Buying Two Pups At The Same Time

[sobraon park]

hi

i am wondering if any one has any info or opinion on buying two pups same breed maybe even the same litter at the same time. i have been told this is not a good idea by some and good by others. would just like some feed back to send to some people i know about it good or bad.

[MolassesLass]

As a breeder I wouldn't sell two pups to a pet owner nor will I sell one of my pups to someone who already has a young pup. Too much work required to raise human-orientated, well trained dogs in this type of situation and therefore too much risk for my pups.

I've kept two from the same litter myself and I know how hard it is. I prefer to have 18 - 24 months between dogs.

Edited January 17, 2010 by molasseslass

[Dogsfevr]

We sell 2 from litters or similar age & all our owners have excelled at doing it all right.

It isn.t that hard if everyone in the house is committed.

Our puppy owners chose this path as it did work better for them to do all the training stages & the likes in one hit (even tine off work) & not one had any issues.

BUT i do believe the breed needs to be taken into consideration as to how well it works.

You won't get the answer you want .

It's a case of the whole family sitting down & talking over the commitment level of two pups at the same time

[Starkehre]

I absolutely would not do it ever.

I know how much hard work is involved in raising the pup to be the dog I want. And to do it equally as well with 2 pups IMO makes it more than twice the work. You need to spend so much time separating them, teaching them to confident and comfortable in their own company as well as everyday training.

If your thoughts about having 2 purchased at the same time are more the comfort and company of each another, then sure, the work load could possibly be a bit easier, but you would never manage to get the result that I would want in a dog by doing this. They become to dependant upon one another and will not feel they need your love and time. Training is more difficult as is focus. And also any undesired behaviour, ie digging, barking etc is something they will teach each other.

Of course what you want out of your dogs and I want are no doubt 2 completely different things. So, I guess, for you, as long as you understand what the implications are of raising 2 together, and you are fully OK with that, then why not?!

People have done and will continue to do it, and I am sure many of them cope and get through it OK. But I have yet to see somonen take on 2 pups, particularly litter siblings and achieve great, well rounded, well trained, obedient dogs without nearly pulling their hair out for the first 3 years.

I have multiple dogs, and will no doubt always have multiple dogs as it just works out that way. One retired, one towards the end of their career and one up and coming. But in all seriousness, there will always be a part of me that day dreams about how much I would love to have only one dog. So, if I was not competing and dog training was not such a big part of my life, as in my dog was purely as a pet and family member, I would definitely only have one dog.

Agree with molasseslass, if you must have 2, spread them out. I like at least 3 years between mine, but 12 - 18 months is probably OK for some.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Edited January 17, 2010 by dyzney

[Kynta]

hi

i am wondering if any one has any info or opinion on buying two pups same breed maybe even the same litter at the same time. i have been told this is not a good idea by some and good by others. would just like some feed back to send to some people i know about it good or bad.

As molasseslass pointed out the risk is, especially with some breeds, that the pups will focus on each other and not listen to their humans thereby turning into run amoks. Of course it can be done but it is much easier when you have an older (pup tolerant) dog to help set some boundaries and show good example. I too have kept two pups from one litter (Dobes) and I don't think I would do it again. You will need to have a plan for raising training etc and stick to it IMHO.

[tlc]

I myself would never have 2 pups at the same time. But I guess it depends if you have the time and money it takes to deal with 2 pups at the same time. Consider things like training, vet cost in the first 12 months especially, with Vaccinations, microchipping, desexing, etc etc as well as anything else that might crop up. Also toilet training 2 at once would have to be a little more difficult to do than if you just had one to concerntrate on. I had 6 - 7 months between all of mine. I have known family through our obedience club that got 2 pups at once one belonged to one family member and the other belonged to the other family member so they each bought a pup to training and were each responsible for the pups at home. Work oout the pros and cons and see what comes out of it! Good luck. What sort of pups were you considering??

[ZAUBISTAR]

I have multiple dogs, and will no doubt always have multiple dogs as it just works out that way. One retired, one towards the end of their career and one up and coming. But in all seriousness, there will always be a part of me that day dreams about how much I would love to have only one dog. So, if I was not competing and dog training was not such a big part of my life, as in my dog was purely as a pet and family member, I would definitely only have one dog.

I must say I'm the same. It takes a lot of work on your behalf to get the one on one time required to encourage good consistent behaviour in a pup, to have two at once would be a big ask.

