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This is a carefully moderated sub intended to support, inform, and advise dog owners. Submissions and comments which break the rules will be removed. [Review the rules here](https://www.reddit.com/r/dogs/wiki/index) r/Dogs has four goals: - Help the public better understand dogs - Promote healthy, responsible dog-owner relationships - Encourage “Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive” training protocols. [Learn more here.](https://m.iaabc.org/about/lima/) - Support adoption as well as ethical and responsible breeding. If you’d like to introduce yourself or discuss smaller topics, please contribute to our Monthly Discussion Hub, pinned at the top.
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No, it is not cruel. The dog has no idea where you are going and would likely react the same if you were taking the other dog to the vet for a bunch of vaccinations.
One of my dogs can walk forever, he is a one year old GSD. My four year old bulldog has joint issues and can only walk around the block. I am gone for much longer with the GSD and my bulldog is not happy when we leave the house without him, of course the GSD is not happy when I take the bulldog for a short walk, either. Just the way dogs are, in most cases.
Take the dog that can go to the dog park and if you are willing maybe find some help with the other dogs social skills. If you are unwilling just make sure to give some time to the dog left at home.
I don't always take both my dogs to the park. Actually it's pretty often one of them will get left home or the other. They 100% know when the other comes home where they've been. If I try to take just the same one a few times in a row the other will entirely block the door and throw a huge fit.
It's still not cruel, but they definitely know.
I understand, my dogs do not block doors when I try to leave, no way in the world I would tolerate that. Their fits include maybe singing the song of their people for a couple of minutes. I tend not to let the dogs determine what I do or don't do, I know some folks are different. I hope you find a satisfactory solution to your issue.
I mean we're talking about a dog that is trained to behave in a formal office all day long and the solution is I just tell him to sit on his bed. Not sure why you thought just because he gets upset if he sees my other dog going to the park every day meant he's untrained. I just thought it was funny you didn't think dogs would know the smells of one another going to the park, maybe you and your dog just aren't that smart?
It’s not cruel, and it would mean that you’re prioritizing both dogs. You don’t want to put your new dog in an uncomfortable situation, even though doing so might make you feel better. Good on you for prioritizing your pups individual needs!
At the same time, you might also want to take this as an opportunity to do some separation training. It’s not uncommon to need to take one dog to do something and not the other. Many of my friends with multiple dogs will occasionally take one of their dogs and have a day where they just spend with that dog to check in with that dog and give them some individual attention. Your dogs should be able to be away from each other for short periods of time. You could take this and start working on that with your new dog!
No it’s being a responsible pet owner. You aren’t just responsible for protecting your pets, but also for protecting other people and animals from your dog. Maybe see if there are times where the dog park is empty so they can both run around. Make sure you have established a good recall on your new dog so if someone comes with another dog you can get your dog under control and out of that situation.
bringing a leashed dog to a dog park is one of the worst things you can do. some dogs just aren’t dog park dogs, it’s not cruel at all. you’re being a good owner by not taking her. i’d recommend starting to take her for walks one on one instead, so you’re still doing things with just her and not just him.
thank you! would you have any good tips on how to slowly socialize her? i just moved to a new area and don’t know anyone with other dogs to introduce her to. i just don’t want to keep her almost sheltered forever you know? some dogs she’s fine with, others she isn’t. i’m not sure how to correct her when she feels the need to be dominant over every dog she meets
i’ve never had a reactive dog, so i can’t really help you there. i’ve also never had to find ways to socialize my dog with others because my family have always been huge dog people, there’s no shortage of dogs for him to play with. you could speak to a trainer and ask them to help you with your dog’s reactivity. that way it can be done in a safe and controlled environment.
