One puppy versus two puppies

[puppluv]

How much harder is it to have two puppies? I'm thinking 2 smallish breeds (mixed). Are some things easier? I never in a million years would have thought of getting two but recently I've begun to consider fostering and was wondering if having 2 would be easier or harder. Will they entertain each other? Does it make housetraining easier or harder?
What do I need to know from those of you that have done it? Please tell me the good and the bad.

 

[Doberluv]

I don't recommend getting two puppies at one time. It's much harder to develop a singular bond since they're so motivated and interested in each other. It's different later...when one is grown up and you add a new puppy. But two at similar ages are much harder to get focus, teach things to, potty train, have a good handle on getting accustomed to all those things, people, strange dogs in the environment...being able to handle the stress of new things without depending on the other dog to get through it... etc.

Yes, they'll entertain each other to the hilt. But for my money, I want to be the one who is entertaining to a new puppy. If I wanted two puppies, I'd start with one, get that one grown enough that he learns his manners, basic obedience, potty training, is able to stay in the house alone for periods of time without destructiveness etc. Then I'd think about adding another one. I would wait until the first one was at least a year and a half old, preferably a little older, depending on the individual and breed, I guess.

 

[puppluv]

Are you saying that as a pet owner or for fostering or for both situations?

 

[Doberluv]

Well, it's up to you. I personally, would not enjoy raising two puppies in my house at one time. LOL. It's tough enough with one. Maybe it would depend on how long a foster puppy would be staying with you. But imo, your best chance of success with raising a nice puppy would be to concentrate on one at a time. I think once one puppy is civilized, adding another wouldn't be so much work. But it is personal preference, I guess.

 

[Maxy24]

If they were young foster pups I wouldn't see any problems. It'll be more work since for housebreaking you need to constantly supervise pups and with two it's hard. Plus when ones finally passed out the other one might just be starting up. However I know when we foster out pups that are under like 4 months they go to the foster in at least pairs. If they are closer to 8 weeks they might get the whole litter or half the litter. Puppies go fast so they likely won't be with you too long. It'll be hectic though.

Owning them and having them completely grow up together is different though and I agree with what doberluv says, they become super attached and dependent on each other and sometimes become more attached to each other than to the people in the house (not always of course). Plus it's a LOT of work lol.

 

[puppluv]

Thanks for your opinion. I think it will depend on the situation. I don't know that many people in real life that have gotten more than one puppy at a time. My trainer says it is not a good idea because the puppies (esp if siblings) will have a deep bond that may create issues. Then he went and got 2 sibling puppies so I was kind of confused as to why he did not follow his own advice. Someone we recently met had 2 senior labs that they had gotten as pups (brother and sister) and it was so very cute to see them fetch sticks in the water together. Of course that is not a good enough reason to get two, lol.
Thanks again for your input. All of my instincts say that one is probably easiest. I know from fostering kittens that even though I have always heard it is easier to have 2 kittens I actually prefer just having one.

 

[Linds]

Oh good lord, right now you couldn't pay me enough money to have two puppies together and my pup Traveler right now is about as much as an angel puppy as you could get.

Two dogs finding the trash together, one taking one shoe while the other finds a book to eat. Two to exersize, two to train, two pay for, two to spend individual time with. Two puppies crying in the crate, double the vet bills

Yeah...not something I would reccomend. Some people make it work but right now the very idea makes my head spin

I like Doberluv's advice and a year and half as she said would be the miniumum I personally would get a dog. My girl Kaylee is almost three, in August and that to me worked out well. Even though she's still a butt a lot of times, that's just who she is, she has finnally hit maturity mentally but still has more than enough doofus in her to reallly enjoy the almost 12 week old puppy

 

[Kat09Tails]

With very few exceptions I can't think of a good reason to have two puppies at the same time. It's SO MUCH WORK just to have one puppy, socialize, bond, and train. I can't imagine someone wanting two with the intention of producing a good family dog. I can only count on one hand a dog that was raised as a pair that resulted in a well behaved dog at the end. Normally, they're very doggie and tend to look to each other as opposed to the owner.
As far as exceptions the only one I know of is in working sighthounds where you course targets with two well matched dogs which are sometimes littermates.

 

[drdamian]

I think you should get one puppy and bond with him/her and then if you want get another...

