Twice as Nice – The Case for Adopting Bonded Pairs
by Linda Lach
It’s exciting to walk into a rescue shelter in the hopes of adopting a dog.
It’s even more exciting to walk out with two dogs.
When my husband and I were ready to adopt a dog in July 2020, we weren’t very familiar with the term “bonded pair.”
I had barely gotten my head around committing to adopting one dog.
Granted, it had been a while since we lost our last dog, Sunshine, and we missed having a dog around.
2020 was the first year of the pandemic, and my husband, daughter, and I were all working remotely, so it seemed like the perfect time for a pandemic pet.
But I also knew that someday we’d go back to our busy work schedules and having a dog could be a big complication.
My husband and daughter were relentless in making the case for having a dog, and I finally agreed to visit Paws Crossed Animal Rescue in Elmsford, New York.
We checked out their website and noticed several dogs we liked.
We also noticed pictures of a bonded pair of dogs that were available for adoption.
The two dogs, curled up next to each other, were adorable.
I was intrigued.
When we got to the shelter, we were introduced to Mama and Goldie – a mother-daughter mixed-breed bonded pair.
Mama and Goldie didn’t look alike at first glance – Mama has thick black fur, and Goldie’s fur is softer and honey-blond.
Mama is a bit shorter and stockier, and Goldie is a bit taller and leaner.
But when we looked at them more closely, we could see the similarities in their faces, ears, and tails.
Mama was 6 years old, and Goldie was 5.
We planned to adopt a younger dog – the thought of losing our last dog when she was only 8 years old was still fresh, and I wanted to adopt a young dog that would be with us – fingers crossed – for many years.
In addition, the girls had been in the shelter for several months waiting to be adopted, because the shelter really wanted them to be adopted together, and few people were probably looking for two big middle-aged dogs.
I was worried about how that extended stay might have impacted them.
My brain was telling me all the reasons not to be interested in this pair, but the two dogs won our hearts right away.
They were happy to meet us and loved the attention.
Both dogs were playful and active, but not overly energetic or jumping on us.
And we loved how they wanted to stay close to each other during our visit.
But we still hesitated.
Two dogs?
Two dogs to walk every day?
Two dogs to feed?
Two dogs getting fur in every corner of our house?
It seemed a bit too much.
We had asked to meet some of the other dogs we had viewed on the Paws Crossed website.
The dogs we met were great and we had fun with each of them.
But we kept thinking about Mama and Goldie, and how they charmed us right from the start.
After we met all the other dogs, we asked if we could visit Mama and Goldie again.
Since this was during COVID, all visits with dogs were outside in a fenced-in play area that was very close to the kennels.
We watched as our Paws Crossed volunteer went to the kennel where Mama and Goldie were living and leashed Goldie first.
As the volunteer led Goldie away from the kennel, Mama, who had seemed so content and happy when we first visited, barked and howled.
It was immediately clear that she did not want to be separated from her beloved daughter and best friend.
When Mama was brought to the visiting area, she immediately ran to Goldie and licked her face.
That was the moment I made my decision.
I couldn’t bear the thought of these two girls, who had been together their whole lives and who needed a new home when their owner died, having to lose each other.
The bond that our two dogs share is so special.
When the leashes come out, the dogs are at the door together.
When we get home, they are tripping over each other to greet us.
Even though they each have their own dog bed, most nights we find them curled up together.
Whenever we take a single dog to the vet, the other will stay glued to the doormat at the front door, looking bereft.
And each time the other dog arrives home, the joy in the reunion is something I can’t even begin to describe.
Since adopting our girls, we’ve learned a lot more about bonded pairs.
Not all dogs or cats that are from the same household are bonded pairs.
Bonded pairs are dogs that have been together for a long time and share a special relationship.
They can be littermates, parent-child, or totally unrelated.
I think it’s wonderful that animal shelters try to keep them together – if I had my world turned upside down and had to move to a new home, I’d definitely want my best bud with me.
Transitions to new homes for bonded pairs can be easier, and that certainly was true for us.
While we still had some adjustments, the transition was pretty seamless.
The girls didn’t get into any mischief when we started to leave them alone for short periods, and I didn’t worry as much, knowing that they had each other for company.
Now, to be fair, there are some obvious cons associated with having two dogs.
Walking them is easy if my husband and I are both free, but it’s a little more of a juggling act to handle two big dogs when only one of us takes them both out.
And it’s obviously more expensive – you’ve got to pay for more food, treats, and visits to the vet.
It’s an important consideration.
But for my husband, daughter, and me, twice the expense has resulted in many multiples of fun, companionship, and love.
There is a lot of information about bonded pairs on the web.
Some interesting articles can be found at:
Bonded Pair Cats and Dogs Can be Double the Fun.
And cat lovers can find some great information at:
Although the article is about cats, the pros and cons also apply to dogs.
By now, you’ve probably figured out that I have become a huge advocate for bonded pairs.
I’ve always loved being a dog owner but having two creatures around is one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.
Not long after we adopted Mama and Goldie, a very dear friend made us a plaque that says “Life’s Too Short for Just One Dog.”
I couldn’t agree more.
Linda Lach is a CPA by day and writes by night. When she’s not out hiking with Mama and Goldie in the woods of Connecticut where she lives, she can be found scribbling away on various writing projects or curled up in a chair reading with two dogs at her feet.
Before you go, be sure to sign up for my mailing list here, so you don’t miss my weekly updates: