Adopting two at once?

[cerin1130]

For the last few years I've done a good deal of research on adopting a retired greyhound. While I'm not currently ready, there's a sibling pair that is available when I was looking and I fell in love. I've read that greyhounds do well in pairs. Should I consider adopting a pair together or would getting one and adding another be better to start? Financially, two wouldn't be an issue, but I do work full time so I was thinking that a pair would be able to keep eachother entertained.

[Houndtime]

Adopting two, especially if they are litter mates or previously acquainted, is a good idea.

[MP_the4pack]

I've done it. No problem here.

[Remolacha]

As long as finances aren't an issue, I would say go for it!

[cerin1130]

36 minutes ago, MP_the4pack said:

I've done it. No problem here.

Any recommendations on the best way to ease them into home life together? Or anything I should expect that might be different than the normal one dog situation? Most everything I've read is adding a second grey to the mix after one is already in the home.

[phall]

I adopted two young greyhounds (2 & 3 years old) 2 weeks apart.  They were not siblings and not even at the same adoption kennel.  No problems.  They did great settling in.  I work full time as well and I think it helped them both to have the company.  It was a little more complicated than one as neither was housebroken but it all worked out fine. They have very different personalities - one loved being crated, one hated it and would even get out of x-pens, so initially I had them enclosed in a specific area of the house - with the crate in it for the one that wanted a crate while we housebroke.  

I would do it again without a thought.

[FiveRoooooers]

Two at once is fun. Greyhounds are like snowflakes, no two are alike, and the different personalities are wonderful to watch evolve. When they first arrived together (into an established pack of two), Aiden was and still is such a loving, silly, boy (and smart AF) while Paddy Mayhem was loving and total mayhem (rest his soul) (and smarter than AF, lol). LadyBug and Zeke-aroni were littermates who arrived together into an established pack of three; B&B arrived together into an established pack of three (?; I forget now!); the three girls arrived together into an established pack of three. My thought is that you pretty much get what you expect and I just expect that everyone will get along and become happy campers. Of course there are some adjustments along the way [cough Paddy cough] but two together are double the fun. And the love.

Let us know what you decide!

Edited January 7, 2020 by FiveRoooooers

[MP_the4pack]

I think its actually easier because neither will be possessive of the property as theirs. They are both coming into a new situation.  Do you currently have anything else at home?  Cats, kids, ferrets, etc? 

And don't worry if you think neither will bond with you.  Tanzanite and Emerald came at the same time and Tanzanite worshipped me. So it's in their personality how much they'll bond with you. 

[greysmom]

In general there's usually not any issues with adopting two greyhounds together, or very close together.  They are raised in groups and live in groups and work in groups all their lives so they are pre-disposed to live with other greyhounds easily.

My one caveat to this situation is that you have never had a greyhound (or a dog?) before.  Yes, they are dogs, and as such can be treated like other dogs, but their behaviors are/can be unique due to how they are raised.   I also don't think a responsible adoption group would adopt out two hounds to someone with no breed experience.  If you are interested in having two dogs, then really discuss this with your group and see if you can strategize a way to bring one dog home for a few weeks while *you* adapt to having one.  Then see if you really want/need a second.

[cerin1130]

15 hours ago, MP_the4pack said:

I think its actually easier because neither will be possessive of the property as theirs. They are both coming into a new situation.  Do you currently have anything else at home?  Cats, kids, ferrets, etc? 

And don't worry if you think neither will bond with you.  Tanzanite and Emerald came at the same time and Tanzanite worshipped me. So it's in their personality how much they'll bond with you. 

Nope. Just me and the fish. No small animals and no kids with no desire to change that any time soon so nothing that would really throw them off their game outside of the usual new home issues.

[cerin1130]

12 hours ago, greysmom said:

In general there's usually not any issues with adopting two greyhounds together, or very close together.  They are raised in groups and live in groups and work in groups all their lives so they are pre-disposed to live with other greyhounds easily.

My one caveat to this situation is that you have never had a greyhound (or a dog?) before.  Yes, they are dogs, and as such can be treated like other dogs, but their behaviors are/can be unique due to how they are raised.   I also don't think a responsible adoption group would adopt out two hounds to someone with no breed experience.  If you are interested in having two dogs, then really discuss this with your group and see if you can strategize a way to bring one dog home for a few weeks while *you* adapt to having one.  Then see if you really want/need a second.

I've grown up with dogs. Never a grey, but I've had dogs my entire life up until I moved into my own place so needless to say it feels rather empty without them!

I'm still in the very early stages so I'm not jumping at them the first chance I get for sure. It's definitely something I'm going to try and discuss with as many people as possible before diving in headfirst.