# Are 2 Havanese really better than 1?



## Tammy

I have a 3 year old girl Havanese which I absolutely adore. She is totally spoiled and loved to death...I homemake her meals everyday, and basically spend a lot of time with her since she follows me wherever I go....,my question is I am thinking of getting another Havanese because I love her so much and I feel she loves other dogs so much..even big ones. but she doesn't really get to play with other dogs because of her size ...she is 10 lbs. I know she would love a companion..but I want to make sure I find out the pros and cons before I do this. I would definitely get another Havanese preferably a girl however I have found the cutest boy ever...but I don't know if I should be concerned with sex vs personality. Massie my Havanese is more like a boy...she loves to sleep on my head and loves to give kisses, but she doesn't like to be held close,she doesn't like wearing bows, and she is not afraid of huge dogs at all in fact she will try to agitate them so they will play with her..she does not realize how small she is ...so I am looking for any suggestions before I take this step of getting a new Havanese. Thanks ahead for any help.

Tammy and Massie and my daughter (in profile pic)Allison


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## TilliesMom

wow... for a second I thought I wrote this post!! LOL
My name is Tammy and I homecook for MY hav!! ha ha ha AWESOME! 
Looking forward to pictures!!
I can't help because we just have 1 and although I would LOVE another 1, I know that I couldn't handle cooking for 2 and Tillie is more of a people dog! 
Hope people answer and help you out!!


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## Tammy

This is my havanese Massie


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## pjewel

OMG, is she cute! I feel as if she's saying, "I know I'm cute. I know I'm special, so no need to tell me . . . and oh, btw, I also know I'm a person." Cute, cute, cute!

I'm in the camp of having more than one. They love each other and relate well, whether you decide to get a boy or a girl. I'd go more with your gut reaction to the specific dog, rather than sex. I have two boys and a girl. I will tell you the boys usually are very loving, kissy, huggy and adoring. Mine all love to be petted.


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## davetgabby

Welcome Tammy,. geeze I don't know if we can handle another Tammy. ?ound: Especially one that makes us feel guilty by home cooking. Here are three articles that might help if you answer the questions honestly. LOL. What a lovely picture. Hey Geri how the hell does this picture come through this size, when every picture I try to post is half that size and it gives me a hard time saying it's too large. :frusty: Wow , just noticed that you actually joined three years ago. What took you so long to post? LOL
LOL here's the article I forgot to paste. Adding a second dog Pat Miller http://www.thebark.com/content/bringing-home-second-dog

http://blogs.dogster.com/dog-training/are-you-ready-for-a-second-dog/2010/12/

http://www.dogstardaily.com/blogs/bringing-home-bella


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## Tammy

*are 2 havanese better that 1?*

Hi,

I have no idea as to why the pic is so big...it is a professional picture so I don't know if that has anything to do with it.

I refer to this forum a lot but never posted anything because I basically found the information i needed from the previous posts.

Thank you so much for the articles... I will definitely read them.

Thanks,
Tammy

p.s. the only reason I homemake her meals is because when she was small she developed skin allergies... I basically tried every food out there including raw and she wouldn't touch any of them!!! she loves her meals and is still very picky ..for instance if i feed her beef 2 nights in a row she won't eat it.


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## Brady's mom

What a pretty girl! We have 3 havanese and wouldn't want it any other way! Our first was Brady who is one of the most amazing dogs ever! He is now 5. When he was almost 3, we got Dugan. Brady loved playing with him from the beginning, but he wasn't so sure about him getting attention from his Mom and Dad. It took a few weeks, but he adjusted and they became inseparable! Dugan is now 3. Cassie was our third and never was supposed to stay. I just couldn't part with her. She was a foster through HRI and she settled in so well and I felt like she was meant to be here. So, it became 3. She is now 4 years old (she came to us when she was 2 1/2). In our world ,one havanese was fantastic, but more was even better!


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## clare

Ah, what a pretty picture,she looks like a real girl!We have two Havs,our first Dizzie,who is a very sensible Hav,such a good boy,very well balanced,then there is our dear little Nellie,who is a bit neurotic!I thought Dizzie was a velcro pup until we got Nellie who just never leaves my side,except when she gets over heated and needs to lie on the floor.I think Dizzie would have been happy to have stayed an only dog,but Nellie is good for him,as she livens him up,Nellie would like to snuggle with him more.Dizzie looks out for her when we are out.I love having the two of them as they have very different personalities,which compliment each other.I found it hard at first as I was very concerned that Dizzie wouldn't feel pushed out or jealous.


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## Jplatthy

We researched alot before we got Smokey (our male hav) and while we read about separation anxiety we were not prepared for it...I wanted to try a cat or a goldfish lol but the bf brought home Sissy a lil girl hav they are only a month apart...they have a blast playing with each other and I honestly never regretted getting the 2nd one ......then a few months ago came our 3rd..Misty..another lil girl hav....my bf worked with a guy whose relationship ended and he works on the road and couldn't take care of her..she was only about 16 weeks when we got her and the other two were a little over a year ...smokey and Misty became friends really really quickly....Sissy took a few months to really warm up to her but now they all get along really really well and while we were NOT really prepared for 3 dogs lol esp in the training dept...I wouldn't change a thing! Good luck and let us know what you decide......


