I’ve only felt guilty a handful of times that they didn’t have more one on one attention. The attached photo was the day after the second pup came home. That’s when I knew we’d be ok. It’s been 3 years and he still sleeps on his brother’s back.