How to Manage Your Multi-Dog Household

Sometimes one just isn’t enough. Having one dog is great, but having more than one is fantastic! Full of doubled rewards and triple the challenges, a multi-dog home can have you pulling your hair out over the simplest of things. Many dog owners find that having more than one dog in the home makes their life complete, and certainly interesting.

1. The Meet and Greet

Photo courtesy of and © Neal

That first meeting between your established dog and the newcomer could set the tone for their entire relationship; good or bad. If it is at all possible, try to have them meet in a neutral setting, away from home. If you ae adopting from a shelter, see if you can bring your dog in to meet the potential new dog before signing for the adoption to see if they will accept each other.

Adding a Second (or Third) Dog

2. Two Puppies At Once

Photo courtesy of and © Cathy

I did this once, and I solemnly swear that I will never do it again unless I take leave of my senses completely. If you’re ready for the challenge though, here’s a few tips to help:

• Crate train. Crate them together when you aren’t available, but the crate is invaluable for getting one-on-one training time with each puppy. Crate one while you work with the other.
• Buy two of everything! Two Kongs, two leashes, and especially two beds/blankets. They may be amenable to sharing now, but that could change as they grow older and bigger.
• Use different colors for everything, even if they are different in looks and there’s no mistaking them for each other. Bruno gets the Yellow things, and Banana gets the brown things. It’s not for them; it’s for you.

3. One on One Time

Photo courtesy of and ©  Allison

For training, for affection. Every dog in your home needs to feel special, every day. Make the time to spend some one-on-one time with each of your dogs. They need the individual training sessions in order for it to take hold in their heads, and they need the attention from you without competition in order for you to establish yourself in their affections. Otherwise your two (or more) dogs will come to rely upon on each other, and you might be relegated to mere background noise. If you have two adults (or older kids), have one take the one dog out for a walk, while you train or play with the other, and then switch. Take turns with training, so that your dogs learn to listen to all the humans in your home, not just the head of the family.

4. Dog Fights

Photo © Krista Mifflin

It’s a fact: if you have more than one dog, you will have dogs fighting. Most of the fights between household dogs will not be serious fights, and over shortly after starting. The most common cause of these tussles is rank: the dogs will need to work out who comes first between them. Unless both dogs are uncommonly submissive, these types of dog fights are going to be inevitable.
Keep Them From Becoming Serious

• Neuter them. Rampaging hormones are a huge factor in dog aggressiveness, especially towards each other.
• Do your part to reinforce pack order: you first, then the other humans, then the dogs, in whichever order they have established.

Other Common Causes of Dog Fights

• Food
• Toys (have plenty!)
• “He looked at me funny!”
• Just for fun.

5. Reinforcing Pack Order

Once they’ve sorted themselves out, you’ll need to pay attention to which dog came out on top. Even if your favorite isn’t the leader, you’ll still need to do your part by putting the other dog first (after you and the other people in your home). Feed your dogs in order of rank, by setting the top dog’s bowl of food down first. Let him out the door first, and don’t quibble if he seems to monopolize your affections.

6. Feeding Times

You should feed both dogs at the same time of day, but still cater to the alpha dog of the two (or three), by putting his food down first. As long as both dogs eat the same the same food, and will finish their meal all at once, there shouldn’t be any problems. Dogs should always have their own food dish, but a communal water bucket is usually fine.
It may be necessary to feed the dogs in different areas of the home if:

• One dog finishes first and tries to eat the other dog’s food. This can lead to an overweight pooch rather quickly.
• They fight over the food.
• They eat different foods (ie: one eats an adult diet food, the other a puppy food).

7. Getting In The Door – Order Out of Chaos

Anybody that has more than one dog knows that most chaotic time is when you, the human, finally come home from wherever you have been the last ten years. Well, the way your dogs act sure make it seem like ten years. Bouncing, maybe barking, butt-wiggles, excited yipping noises and maybe even excited puddles. If you can get in the door and get your shoes off, it takes forever to settle the dogs down again.
Don’t reward the craziness. Walk in the door after an absence and ignore your dog until he or she has calmed down enough to sit properly and lavish praise upon her for doing so. If you can ignore the chaos when you come in, and refuse to acknowledge anything but a sitting dog, your dog will catch on very quickly.

5 Great Pieces of Dog Clothing for Spring

The Spring season inspires you and your pet to trek through the great outdoors or just enjoy an extra hour at the park, you can spiff up your pooch’s look with a new piece of clothing. Whether your canine needs a protective piece of gear or a snazzy shirt, the right apparel can add comfort and style to his warm weather excursions. Our friends at Zootoo rounded up some of their favorite pieces of dog clothing for spring to help your pet feel cozy and look chic all season long.