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## pjewel

As for the size of the photo, not sure but I have to wonder whether it was uploaded or whether it resides somewhere else and the url was used.


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## motherslittlehelper

Welcome, Tammy and Massie! What a beautiful photo! Massie is just darling! But, oh man, another Tammy who home cooks and makes the rest of us feel like bad parents! :biggrin1:

Hahaha - the verdict is still out on this one!  We are still going through puppyhood with our second one. I love both my guys dearly, but adding the second one has not been without its challenges! Augie was a rambunctious puppy, but I had not realized how well behaved and mellow he had become (we have also done a lot of obedience training with him)......until we brought Finn into the picture (Augie was 2.5 yrs and will be 3 tomorrow!). Part of our challenge has been that our house is not very well arranged to accommodate the separating of a well behaved dog and one that needs more confinement due to being a puppy. It is getting better, but this summer was very tiring. There is a reason people my age are incapable of having children! :biggrin1: And I think bringing these guys into the house as puppies is akin to bringing in a newborn human infant. I would think the personality would be more important than the sex as well. It definitely is fun watching two distinctly different personalities. Although my two are both male and both Havanese, they could not be more different. As Finn is getting older, it is getting more wild around here with the wrestling and the chasing. Augie did not have anyone to play with and he is definitely getting more activity this way. But it is at least twice the work having two! Even with that, I wouldn't trade either one of them!


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## Tammy

My daughter went to tinypic.com and uploaded it there and used the IMG code


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## whimsy

gorgeous girl!


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## pjewel

Tammy, however it worked, it's a magnificent shot and makes me want to have a professional photo taken of my troops . . . that is, if I could ever manage to have all three looking kempt at the same time (highly unlikely). I love the bling in the collar. Perfect touch.


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## Becky Chittenden

I have multiple Havanese syndrome and yes, it is more work, but it is perfect for us. I think everyone needs to determine what is best for themselves. I know I'll only cook for a dog that has a special need for it and it seems yours does. Those who do just because have my respect, I'm not into that.


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## HavaneseSoon

A puppy is a lot of work for the first year....just like having a newborn baby! Are you up to a busy hectic year of puppyhood? 

I love having two pups! Dexter was wearing me out! I was the play companion. Now, Jack wears Dexter out for me. 

I love having two different personalities to deal with...it keeps me entertained.


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## jcarol

We have 2 males, Kody who is 1 and Sailor who is 5 months. It was a challenge at first mainly because of the training and having to keep the puppy confined to a small space but he and Kody are best of buddies. Kody is the type that really needed a companion..


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## Kathie

Welcome to the forum! Your little Massie is gorgeous!

We recently added a puppy so our 4 yr. old would have a playmate. We love McGee to death and could NEVER part with him but I have got to be honest and say that Abby was perfectly content without him! She loves him and they play together so well that it makes it all worthwhile. But, it is a lot more trouble walking two and traveling with two. I also was not prepared for the "puppy" phase since Abby was eight months when we got her and it had been 25 years since we had a little puppy. Lots of work!!! I am not trying to put a damper on your enthusiasm but wanted to give you an honest opinion but this is just MY opinion and I am probably getting too old for this!


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## Sheri

Welcome, and I love Massie's puppy cut. Beautiful photo. 

I've only got one Hav, my sweet Tucker, so have no advice to offer. I do think that eventually I'll have another one for his company.


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## klf0110

I am so happy I got my second Hav. Definitely go by personality. My first Hav Huey has an anxiety streak in him but he is my little guard dog. My second hav Beau is so relaxed and calm and is a perfect compliment. I couldn't be happier that I have 2. It helps alot too that they get along great and can wear each other out playing. RLH is so much fun to watch with 2.


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## mrootes

We have two Havs - brothers. Here are what we find to be the Pros and Cons:

Pros: 
They entertain each other endlessly!
They just seem happier - I can't explain it.
We love the breed so much - two is better than one!


Cons:

The bed gets more crowded at night.
Thery go BALLISTIC at the doorbell - two dogs going ballistic is impossible to contain.
It's expensive (grooming, high quality food, boarding)

I love having two because they can entertain each other all day long. Our house is very active and someone is always home. But even with that, these two sometimes enjoy "dog company" just between the two of them. I'd say go for it if you can handle the Cons I mentioned!!


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## Flynn Gentry-Taylor

Another idea, get a dog about the same age as your first dog. I did that, although neither are havs it worked out great. No puppy stage, but there was an adjustment period. For those of us past the puppy stage, the older dog is a wonderful addition. IMHO...some may disagree..


