Wanting to make your family bigger is a great idea! You've decided that you want a dog (or two) to be the newest addition to the family. Dogs make wonderful family members and excellent companions. Many people believe that having two dogs is better than one, but the decision is totally up to you. Here are a few things to consider, good and not so good, before you come home with a whole litter!

Space: If you want more than one dog, then you need to think about how much space you have. Some breeds require lots of room and are not suitable for apartment living. In this case, you would need a large outside area for the dogs. There should be enough room for two of everything: dog houses, food and water bowls, toys, etc. Other breeds can live in smaller spaces, but may not be able to share the small space with additional pets. Before you bring home more than one dog, check with your landlord, leasing office, neighborhood council, and local government. Often, there are restrictions placed on the number of dogs that can reside in one home.

Time and Attention: Naturally, two dogs are going to use up more attention. You will need to spend time playing with them together and separately. If you are training the pooches, then you will need even more time to spend with them. Often, training techniques require undivided attention, meaning you can only work with one dog at a time. In addition to extra attention, you also have to spend more time taking care of them. You will need to properly care for the dogs, including regular checkups and grooming.

Costs: The costs will be doubled, of course. You will have to buy two (or double) of everything. Each dog will need his own toys, food and water bowls, crate, carrier, bedding, etc. The real costs come in the form of veterinarian visits, vaccinations, flea medications, and food. Dogs are worth every penny; you just have to make sure you can financially handle two dogs!

Behavior: Behavior is a funny thing with animals. Often, one dog is perfectly behaved when he is alone. But, when paired with another dog, the perfectly behaved dog will loose all sense of obedience. If you get two puppies at the same time, then you can teach them desired behaviors together. If you are introducing a new dog, then it may not be as easy. This does not mean that the dogs will exhibit bad or uncontrollable behavior. It just means that they are more likely to do things together that they normally wouldn't do if they were alone.

Now, let's get to the positive aspects of having multiple dogs. Dogs enjoy companionship. If you are gone from the home all day, then the dogs will keep each other company. Freedom from boredom means that they are less likely to participate in destructive behaviors (although they are still likely to do things that a single dog would not). In addition to keeping each other company, the dogs will exercise together. They will naturally want to play together; thus, exercising more. But, you should still provide an ample amount of daily workout time with your pooches.

Having more than one dog also makes socialization easier. Sometimes, pooches can be fearful or dislike other animals, making it impossible to take them in public. Being around another dog lessens the fear and dislike. Two dogs is also double the fun for you! You'll have two buddies to take to the park and on vacation!

But, before you adopt more than one dog, there are additional considerations you need to take into account. Two dogs require more space to live, roam, and play. You'll have to spend time with them together and apart from each other. They'll need medical and grooming attention, taking up even more time. There will also be additional costs since you're doubling the needs of one dog. On the brighter side, the two dogs will enjoy the companionship with each other. They will get more exercise and be friendlier around other animals. One, two, or three dogs can be great additions to your home!