Ruff Wear

If your dog is hitting the outdoors in wet and windy spring weather, try the K-9 Overcoat from Ruff Wear. Made with recycled materials, this well-constructed coat allows for generous freedom of movement for your active pet and has reflective piping for extra visibility. And the durable overcoat is also a snap to clean.

EcoPup

A stylish shirt that’s also environmentally conscious, the Recycled Benny Polo from Eco-Pup uses 100% reclaimed cotton from “people clothing” to create a classic, comfy garment. Each piece is one-of-a-kind, and for the retail price – under $20 during some online sales – this machine-washable shirt is also a good bargain.

Snuggie

If spring seasonal weather brings more rain than sunshine to your neck of the woods, help your canine stay cozy with the Snuggie for Dogs from As Seen on TV. The comfortable garment attaches at several different settings to help you achieve the right fit, and the insulated fabric did not cause our tester dog irritation during outdoor walks.

Doggles

Functional as well as fun, Doggles Protective Eyewear for Dogs offer your pooch’s pupils 100% UV protection from the sun’s rays as the weather warms up. And these shatterproof lenses – used by military and other working dogs – also give your canine’s eyes a buffer against the dust, sand, and dirt that can be kicked up during an active outdoor exercise session.

Paws Aboard

Dress your dog in an irresistible piece of spring apparel that can also be a literal lifesaver – the Doggy Life Jacket from Paws Aboard. This protective jacket features a top handle to allow you to grab your dog quickly during emergencies, as well as reflective strips for additional safety. And the jacket is available in a range of eye-catching prints for the discerning dog.

102 Interesting Facts about Dogs

 

It is a myth that dogs are color blind. They can actually see in color, just not as vividly as humans. It is akin to our vision at dusk.