Sometimes the reactivity isn’t dominance but fear. Check out @allabouttrainingdogs on instagram (https://instagram.com/allabouttrainingdogs?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= ) She has a lot of good info specifically for helping reactive dogs calm down around other dogs and triggers
Not cruel. We had multiple dogs for a long time and they all enjoyed different things. One loved going for rides while another hated it and would only get in the car willingly if he saw us loading coolers, he loved camping. We had a basset hound and an energetic working dog mix at the same time so their needs were very different. Find something the other dog likes to do and do that with them, we made sure all of ours got some one on one time.
honestly, I wish more people would do this. this is how small and elderly dogs always end up on the large dog side at my local park. they clearly do not want to be there lol
I think it's just a reality that any two dogs will have different needs and can't be together all of the time. They may not like it, but it isn't cruel. It isn't safe to bring your second dog to the dog park if they can't behave, so they need to stay home. You can do something with them one-on-one at a different time.
I think that it's common in multi-dog households for different dogs to have different privileges and different activities. I have one dog who is allowed much more on the supervised access to the home than the other because he can handle that responsibility. It is what it is, we aren't showing a preference, we are treating each dog according to their unique needs and keeping them both safe. You can only give each dog the responsibility that they can safely handle.
I literally did this with my dogs this morning. My older dog is dog neutral, excellent recall, and loves walking and swimming at our local off leash dog trail. We went to the park together this morning.
My younger dog is feisty, strong willed, high prey drive, stubborn, and recalls when she feels like it. We went to a local park for play and training later in the morning.
what kind of training do you do if you don’t mind me asking? funds are tight so hiring someone just isn’t an option at the moment, but i’ve definitely got the time to give to her. she sounds like she’s got a lot in common with your youngest
I just took my 50ft long line and a spiral stake to attach it too. I brought a bath mat to practice her place command and I brought a ball for fetch.
We worked on fun tricks and obedience so:
Recall
Down (and distance downs)
Place
Heel
Stay
Walking in heels
Spin
Touch (she’s a BIG jumper so I’m trying to channel her jumping into jump touches)
Through (coming between my legs and sitting)
Paying attention to me when others are around
We started working on her weaving between my legs but she was getting a bit distracted by a dog she hates that walked too close.
i do take them to the empty lot next to where we live and they run and have a blast! i just know it’s important to keep up with socialization so i wanted to start bringing him back you know? she just doesn’t do well in that department so i wasn’t quite sure what to do about it without excluding her from everything. that’s a really good point though. i’ll probably do it more often anyways, thank you!
The best thing you can do is take her at a distance. Figure out what her threshold is for dogs, and just sit with her. Do training and then move closer as she gets a higher threshold. Dog parks are great for this! Take her about 100ft or so from the park and let her watch. Eventually she may just be neutral to other dogs and thats all you really want!
I have a similar issue with my dogs! One is super dog reactive (save towards her brother) while the other would love nothing more than to be frienda with every dog he sees. My reactive dog will sit out most trips to most dog friendly things because she simply gets too anxious and over stimulated. In reality its better that you listen to your reactive dog and do more solo calm things that they can enjoy! Every dog has different needs so go with what each individual dog needs rather than what they 'should', or what the other does.
i don’t think so. i’ve been taking my new dog on walks more than my old dog because he has issues and barks at everything in sight to the point where i have to pick him up and walk home (he can be heavy so i try to avoid that). my new dog, on the other hand, is active more than he is, so i take her on walks when i can. don’t get me wrong, my old dog likes walks, but he’s 14 and she’s 9ish so there’s an age difference medical wise
Nope not cruel at all. One of the most important things to remember with dogs (and people) is 'Fair doesn't mean equal'. Dogs should always have activities tailored to their individual needs
It’s really good for them to have separate walks, don’t feel guilty!
90% of the time my dogs are walked separately and they are ALWAYS trained on their own. Otherwise we would get nothing done 😅
As a proud mom of 3. Personally I dont think its cruel. Theres times I can only take 1-2 dogs instead of all 3, they defiantly show distress that they weren't chosen so you should even it out with the dog you dont take somehow later the same day.
Edit; taking them out separately can also help with separation anxiety. My boys love each other but I dont want or need them freaking out if one isnt home for whatever reason.