You need to consider what your future plans are and how much previous experience you have. If you haven't trained a dog before or it's been a long time since your last dog I wouldn't do it. If you're thinking you might like to try obedience, agility or any other discipline, I wouldn't do it. If you just want two well adjusted family pets and you are experienced then maybe, but be prepared for the dogs to be bonded to each other and less to you, especially if they're from the same litter. You might end up with separation issues if you don't train them to have time out from each other for varying lengths of time right from the start.

[Nannas]

I think I replied to this last night on a different thread...

Adding in,,,that I got both my pit and GSDx a few days apart. Both were rescues (saves) and both are fine.

It does take a bit more time and setup but I have often had 2 pups (from same litters) at the same time.

It is really up to the person and how much time and experience they have with/for dogs.

My dogs are well adjusted, well trained and have bonded closely BUT have never bonded MORE to each other as in comments here.

It is funny how in some threads everyone keeps ranting about ""Dogs are pack animals, don't forget that"" and ""dogs need to see you as alpha"" and yet in this thread it is ""dogs will bond too much and not pay attention to you""

Crap!! If you know what you are doing and you are the "alpha" there is no difference.

I guess as some have said if you wanted them for agility etc you would need extra time to cage one/train one,,then reverse, but if you just want them as family pets all they need to do is basic stuff.

Another thing I think is missing a mention is their personality. I have never had 2 pups with the same personality (together)

Even 2 pups from same litter can have and will have different likes, needs and wants, and will learn at different rates with different enthusiasm. They don't grow the same and one usually ends up more confident/dominant and the other follows. Teach the more dominant/confident one and the other tends to copy/follow. Then spend time alone and re-enforce their training as they get older..

[jess live die]

when we took our dog for dog training there was a lady there who had 2 little jack Russell's and trying to train them was so hard for her she said it was a good idea at the time but with being able to train them made it very hard.

when i get my puppy my dads dog will about 13 months old and im lucky because my dad dose all her training walking and we just join in but when we have our puppy we will have to keep them apart fpr the training i can see it now storm *dads dog* doing everything your teaching pup to do waiting for her treat thats fine training storm with pup running in an d out not so fun lol. but great for pup to have dogs around hehe

personally i wouldnt get them at the same age.

[Steve]

Of course it can work but it does make it more difficult to make it as successful as it is with one at a time.I wont sell two pups at a time. I recommend they take one now, bond with it and love it ,train it etc and then come back for the second in say 6 months time.

Then the second is a walk in the park and you get an opportunity to do all of what you need to with th esecond as you did with the first.

When you get two at a time its harder to bond and often you end up with two dogs rather than two pets or familiy members.They both know their position in the pack and there aren't competion for dominance issues like you see with two the same age either.

[Teebs]

I wouldnt do it - I like to have the older dog trained how i want them trained, then bring another dog in - Atlas was 18 months when I got Kaos and it worked out perfect.

[indigirl]

I wouldnt do it. I have just gotten a new puppy and my next youngest dog is 10 months old, which is the closest in age ive ever had 2 dogs. It helps that they are a toy breed so are easier to manage. If they were goldens I wouldnt have gotten another puppy til the elder was was at least 18 months - 2 yrs old.

[becks]

I'm doing it again for the 3rd time (well, this time there are 3 weeks difference in age).

for me this depends on the individual family and their commitment, and experience with dogs in the past and the breed. while I wouldn't sell siblings I have sold pups of a few months difference to the same family (miniature schnazuers) but I wouldn't even think about homing 2 Giant Schnauzers to the same home at the same time.

[Sandra777]

hi

i am wondering if any one has any info or opinion on buying two pups same breed maybe even the same litter at the same time. i have been told this is not a good idea by some and good by others. would just like some feed back to send to some people i know about it good or bad.

Frankly if you have to ask then IMO you don't have the knowledge or experience to pull it off. Concentrate on one then get another.

[Dogsfevr]

Okay now im confused are you asking as someone wants to buy two from the Lab litters you have at present??

[Mystiqview]

Not something I will try personally, not unless I suddenly win lotto, stay at home and can devote the time needed. I did keep two pups out of my last litter, then rehomed one to a friend as a stash on breeders terms.

I did sell two pups to a family in Darwin. That was after much discussion on whether they would be able to handle them and give them the separate time both individual would need. It seems from talking to them, they have succeeded and are doing well at it.

It is not something I will sell either to puppy buyers without much discussion and consideration.

It can work, it depends much on the pups going and the people who are taking the pups.