• Dogs DO have better low-light vision than humans because of a special light-reflecting layer behind their retinas
• A German Shepherd guide dog led her blind companion the entire 2100 mile Applachian Trail
• If never spayed or neutered, a female dog, her mate, and their puppies could product over 66,000 dogs in 6 years!
• Dogs’ only sweat glands are between their paw pads
• Like human babies, Chihuahuas are born with a soft spot in their skull which closes with age
• The breed Lundehune has 6 toes and can close its ears
• Teddy Roosevelt’s dog, Pete, ripped a French ambassador’s pants off at the White House
• President Lyndon Johnson had two beagles named Him and Her
• Franklin Roosevelt spent $15,000 for a destroyer to pick up his Scottie in the Aleutian Islands
• In Roman times, mastiffs donned light armor and were sent after mounted knights
• The Russians trained dogs during WWII to run suicide missions with mines strapped to their backs
• A dog’s mouth exerts 150-200 pounds of pressure per square inch
• … with some dogs exerting up to 450 pounds per squre inch.
• A one year old dog is as mature, physically, as a 15 year old human
• The U.S. has the highest dog population in the world
• France has the 2nd highest
• The average city dog lives 3 years longer than a country dog
• 87% of dog owners say their dog curls up beside them or at their feet while they watch T.V.
• Dogs can be trained to detect epileptic seizures
• 15 people die in the U.S. every year from dog bites
• In 2002 alone, more people in the U.S. were killed by dogs than by sharks in the past 100 years
• Gidget is the name of the Taco Bell dog
• Newfoundlands are great swimmers because of their webbed feet
• Basset Hounds cannot swim
• Greyhounds are the fastest dogs on earth, with speeds of up to 45 miles per hour
• Bingo is the name of the dog on the side of the Cracker Jack box
• The bible mentions dogs 14 times
• Three dogs survived the sinking of the Titanic – a Newfoundland, a Pomeranian, and a Pekingese
• The Labrador Retriever is the #1 favorite breed in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
• Obesity is the #1 health problem among dogs
• An estimated 1,000,000 dogs in the U.S. have been named as the primary beneficiaries in their owner’s will
• An American Animal Hospital Assoc. poll found that 33% of dog owners admit to talking to their dogs on the phone and leaving answering machine messages for them while away
• Dog’s nose prints are as unique as a human’s finger prints and can be used to accurately identify them
• At the end of the Beatles’ song “A Day in the Life”, a high-pitched dog whistle was recorded by Paul McCartney for his sheepdog
• 70% of people sign their pet’s name on greeting and holiday cards
• 58% put pets in family and holiday portraits
• There are only 350 Cisky Terriers in the world – perhaps the rarest breed
• The phrase “raining cats and dogs” originated in 17th century England when it is believed that many cats and dogs drowned during heavy periods of rain.
• Dogs have no sense of “time”
• Humans have kept dogs as pets for over 12,000 years
• The largest breed of dog is the Irish Wolfhound
• The world’s smallest dog breed is the Chihuahua
• The St. Bernard is the heaviest
• Only dogs and humans have prostates
• But dogs do not have an appendix
• Every dog on earth likely descended from a species knows as the Tomarctus – a creature that roamed the earth over 15 million years ago
• The oldest known breed is likely the Saluki – originally trained by Egyptians to help them track game.
• In 1957, Laika became the first living being in space via an earth satellite
• … while JFK’s terrir, Charlie, father 4 puppies with Laika’s daughter
• An African wolf dog known as the basenji is the only dog in the world that cannot bark
• There are 703 breeds of purebred dogs
• Dachshunds were originally bred for fighting badgers
• The world’s smartest dogs are thought to be (1) the border collie, (2) the poodle, and (3) the golden retriever
• … while the dumbest dog is believed to be the Afghan hound
• A dog’s smell is more than 100,000 times stronger than that of a human’s
• … which they need because their eyesight is not as keen as a human’s.
• Dogs judge objects first by their movement, then by their brightness, and lastly by their shape
• Chocolate contains a substance known as theobromine (similar to caffeine) which can kill dogs or at the very least make them violently ill
• George Washington had thirty six dogs – all foxhounds – with one named Sweetlips
• All dogs are identical in anatomy – 321 bones and 42 permanent teeth
• Smaller breeds mature faster than larger breeds
• Female dogs are only ready to mate – “in heat” – twice a year for a total of roughly 20 days
• Puppies sleep ninety percent of the day for their first few weeks
• Rin Tin Tin was the first Hollywood dog star
• … and he really signed his movie contracts – all 22 of them – with a pawprint
• The Wizard of Oz’s Toto was played by a female Cairn Terrier named Terry
• Up until the late 1800’s, Collies were known as Scottish Sheepdogs
• Dogs have two times as many muscles to move their ears as people
• The longer a dog’s nose, the more effective it’s internal cooling system
• An elderly woman was saved by her 12 pound Yorkshire Terrier who fought off an 80 pound Akita and survived with only 9 stitches
• U.S. Customs dogs “Rocky” and “Barco” were so good at patrolling the border that Mexican drug lords put a $300,000 bounty on their heads
• Dogs are all direct descendants of wolves
• Wolves and dogs can mate to produce fertal offspring
• Female wolves have been known to travel great distances to regurgitate full meals for their hungry pups
• Cerberus was the tri-headed dog that guarded the underworld in Greek mythology
• Female dogs bear their young for 60 days before they’re born
• Dogs’ sense of hearing is more than ten times more acute than a human’s
• Humans can detect sounds at 20,000 times per second, while dogs can sense frequencies of 30,000 times per second.
• The earliest dog fossil dates back to nearly 10,000 B.C.
• Bloodhounds are prized their ability to single out and identify a number of scents simultaneously
• Dalmatian puppies are born completely white.
• The Ancient Chinese carried Pekingese puppies in the sleeves of their robes
• Boxers are so named because of their manner of playing with their front paws
• All breeds of dog have been found to attack livestock – from 3 month old puppies, all the way up to thirteen year old poodles
• A dog’s heart beats up to 120 times per minute, or 50% faster than the average human heartbeat of 80 times per minute
• The oldest dog on record – a Queensland “Heeler” named Bluey – was 29 years, 5 months old
• Davy Crockett had a dog named Sport
• Dogs were first domesticated by cavemen
• Dogs live 15 years on average
• Many foot disorders inn dogs are simply an issue of long toenails
• More than 5,000,000 puppies are born in the U.S. every year
• More than 1 in 3 American families own a dog
• Average body temperature for a dog is 101.2 degrees
• The Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts both offer merit badges in dog care
• Dogs are natural pack animals
• They are naturally submissive to any creature with higher pack status – human or canine
• Dogs instinctively require the pack leader’s approval
• Dogs with little human contact in the first three months typically don’t make good pets
• The Chihuahua was named after the state in Mexico where they were discovered
• After birth, puppies’ eyes do not fully open until they’re about 12 days old
• Their vision is not fully developed until after the 1st month

Hello world!

Welcome to Clancy Aussie Labradoodles, breeders of the True Authentic Australian Labradoodles. As breeders of extraordinarily friendly family companions we want to extend to others the joy and companionship these dogs bring into our lives.

The Labradoodles are so popular because:

• Extraordinarily friendly family companions
• Light to non-shedding
• Social with people and other dogs
• Playful and witty in personality
• Allergy friendly
• Eager to learn and please
• Excellent water dogs and retrievers

As a small family breeder our dogs and puppies enjoy socialization by our family. As part of our family, our doodles not only enjoy our property they also join us at all kinds of extracurricular activities, such as football, swim team, and many other activities, which also allows us to socialize our dogs in the public too.