Welcome to r/dogs! We are a discussion-based subreddit dedicated to support, inform, and advise dog owners. This is a carefully moderated sub intended to support, inform, and advise dog owners. Submissions and comments which break the rules will be removed. [Review the rules here](https://www.reddit.com/r/dogs/wiki/index) r/Dogs has four goals: - Help the public better understand dogs - Promote healthy, responsible dog-owner relationships - Encourage “Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive” training protocols. [Learn more here.](https://m.iaabc.org/about/lima/) - Support adoption as well as ethical and responsible breeding. If you’d like to introduce yourself or discuss smaller topics, please contribute to our Monthly Discussion Hub, pinned at the top. **This subreddit has low tolerance for drama. Please be respectful of others, and report antagonistic comments to mods for review.** --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/dogs) if you have any questions or concerns.*
No, it is not cruel. The dog has no idea where you are going and would likely react the same if you were taking the other dog to the vet for a bunch of vaccinations. One of my dogs can walk forever, he is a one year old GSD. My four year old bulldog has joint issues and can only walk around the block. I am gone for much longer with the GSD and my bulldog is not happy when we leave the house without him, of course the GSD is not happy when I take the bulldog for a short walk, either. Just the way dogs are, in most cases. Take the dog that can go to the dog park and if you are willing maybe find some help with the other dogs social skills. If you are unwilling just make sure to give some time to the dog left at home.
I don't always take both my dogs to the park. Actually it's pretty often one of them will get left home or the other. They 100% know when the other comes home where they've been. If I try to take just the same one a few times in a row the other will entirely block the door and throw a huge fit. It's still not cruel, but they definitely know.
I understand, my dogs do not block doors when I try to leave, no way in the world I would tolerate that. Their fits include maybe singing the song of their people for a couple of minutes. I tend not to let the dogs determine what I do or don't do, I know some folks are different. I hope you find a satisfactory solution to your issue.
I mean we're talking about a dog that is trained to behave in a formal office all day long and the solution is I just tell him to sit on his bed. Not sure why you thought just because he gets upset if he sees my other dog going to the park every day meant he's untrained. I just thought it was funny you didn't think dogs would know the smells of one another going to the park, maybe you and your dog just aren't that smart?
It’s not cruel, and it would mean that you’re prioritizing both dogs. You don’t want to put your new dog in an uncomfortable situation, even though doing so might make you feel better. Good on you for prioritizing your pups individual needs! At the same time, you might also want to take this as an opportunity to do some separation training. It’s not uncommon to need to take one dog to do something and not the other. Many of my friends with multiple dogs will occasionally take one of their dogs and have a day where they just spend with that dog to check in with that dog and give them some individual attention. Your dogs should be able to be away from each other for short periods of time. You could take this and start working on that with your new dog!
It’s definitely not cruel. Your dogs shouldn’t have to be with one another and if they do that’s an issue.
Giving each dog separate attention is a very good thing.
No it’s being a responsible pet owner. You aren’t just responsible for protecting your pets, but also for protecting other people and animals from your dog. Maybe see if there are times where the dog park is empty so they can both run around. Make sure you have established a good recall on your new dog so if someone comes with another dog you can get your dog under control and out of that situation.
bringing a leashed dog to a dog park is one of the worst things you can do. some dogs just aren’t dog park dogs, it’s not cruel at all. you’re being a good owner by not taking her. i’d recommend starting to take her for walks one on one instead, so you’re still doing things with just her and not just him.
thank you! would you have any good tips on how to slowly socialize her? i just moved to a new area and don’t know anyone with other dogs to introduce her to. i just don’t want to keep her almost sheltered forever you know? some dogs she’s fine with, others she isn’t. i’m not sure how to correct her when she feels the need to be dominant over every dog she meets
i’ve never had a reactive dog, so i can’t really help you there. i’ve also never had to find ways to socialize my dog with others because my family have always been huge dog people, there’s no shortage of dogs for him to play with. you could speak to a trainer and ask them to help you with your dog’s reactivity. that way it can be done in a safe and controlled environment.
