Question for Those with Multiple Pets

[Skywalker]

I was just curious what is the relationship like between the pets?

I ask because the previous two dogs we had rarely interacted much. They got along fine and just kind of peacefully co-existed.

However our current two dogs are actively friends lol. They interact a lot, play everyday, give a lot of attention to each other.
My husband joked that the first dogs were like forced roommates while these two are absolute ride or die best friends

I'm not sure which dynamic is more typical? If you have multiple pets, how are they with each other?

 

[irlandaise]

I don't know that either of your scenarios is more typical. It is what it is.

I do know that if you have both cats and dogs in the house, the cats make it clear who's in charge.

 

[QueenIsabella]

It depends on the pets. Flo, our diva, HATES most other cats. She tolerated our old cat (he died in March), and she tolerates the dog, but hisses and spits at the other 2 cats. The two orange kitties get along, but aren't buddies--Loki will curl up with and groom the dog, but not Butterscotch the cat. But, sometimes Loki and Butterscotch play.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I only have one puppy at the moment but I used to have three dogs. Two of them were cousins (they were BMDs) and were picked up the same day. They slept and played together all the time. One of them, Guinny, died from health complications when she was 3 and the other one, Sophie, waited for her to come back for about a week. She wouldn't leave the front door no matter what. Sophie wanted her "sister" to come home. My family also took in my grandma's dog when she could no longer care for her. Sophie and my grandma's dog were....fine. They never snuggled or played with each other. They kept to themselves and barely interacted. We did have to feed them separately since my grandma's dog kept trying to steal Sophie's food and Sophie would let her.

These were the two "sisters", doing one of their favorite things. Laying outside and taking in the fresh air.

 

[Moliphino]

My current two act like siblings. Sometimes they play, they're always jealous of any attention the other is getting, they both worry about the other when they're separated. They don't cuddle each other, but they'll both share a bed with me.
They're both submissive, so they never actually take something from the other. But they do a weird little dance where they'll go up to each other and wag their tail to convey that they'd really like that thing you have. Leota especially does this with bones - Rosie's bone is always better.

 

[nene0182]

Mine are half brothers and 5 months apart in age. They are two peas in a pod and each others best friends.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

So much comes down to individual personality.

My roommate's dog Noah was tolerant at best with other dogs (Noah would have preferred to be a single but he does not get to make that choice). Noah tolerated the other dog (one at a time, I adopt senior pitbulls so Noah had to put up with 3 in his lifetime). He was not outright aggressive, but did not want to interact. If one lay down next to Noah, he'd move over a foot so they weren't touching. My last one would try to get Noah to play; when he always got the cold shoulder, his play invitations got less frequent until he gave up entirely. We both went to visit family one Christmas, both took our individual dogs. Had mine out on a leash when Noah came back - Noah came dashing over and my dog was so excited to see him... until Noah skirted around him to greet me instead. And he was always in charge, this 30lb white fluffball calling the shots with the pitbulls 2x his size.

But for sure a lot of pets will sleep together, cuddle together, play together to various extents. The same as each person has varying levels of socializing with other humans.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I have two cats who tolerate each other, but don't act buddy-buddy. We adopted them at the same time from a rescue, but they weren't litter mates, just approximately the same age. They would sleep next to each other as kittens, but don't now.

 

[Eeyore daily]

We have two dogs, and they tolerate each other for the most part. But our one dog we've had for 8 years and the other one we got a few months ago after our first dog passed away. The bond isn't there, which is fine. Now our 8 year old and the one who passed away were buddies. They would actively play and snuggle up to each other with no care in the world. It's all dependent upon the animals.

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

In the past I had 2 cats. One was the established queen of the household and then I brought a little boy kitten in and the female hissed at him on a daily basis for nearly 7 years. They fought here and there but not much. They could be found laying near each other but just in an okay I can tolerate you kind of way.

I currently have 2 female cats that are from the same litter.
They have always acted like sisters. They lay next to each other, they lick each other, and they roughhouse a lot.

 

[Micca]

I currently have 2 female cats that are from the same litter.
They have always acted like sisters. They lay next to each other, they lick each other, and they roughhouse a lot.

Same here! Two kitty sisters that are thick as thieves!

 

[bobbiwoz]

I always have considered myself a one pet at a time person, but DS & DDiL had to give up their dog and we adopted her. Our Buster never wanted anything to do with Emma, although she tried hard to be friends.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

The cats are ok with each other, but they both hate the dog.

 

[#1hoosierfan]

We have 3 dogs and 3 cats. It’s a total dynamic. It would take me paragraphs to explain it. They all coexist, and get get along, however.

 

[sheilafri]

We no longer have them, but when we had two dogs the first one we had got very depressed when #2 arrived. She was a very damaged rescue who monopolized me and totally kicked #1 out of his place. I always felt so bad for #1. They weren’t mean to each other but neither did they interact with each other. They each would have been happier as on only dog.

 

[princesscinderella]

I have three Boston terriers who all get along great and will often find them cuddled up sleeping together. The oldest one though does put the younger ones in their place every now and then if they get annoying to her. My fat is when they all three get zoomies at the same time it’s hilarious.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Our two cats get along very well. They are from the same shelter, but are not related. We asked for a bonded pair and knew that these two were friends. They kept asking to be together in the car, so we got one big carrier to fit them both. People often comment how surprised they are by how much our cats like each other.

 

[Christine]

Sounds like your current two dogs are "bonded." I have two that I would not consider bonded. They tolerate each other, they play with each other once or twice a day, and after that they sort of do their own thing. One dog likes to be outside on critter patrol and the other prefers to be laying on the couch.

 

[LoveDaisy]

I adopted a brother and sister bonded pair. They play, talk to each other, and sleep together. They will get jealous of each other but have never fought or hissed at each other.

 

[Diznygrl]

I've only ever had cats and it ranges from love, hate, to indifference. Currently I have a brother and sister who are bonded (although now that they're getting older they seem to be going their separate ways...still like each other but no longer sleep together or really seek each other out), and the rest of them will all play around with each other and sometimes even sleep near each other, but I'm not sure I would call them "bonded".

One of my girls (who died in March at the age of 15) always HATED every other cat who crossed her path except the male she showed up with back in 2009. I really don't know their relation/how they ended up together, but her love and devotion to him was pure and unyielding. He liked her well enough and always let her curl up with him and would groom her, etc., but I always got the feeling the deep love was mostly one-sided. Not to be morbid, but I had always hoped that she would be the one to go first because I knew if she would have lost him, she surely would have died soon after of a broken heart.