Dilemma! Two pups at once?

[MyBoyChe]

Brief outline, lost our 11 yr old ESS a few weeks ago and are waiting to collect new pup next weekend, another ESS girl. Still have our old ESS 13yrs and an IWS who is 9yrs. My thinking is that I know the two oldies are not going to be with me much longer, both are starting to age a bit and neither are from hugely long lived parents, and I wanted to start a pup with some older ones to guide her a bit. Am aiming to end up with two doggies, not too far apart in age so was going to wait until we lose one of our oldies before we bought 2nd new pup..now this morning my YO has asked me if I would like a springador, her sons 2 dogs, both working dogs have had a liason, shall we say, and unfortunately were not spotted until too late, the result, 2 pups. His vet nurse is having the girl and he wants a good pet home for the little boy, would be a freebie as he knows us and wants to be sure pup has a good pet home only. He knew we had lost Soph but didnt know we had found another pup. So needless to say I am tempted, what do you experienced folk think please. I work afternoons Mon-Fri but oh has 2 days off in the week so dogs are always left for 3-4 afternoons a week, never in evenings or at weekends as I never go anywhere

They would both be pets only, dont need to train to work but obviously they need normal puppy training, they would be 6 weeks apart in age, first pup will have had a month to settle before the new one arrives. Would I be taking on too big a committment or is it a viable proposition. Thoughts and comments welcome please, especialy if you have experience of 2 pups at once.

 

[Ranyhyn]

I think you at least have to have some gap between them, in order to train one, then at least the new one can learn from the older one. I had 6 months between my jacks, and I did struggle teaching the new bitch things that the old dog didn't know, simply because they are all over each other when Im trying to teach them things

 

[CorvusCorax]

I have two months between mine (they are siblings) it is hard and they do wind each other up and can fixate on each other but if you have the time, experience and patience, it can be done (FI when the weather is good I walk them seperately, so three hours!!! I tend to disappear in the summer

)

 

[Cedars]

That'd be my absolute worst nightmare! I love Chloe to bits but my god was she hard work when she was little xxxx

 

[TheBlackMoth]

I got two JRT puppies at the same time - they are brother and sister. I had no idea that you shouldn't get them together and everyone was horrified when they found out. However, they have been absolutely fine - perhaps a little slower to train - but they both have reasonable recall (the boy is not as good as the girl) and are well behaved. I must admit I love having two and if I was healthier I would really consider a third.

 

[Ranyhyn]

Roly, who I had first, learnt his recall and basic commands very easily. When the bitch came, she learnt that - Oh wait, he's putting his bum on the floor and getting something, I'll do it too..oh wait Roly is running to mum, so will I! etc etc

Since having the pair of them and them liking each other so much it really is hard to give them both the time to teach them new things, they are like rumbunxious children, its more fun to jump on the other one than listen to me

 

[FinnishLapphund]

All books I've ever read mentioning it says that one should never fall for taking two puppies at once. That said I do know about people who have done it without going bonkers and I ended up choosing to keep two of Jonna's puppies.

They do get a lot out of being two and even more when they are really close in age but I think it also even easier happens that they care less about you, look to what/how their ''sibling'' react first and to you second. As CaveCanem mentioned, it is important that you have time to do things with them separately, to quote one of my own replies on another thread on the subject

[ QUOTE ]
For many average buyers of a puppy or young dog, it can be overwhelming e.g. to have two puppies to house break at the same time, to have the time to teach them how it is to go for separate walks/not be too dependant on each other etc.



I know of a Zoo owner who had been owning dogs for several years when she fell in love with two litter siblings, experienced as she was, the breeder allowed her to buy the two bitch puppies she wanted and in a way it worked, but when one of them died, as I recall, around 11 years old, the owner sadly realised how dependant on each other she had allowed her two litter siblings to become. For the remaining around 11 years old bitch, it was very difficult to have to learn to be alone, go for walks as a single dog and e.g. on those walks she became a completely different bitch, scared, insecure and mostly unhappy. And Sweden isn't ''drowning'' in unwanted puppies/dogs (yet ***touches wood***) so she couldn't just go out and get a ''replacement'' at once.


Personally I think it has been quite easy with my girls (but then I also think it is an easy to own breed), I think I've managed to make them neither dependant on each other or their mother but though I would not hesitate to do it again myself, I still would not in general recommend getting two puppies/young dogs at the same time to anybody.

[/ QUOTE ]

Another example from the German Shepherd Dog Rescue : Charly & Thai
Both dogs are 6 years old but not related. They have not been separated for 5 1/2 years. When they are separated they do get distressed and pine for each other.


Ideally I've heard that you should have about 2 or more years between them, to make sure that you've gotten through the basic training, gotten over the ''teenage'' hiccups etc. All this said, I don't know you, e.g. I don't know how you feel and react about puppy training, maybe you will do just fine with two at once.
As an example, personally I feel I've gotten a much more relaxed attitude with the last ones compared to my first ones, e.g. if an accident happened indoors, with my first puppies I often thought *what if she will never be house broken?*, with my last puppies I shrugged my shoulders and thought *she will learn it sooner or later*. Had I bought two puppies together when I was young, probably regardless of breed, I do believe it would have gone straight down the drain, but when I kept two of Jonna's puppies soon two years ago, as said, I've felt it has been quite easy.

Good luck, whatever you choose.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

[ QUOTE ]
Roly, who I had first, learnt his recall and basic commands very easily. When the bitch came, she learnt that - Oh wait, he's putting his bum on the floor and getting something, I'll do it too..oh wait Roly is running to mum, so will I! etc etc

Since having the pair of them and them liking each other so much it really is hard to give them both the time to teach them new things, they are like rumbunxious children, its more fun to jump on the other one than listen to me

[/ QUOTE ]

But it requires that one of them does learn to do right first... And that the dog that doesn't do right, chooses to follow the one that does right and not the other way around.

 

[kerilli]

i had 2 jrts at the same time too, both learnt quickly, in fact one was a lot more eager to please and naturally obedient, but it wasn't a problem having two. at least you'd get all the housetraining out of the way reasonably quickly!
also, with you having 2 older dogs, i think 2 pups would play together a lot and not be so tempted to annoy the older ones to the point of annoyance, a pup can be a bit "play with me, play with me, play with me" until older dogs get peeved, whereas 2 pups together would tire each other out, surely?

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

Ours this year will be 7, 5, 3 and 1! The 7 year old taught the 5 year old, the 3 year old is a law unto himself and the 1 year old is learning from the others, ie they walk to heel, she does too, they sit, she sits, generally it works, but I wouldn't have wanted two puppies at the same time!

 

[JoJo_]

My mum got two weimaraner puppies a year ago. They are brother and sister. She is finding them a lot of hard work. Especially as I dont live with her to help her and my brother who does live with her is no help whatsoever. She needs to train them seperately but cant really do that on her own. They have calmed down a lot as they have grown up though.