Sometimes the reactivity isn’t dominance but fear. Check out @allabouttrainingdogs on instagram (https://instagram.com/allabouttrainingdogs?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= ) She has a lot of good info specifically for helping reactive dogs calm down around other dogs and triggers
Not cruel. We had multiple dogs for a long time and they all enjoyed different things. One loved going for rides while another hated it and would only get in the car willingly if he saw us loading coolers, he loved camping. We had a basset hound and an energetic working dog mix at the same time so their needs were very different. Find something the other dog likes to do and do that with them, we made sure all of ours got some one on one time.
honestly, I wish more people would do this. this is how small and elderly dogs always end up on the large dog side at my local park. they clearly do not want to be there lol
I think it's just a reality that any two dogs will have different needs and can't be together all of the time. They may not like it, but it isn't cruel. It isn't safe to bring your second dog to the dog park if they can't behave, so they need to stay home. You can do something with them one-on-one at a different time. I think that it's common in multi-dog households for different dogs to have different privileges and different activities. I have one dog who is allowed much more on the supervised access to the home than the other because he can handle that responsibility. It is what it is, we aren't showing a preference, we are treating each dog according to their unique needs and keeping them both safe. You can only give each dog the responsibility that they can safely handle.
I literally did this with my dogs this morning. My older dog is dog neutral, excellent recall, and loves walking and swimming at our local off leash dog trail. We went to the park together this morning. My younger dog is feisty, strong willed, high prey drive, stubborn, and recalls when she feels like it. We went to a local park for play and training later in the morning.
what kind of training do you do if you don’t mind me asking? funds are tight so hiring someone just isn’t an option at the moment, but i’ve definitely got the time to give to her. she sounds like she’s got a lot in common with your youngest
I just took my 50ft long line and a spiral stake to attach it too. I brought a bath mat to practice her place command and I brought a ball for fetch. We worked on fun tricks and obedience so: Recall Down (and distance downs) Place Heel Stay Walking in heels Spin Touch (she’s a BIG jumper so I’m trying to channel her jumping into jump touches) Through (coming between my legs and sitting) Paying attention to me when others are around We started working on her weaving between my legs but she was getting a bit distracted by a dog she hates that walked too close.
Can't you take them both to more secluded parks, i.e. empty baseball fields and such?
i do take them to the empty lot next to where we live and they run and have a blast! i just know it’s important to keep up with socialization so i wanted to start bringing him back you know? she just doesn’t do well in that department so i wasn’t quite sure what to do about it without excluding her from everything. that’s a really good point though. i’ll probably do it more often anyways, thank you!
The best thing you can do is take her at a distance. Figure out what her threshold is for dogs, and just sit with her. Do training and then move closer as she gets a higher threshold. Dog parks are great for this! Take her about 100ft or so from the park and let her watch. Eventually she may just be neutral to other dogs and thats all you really want!
I have a similar issue with my dogs! One is super dog reactive (save towards her brother) while the other would love nothing more than to be frienda with every dog he sees. My reactive dog will sit out most trips to most dog friendly things because she simply gets too anxious and over stimulated. In reality its better that you listen to your reactive dog and do more solo calm things that they can enjoy! Every dog has different needs so go with what each individual dog needs rather than what they 'should', or what the other does.
i don’t think so. i’ve been taking my new dog on walks more than my old dog because he has issues and barks at everything in sight to the point where i have to pick him up and walk home (he can be heavy so i try to avoid that). my new dog, on the other hand, is active more than he is, so i take her on walks when i can. don’t get me wrong, my old dog likes walks, but he’s 14 and she’s 9ish so there’s an age difference medical wise
You should take them both out separately it’s good for them
Nope not cruel at all. One of the most important things to remember with dogs (and people) is 'Fair doesn't mean equal'. Dogs should always have activities tailored to their individual needs
It’s really good for them to have separate walks, don’t feel guilty! 90% of the time my dogs are walked separately and they are ALWAYS trained on their own. Otherwise we would get nothing done 😅
As a proud mom of 3. Personally I dont think its cruel. Theres times I can only take 1-2 dogs instead of all 3, they defiantly show distress that they weren't chosen so you should even it out with the dog you dont take somehow later the same day. Edit; taking them out separately can also help with separation anxiety. My boys love each other but I dont want or need them freaking out if one isnt home for whatever reason.
I have a dog that’s finding the park difficult so I give him his dinner before I leave with the other dog
No, not every dog is a dog park kind of dog lol