2 or More dogs...

Oliver was an only child for about 2.5 years and very attached to me... to the point where he really didnt want to go to anyone but me. If I was sitting on the couch, he was in my lap. Stuck to me like glue. Now that I have Rosalita, who is even more of a "velcro dog"--extremely loving and needy, she has kind of taken over. She is sweet as pie, but very demanding of attention.

I try to be aware and give them both equal lap time, but she is constantly taking over and it seems like Oliver kind of looks on and sulks and doesnt take the initiative the way she does.

I cant imagine what it must be like to have kids and try to be fair and give them all equal time!! Has anyone else dealt with this and how did you handle it so the first dog (child!!) in the picture still feels loved?? I know more cuddles and separate walks, etc.. buta nything else??

The good thing about it is that people have commented how much more friendly Oliver is towards other people now that there is another dog around!

I worried about this as Harvey was clingy then along came bull in a china shop Alfie. After watching loads of episodes of the dog whisperer it seems they will sort themselves into where they fit in the pack but wil be happy with their position so now I dont worry if Alfie takes over a bit as Harvey really does not seem to mind. If my lap is now full he soon finds my husband or sons lap.

Ahhh, bossy dogs! :lol: One important thing to do is to stop giving it, when they demand attention. If they were toddlers and demanding your attention constantly, you'd not constantly give in -- you'd teach them they have to be polite, they have to learn a bit of pateince and to wait, and then you will give your time when it is convenient for YOU.

If you always respond to every demand from your dog, they will just make more demands. I don't respond to rude demands by the dogs to get in my lap -- if they try to be pushy when I am talking to someone or eating I block them access by turning at an angle and totally ignoring them -- don't even look at them. Or, I put them on the floor and keep putting them on the floor til they stop trying to get up. The command 'off' is imortant too (not 'down' or you confuse them if you use this commad for 'lie down' as well. So I use 'off').

So I'd manage a dog that tries to hog attention the same way. If one snaps at another for trying to move closer to me for example, then the one who snaps goes immediately on to the floor, and is ignored, and perhaps into a room on its own for a time out.

And yes, dogs do generally find their role within a group but that doesn't mean their behaviour towards you, a human and NOT a dog, is acceptable just because one is pushy and one is less pushy. Like a parent, you have every right to expect polite behaviour and well behaved dogs. But like children, your dogs won't bother to offer it unless they know the ground rules as laid down by you.

PS Dogs do not need to be intensely clingy. If they are, they are being given too much opportunity to set the rules themselves. They need to learn the self confidence and self control of being able to be left on their own or go into a downstay on their bed and not need to be on a lap all the time, including when it isn;t convenient to the owner.