Pros and Cons of Getting a 3rd Dog - What's the Risk? (2024)

If you’re a dog lover and have already gone from 1 to 2 dogs, you might be wondering what the pros and cons of getting a 3rd dog are. Is it something that you can do without much hassle?

The main issues with getting a 3rd dog are mainly the added expenses and transportation of the dogs when going anywhere, either by car or foot. But that might be outweighed by the positives that adding another dog to your family can bring.

Allow me to go a bit more into detail about the pros and cons of getting a 3rd dog before you plan a trip to your local shelter

Pros and Cons of Getting a 3rd Dog

But since you’re here, you probably can’t fully decide if it’s worth taking a chance and bringing another dog into your family and your home, so hopefully, my list of the pros and cons of getting a 3rd dog can help make your decision just a bit easier to make.

Cons of Getting a 3rd Dog

Let’s start by getting the cons there might be associated with getting a 3rd dog out of the way, before moving to the pros.

Cost

Let’s get the obvious one out of the way. Adding another dog to your own “pack” will of course add some financial issues to deal with. Another dog means added expenses when it comes to their food, visits to the vet, general care, and insurance.

These are all things that have to be considered before getting the 3rd dog.

The cost of feeding another dog is obviously going to increase, but it depends on the dogs you have, and the dog you intend on getting.

If you currently own a couple of Maltipoos and end up adopting a Saint Bernard, you’re in for a rude awakening. But on the other hand, if you own a couple of Saint Bernards, adding a Maltipoo will hardly make any dent in your current food budget.

House Cleaning

It also goes without saying, that adding a 3rd dog is gonna be more cleaning for you to do.

Another dog will undoubtedly bring some extra dirt and dust into your home, so expect to get working with the old vacuum cleaner a bit more often. But it might also be dog hair if it’s from a breed that tends to shed quite a lot.

If you have dogs that shed a lot, perhaps you might not even notice the difference if you bring in another dog, so again it’s something that can depend on what breed you decide on, compared to what you already own.

If it’s another of the same breed you already have, you probably already know what to expect.

Transportation

Moving your dogs around town can be a challenge if you add another dog.

If you’re just walking to a dog park a few yards away from your home, it might not be much of an issue, but if you have to load your dogs into the back of a car it can get a bit trickier depending on the size of the dog.

For me, this has never been an issue due to the size of my dogs and the size of my car, but it is something you should consider before getting another dog.

Going on long car rides isn’t advised if it requires that your dogs are stuck unable to move much in the back of your car, so consider this possible issue before getting the 3rd dog.

Feeding Time

I’ve previously mentioned the added cost when it comes to buying food for several dogs, but what about the space required to do so?

With each dog requiring their own bowls for both food and water, having to buy a 3rd set of bowls also require that you have somewhere to place them.

My dogs tend to move around quite a bit when going to town on the food in their bowls, so if it’s the same for your dogs, expect that they will bump into each other.

Some people counter this problem, by giving each dog their bowls in their own specific area of the house, but this is only really a solution if you have a large enough home.

Exercise

When it comes to the daily walks and exercise, you have to decide if you’re capable of going with all 3 dogs at once, or if you feel it’s best that you take them one by one. Some people will prefer the first option, while others prefer the last option.

Taking the dogs at once requires quite a lot of stamina and tenacity from the dog-walker, but having to take each dog for a 30-60 minute walk can quickly eat up any free time you might’ve had after a long day at work.

The benefit of walking each dog by itself is that it teaches it to be more independent, and not rely on its brothers and sisters all the time.

Remember to also schedule a time to exercise the brain of your dogs, and that’s something that should be done while you’re out walking your dog anyway.

Lack of Space

One of the biggest issues I have as an owner of 3 dogs, is that all of my dogs have several blankets each. My laundry basket is full at least once a week with the dogs’ blankets, as they usually have a blanket in their crates, on our chairs, and on their beds in their sleeping area.

And they love to bring their blankets all over the house and place it somewhere on the floor to act as a make-shift nest, usually at the worst possible places where they end up blocking the way for wherever anybody from my family was planning on going.

But never mind, as long as the dogs are having fun! I think I have somewhere around 12-14 “active” blankets somewhere in my house at any given time.

Pros of Getting a 3rd Dog

Right, after looking at the cons in pros and cons of getting a 3rd dog, let’s have a look at all the positive things adding a 3rd dog to your family might bring.

2 Is a Crowd, 3 Is a Family

By far the biggest advantage I’ve experienced going from a single to multiple dogs is that the dogs will always have each other, you never have to worry about looking for a playdate for your dogs.

And if you have a day where the chores around the house, or perhaps an extremely annoying task from work keeps hogging your mind, you shouldn’t feel guilty that you didn’t have the time for missing your usual evening playtime with the dogs, as they will most likely already be fully entertained by being around their furry friends.

An Extra Dog is Easier to Train

Training a new dog is usually going to be much easier than it was training your first dog.

By the time you’re training the newest member of the family, the oldest is probably quite well-mannered and knows how to follow your commands and orders, and typically the new dog will follow suit and watch what the first dog is doing.

This will make things such as house- and crate-training much easier, but especially also socialization which is another highly important thing to teach a new pup.

Exercise

If two dogs require that you go out for walks and give them proper exercise, imagine what 3 dogs can do to your health with the added need for exercise, both physically and mentally.

Especially if you take your dog walking separately once in a while. Now you have 3 daily walks scheduled instead of only 2, so get your hiking boots ready, cause those 10.000 steps a day are quickly going to seem like a cakewalk.

Conclusion on the Pros and Cons of Getting a 3rd Dog

Personally, I’ve never regretted going from 1 to 2, and 2 to 3 dogs. Besides a few minor inconveniences, my own little “pack” of dogs has been a godsend, and I don’t know how I ever managed to live with just 1 dog in my life.

So far I don’t think I’ve ever met a dog owner who says they regretted going from 2 to 3 dogs. Usually, people who aren’t up to the task of owning a dog, will discover so already when they get their first dog, and when they then decide to go for a second one, they know what to expect, and if they’re capable of handling the added workload.

The same goes when going from 2 to 3 dogs. When it comes down to business, it’s really just more of the same. Sure you might have to fork out some extra money for dog food each month and a bit more cleaning around the house, but that shouldn’t come as a surprise to any current dog owner.

Some of My Favorite Products For Dog Owners

I hope this article has helped you just a bit in everyday life as a dog owner. Being a dog owner for more than 25 years, I’ve tried many different products with varying success, but these products below are some that I can highly recommend to every dog and their owner without hesitation!

These links are affiliate links, so if you do end up using the links, I will earn a commission. But it’s products that I use daily myself, and I have the utmost praise for.

Dog Food: Every dog needs to eat correctly, and finding the best food for your dog can be challenging, as the market is absolutely flooded with products. But since 2015 when the company was founded, I’ve been using Ollie Petfood. With their product being tailor-made to suit every dog’s specific needs, and as my dogs love the product, I’m pretty sure I’ve found a product I will continue to use for many years more. If you use my link you can get 50% off your first order.

Dog Training: If you’ve ever owned a puppy, you know that it requires a lot of training to grow into a well-behaved adult. Brain Training for Dogs has helped me immensely with the mental training part of raising a dog, and it’s something I strongly recommend you consider.

Grooming: If you have a dog in your home, you’re going to need a brush, and for this, I recommend a Hertzko Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush. For that price, you simply can’t beat this brush for everyday grooming.

If you’re looking for the most up-to-date recommendations, check out my recommended products section that I’ve created to help every dog owner!

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