How to Deal With Affection in a Multi-Dog Household

All dogs need the attention and affection of their human companions, and when it comes to living in a multi-dog household, you may sometimes feel you̵7;re spread too thin. You can be assured of bonding with each of your dogs if you train them well and allow them to figure out the pack hierarchy on their own.

  1. Obedience Training

    • Train all of your dogs to be obedient. Every dog in your household has to know you̵7;re the boss, and what you say goes. Well-trained dogs are less likely to act out of jealously if they feel you̵7;re spending more time with one dog than another. They're also more likely to obey your commands and take turns when you give attention to other animals in the household.

    Group Interaction

    • Let your dogs see you interact with everyone in your ̶0;pack.̶1; It̵7;s possible to play with all of your dogs at once, instructing one to sit while another retrieves a ball, or petting two dogs that sit at either side of you. If one dog tries to push away another one for your full attention, put the pushy dog in a ̶0;sit, stay̶1; position for a few minutes or crate him if necessary. While you don̵7;t want to interfere with the internal dominance structure your dogs establish among themselves, you also don̵7;t want dogs to think they can push you around or dictate your behavior.

    One-on-One Time

    • Build enough time into your schedule to spend quality one-on-one time with each dog individually. Go for a walk, a car ride or otherwise distance yourself from the other dogs in the household. This is important for training and bonding. Each dog should have an individual relationship you and with other members of the household. If your dogs constantly fight for your attention when you̵7;re all together, ignore them until the behavior stops or handle everything one-on-one -- bathroom time, feeding, crating and exercising.

    Create Personal Space

    • Help alleviate the potential for jealousy by giving each dog his own sleeping and eating space. Dogs often fight over territory, whether that territory is a food dish or your lap. Make sure each pup has his own personal retreat space, like a crate or a bed. Don̵7;t allow young newcomers to pester or usurp older, more established dogs, and don̵7;t allow dogs to consistently rely on one another for affection. Too much interdependence can lead to separation anxiety if one dog is absent or passes away.