 

[puppluv]

I agree with all of you, I know I do not want 2 puppies, I know the difficulties of having multiples. I just did not know if fostering 2 puppies would be easier/harder. I am not sure why I thought it would be different than actually raising 2 puppies but I guess my "logic" was that you aren't keeping them for their lifetime, hopefully just for a few weeks.
So to be clear, I am not wanting two puppies of my own. I was just wondering for wondering sake, also so I would have good reasons in my head as to why it is not the best idea should I decide to foster and if they ask me if I will take 2.
Thanks for your opinions!

 

[Maxy24]

If you're just fostering and they'd like you to, I'd take two. Or at least try it and see how it goes. They likely won't be with you too long. Usually they won't ask you to take multiples unless they are young pups, when they are older they like to spit them up so they get some independence.

 

[Fran101]

I would foster two pups, I enjoy fostering multiples. its great that they get to play together and learn from each other

but I wouldn't raise/keep 2 siblings.. I just feel like it would be harder. not only because they bond so closely to eachother. but training must also be tougher, plus vet bills, etc..

Dekka has siblings, I hope she can chime in on her experience

 

[Doberluv]

Oh good lord, right now you couldn't pay me enough money to have two puppies together and my pup Traveler right now is about as much as an angel puppy as you could get.

Two dogs finding the trash together, one taking one shoe while the other finds a book to eat. Two to exersize, two to train, two pay for, two to spend individual time with. Two puppies crying in the crate, double the vet bills

Yeah...not something I would reccomend. Some people make it work but right now the very idea makes my head spin

I like Doberluv's advice and a year and half as she said would be the miniumum I personally would get a dog. My girl Kaylee is almost three, in August and that to me worked out well. Even though she's still a butt a lot of times, that's just who she is, she has finnally hit maturity mentally but still has more than enough doofus in her to reallly enjoy the almost 12 week old puppy

I had to laugh at that. One finding one thing to tear apart while the other is running the other direction to do evil things. LOL. When my Doberman was a pup, he could do that single handedly. He didn't need another puppy to share the duties. I'd turn around after saving one disaster and before I made the complete 180, he had already launched into something else.

I had to laugh at a lot of your post actually. You really hit the nail squarely on the head for me. Your first sentence made me :rofl1: I can so relate.

But yeah...it's more temporary with a foster. Temporary insanity. (j/k) There are a lot of brave souls though. Maybe you'll be one of them. And of course, there is the off chance that you might get two really easy, laid back pups that somebody drugged. Or maybe....I'm just getting old and tired and it wears me out, just thinking about it.

 

[Linds]

When my Doberman was a pup, he could do that single handedly. He didn't need another puppy to share the duties. I'd turn around after saving one disaster and before I made the complete 180, he had already launched into something else.

So then it would be like having four puppies if you had two at the time Traveler has just figured out that the garbage holds treasure's and he's just tall enough to knock it over. I'm pretty sure the time of him outsmarting me is becoming immanent. I honestly debated over getting two breifly, I figured I was already paying the importation fee and you can fit two in the crate for the same price. And then I just hit myself over the head and knocked myself out of that daydream.

Or maybe....I'm just getting old and tired and it wears me out, just thinking about it.

Then what's my excuse! I hope it's not that I'm getting too old at 21. Though the drugged puppies might work...

I guess fostering two pups for a little bit wouldn't be as bad because at the end of the day-ie time you have them- you get to pawn them off on someone else

 

[puppluv]

Y'all crack me up.

 

[~Dixie's_Mom~]

It looks like you've made up your mind, but just for the record, I had two puppies at once, from two separate litters, about a month apart in age, and really had no problems with them.

I loved having them together. It was precious watching them play together, and never really showed any kind of a preference to the other puppy as opposed to us.

The only thing I ever had a problem with was housebreaking but I'm pretty sure it had a lot more to do with the fact that 1. they were small breeds and I find that they're just harder to housebreak period and 2. we puppy pad trained them for like a year, and then tried to switch to regular housebreaking and it was a NIGHTMARE and never worked, we just had to keep them w/ puppy pads because they refused to use the bathroom outside even if you stood outside with them one at a time for like 20-30 minutes.

And we did deal with a little bit of jealousy when they were older, like 2-3 years old, but I don't think it had to do with getting them at the same time or anything, just a problem we had with them.

Anyway, I really enjoyed having two at one time. Large breeds, maybe not so much, but with small breeds I kind of preferred it to getting one at a time. I'm not sure why, I guess just a personal thing. In the (far, far off) future I'd love to adopt a pair of sibling puppies. I'm sure they'll be a pain in the a** (especially because i'm considering large breed siblings) but puppies generally are, anyway. You can still enjoy them while they're being a pain in the a**. Or at least I can.