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## Tammy

I want to thank everyone for the advice...pros and cons of getting a second havanese. I have alot to think about....in the meantime I am looking for the perfect havanese....when i find her i will know if she is the right one and right fit for our family and probably will get her.

I will keep everyone posted when I make a final decision or selection.

Thanks,
Tammy


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## Kathie

Kathie said:


> Welcome to the forum! Your little Massie is gorgeous!
> 
> We recently added a puppy so our 4 yr. old would have a playmate. We love McGee to death and could NEVER part with him but I have got to be honest and say that Abby was perfectly content without him! She loves him and they play together so well that it makes it all worthwhile. But, it is a lot more trouble walking two and traveling with two. I also was not prepared for the "puppy" phase since Abby was eight months when we got her and it had been 25 years since we had a little puppy. Lots of work!!! I am not trying to put a damper on your enthusiasm but wanted to give you an honest opinion but this is just MY opinion and I am probably getting too old for this!


I know I was a wet blanket when I wrote this post the other day but we had just gotten home from a long weekend (six hr. drive ea. way) with both dogs visiting 2 grandchildren, 1 granddog and 1 grandcat! So, needless to say, I was tired!!! What I said was true but we love both of our dogs so much and they really seem to complement each other. McGee has brought out so much more playfulness from our shy little Abby and she puts him in his place when he gets too wild. So, I cannot say how much we have enjoyed our two. I would just be careful that their temperaments can work together.

Before we had the opportunity to get McGee, I had been looking for a rescue that was more Abby's age and was close to getting one at that time. But, I am so glad we ended up with McGee - the puppy phase was work (especially at my age) but he has been a wonderful blessing to our family!

Good luck on your search!


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## West End Girl

Kathie said:


> Welcome to the forum! Your little Massie is gorgeous!
> 
> We recently added a puppy so our 4 yr. old would have a playmate. We love McGee to death and could NEVER part with him but I have got to be honest and say that Abby was perfectly content without him! She loves him and they play together so well that it makes it all worthwhile. But, it is a lot more trouble walking two and traveling with two. I also was not prepared for the "puppy" phase since Abby was eight months when we got her and it had been 25 years since we had a little puppy. Lots of work!!! I am not trying to put a damper on your enthusiasm but wanted to give you an honest opinion but this is just MY opinion and I am probably getting too old for this!


I must say, this is a WISE post.

Each dog has its own personality. Be prepared for clashes, growls, lots of running around, fighting for the same toy (like children).......Play? Of course! And although it can be fun and entertaining to watch 2 or more interact with one another, it's not always rainbows and lollipops!

I will write more tomorrow......as I have more to add to my above post! :wink:


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## Pattie

My answer is a definite YES to your initial question. However, it is important that you have the time and energy for a new puppy. I am happy when people who have pups that I have bred have more than one Havanese. People who have already spent their lives with one Havanese know everything that is required to have TWO Havanese. Havanese thrive together, too. Again, it is important that you have the time and energy for them.


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## Missy

Hi Tammie and Massie. wow is Massie a looker. I am going to be a wet rag too. I adore my boys... I love them to pieces. We got Cash to help bring Jasper out of his shell. and although they love each other and keep each other company...they are two very different dogs...and we end up doing more for each to give them what they need. for instance, Cash loves toys and to play...Jasper not so much...so we are cash's playmate. Jasper loves to walk, Cash not so much...so two walks one short for Cash and one longer for Jasper. And the vet bills are double, the food is double, grooming is double, and the biggest expense is the boarding when you go away is double! 

If Massie is happy, I wouldn't rock the boat...and if I did, I would make sure to work with a breeder who would really take the time to access Massie's personality, your family dynamic and really help you pick a pup that would click with Massie and your family. 

That being said...I can't imagine life without Jasper and Cash.


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## nancyf

Our first Havanese turned one when our breeder called and asked if we wanted an older dog of hers (8 years at the time) that she couldn't give the attention and time that Dani needed. We got our DaniGirl about 3 years ago and we don't regret it at all.

The first few months were an adjustment but the two dogs have bonded. They're good for each other. Bella keeps Dani young and Dani teaches Bella manners--along with the fear of thunder! 

The ONLY down side is the cost. Vet bills are twice as much. Staying in a hotel is twice as much for dog fees. Food is twice as much. And they both have to be taken outside--even when you're sick.  But knowing that, we would still take Dani in. 

I didn't think I could love her as much as Bella when Dani first came into our family but the other day I realized that I love them the same.


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## HavaneseSoon

Missy- I could of written your post. Jack is my walker. Dexter prefers to stay home on walks, but I take him for short walksanyway. 

Lots of work with two Havs especially if you are dealing with puppy-hood! And....if you have children.....double or triple your work!


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## Suzi

The big mistake I made was having two that were both puppies. I am having a very hard time house training. And I'm having a hard time deciding when I can have my none show girl spayed. They love each other and play very hard . I really like the fact I can leave and they keep each other company.
The grooming is my worst complaint


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