Behavior and Rescue
My boyfriend and I just purchased a home, with a yard, and a fence. Although the fence was brought down by Hurricane Sandy it is slowly coming back up. Anyway we decided to add another 4 legged friend our family. We thought a sheepdog would be great but we bought a SMALL house, 850 sq feet, that feels bigger thanks to the 2 floors and decent floor plan. Does anyone have a small house and more than one sheepie? How does it work out? Do the feel cramped? THe real question is about behavior: Since we did not see any sheepies for rescue in the area, we've now met two other dogs, a wheaten terrier mix, and wire hair terrier mix. Both dogs were awesome. BUT Chowder, our 3 year old sheepie had no interest in them. She is such a social dog, loves to play BUT is SOOO picky about who she plays with. Even at doggie day camp, where she goes at least once a week, they say she is super friendly and playful but picky about which dogs to play with. Any ideas why she is so picky? Or how to introduce her to a rescue when deciding if I should bring it home? |
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| We have a sheepie, a hound and a wolf hybrid in a medium size 2 bedroom house w/ 1 floor. We do have a large yard though. It usually only feels cramped when your trying to go to bed and everyone is trying to get a spot, same with the couch or there's lots of people over (which usually means some extra dogs). Usually a rescue or humane society will have your dog meet the rescue before you take the rescue dog home. Maybe Chowder is being picky because she wants you to wait for a sheepie brother or sister. |
AnInnocentEvil wrote: We have a sheepie, a hound and a wolf hybrid in a medium size 2 bedroom house w/ 1 floor. We do have a large yard though. It usually only feels cramped when your trying to go to bed and everyone is trying to get a spot, same with the couch or there's lots of people over (which usually means some extra dogs). Usually a rescue or humane society will have your dog meet the rescue before you take the rescue dog home. Maybe Chowder is being picky because she wants you to wait for a sheepie brother or sister. We have three sheepies and a turtle in a 2-level 1000 square foot house and the only time it feels crowded is when the phone rings and I have to do a few dance steps to get to it in time. |
Our house is only about 1,200 sq ft and we have our two and usually a rescue or two being fostered. It works if you have a system. Places for crates and beds, where the feeding takes place and who may or may not get along with who, etc....  As far as Chowder being picky, sometimes it takes a couple of weeks for dogs to really warm up to each other. Nelson resented Lyra when she first arrived but when he realized she wasn't going anywhere (like our fosters always do) they became best friends. As long as both dogs are social and there's not a drastic difference in activity level or age, they can usually work out any differences. Rarely do we get to pick our siblings but somehow we seem to tolerate them and even come to love them.  Same is generally true with dogs, too. |
| My daughter (who has Chewie's sister Martha) lived in a small 2 bedroom apt with her husband and 2 kids (4 humans), a guinea pig and 2 OES for 2 yrs while she was in college. And it was on the 3rd floor, and had to go down the stairs every potty run...it worked really well. In fact I stayed with her a few weekends when at dog shows with Chewie - with a friend and her beagle too.  Also - myself, LeAnne, granddaughter Bre along with our 3 OES (Chewie, Bond and Martha) stayed with Kristine and her gang in her 1 bedroom apt over Nationals this fall, for a week. We slept in an extra room, (part of the vet clinic that the apt is in), but we all used the 1 kitchen and 1 bathroom and this was while showing, competing and washing dogs....they really adapt! They all want to be right by their humans anyway, so having extra room is kind of a waste  |
 So you are all saying we now need to find a sheepie. Soon |
| Yep! Sheepies are right on your heels anyway so the size of the house doesn't really mean anything. |
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