Training Two German Shepherds at the same time - Page 1

Does anybody have any experiance with training two german shepherds at the same time. My German Shepherd recently passed away and I am seriously considering getting two new German Shepherds. I was wondering how hard would it be to train both and would it be best to get a male and a female or two males or two femals. The German Shepherd that I had was a breeze to train. She caught on very easily.

Male and Female is safer than two of the same sex, two males are generally better than two females. I raised a male and a female pup at the same time and it was a challenge at times. I had to keep them separated during training and I had to pay individual attention to both of them. I had to approach training totally different between the two, I have seen handlers that are training multiple dogs screw up when they train one dog like the other. It was nice to have another puppy around to burn a little excess energy. The heat cycles were murder on my poor boy and I had to play musical crates. If you just leave them together they will bond to each other and become too doggie paying attention to themselves more than they will you. This can also happen if the breeder can not find homes for the pups at 8 weeks old and keeps them together for a couple of months afterward. I think dogs living in a multiple dog home live longer. I lived in a multiple GSD home growing up and the older dogs would teach the younger ones things such as respecting the cat and the older ones would set good examples for obedience making pet training easier. At seven years of age my two are now a good team and I can use them sometimes for training together but I have to keep on my toes. The breeder did not automatically give me two pups at the same time, I had to prove myself for a couple of months with my first pup before she sold me the second. I would recommend getting one and see if you are up to having two unless you have support or a lot of energy.  

Nooooooooooooooo! Get one, then when that one is a couple of years old, get another if you want 2. I had 2--- 1 year apart, and that was hard enough. Unless you have unlimited time, and the patience of jobe, DON'T DO IT.
 Your dogs will never get the quality time they need in their first couple of years. Could tell you some horror stories.

For me it is a huge PITA trying to train more than one right. I know a lot of the pro's out there do it but time is a huge factor with it. If you work a daily job and have family then try and split up training with two dogs daily it gets difficult. quick!

It is not an easy task, unless you train dogs for a living, IMO.

It's not easy, especially if you're training for something like sport or SAR or agility. Two at the same time, especially pups, tend to bond together, instead of bonding with you, which can create difficulty when training and presenting yourself as the alpha. I know people that get one, and a year or two down the line get another, so they're spaced a little in age and maturity, that do better with training two. But it's no easy task either way. I've been told male and female are best, or two males. I of course have three females hahaha, but they all get along ok, but I've been told I'm lucky there. I'm also training two dogs at once. Both for schutzhund, one about 9 months, and one a little over two years. It's hard. One is handler sensitive, the other is hard. With one, you can't break her spirits at all, even a corretion. The other, the slightest correction can shut her down. Different dogs require different techniques, and training two at the same level at the same time can be difficult. I'd think about it first, and listen to people who have done it.

I am doing that now.  Both pups are 9 months old and total opposites of each other.  Basic training has gone well, but this next year will be extreamly hard as their training will go in 2 separate directions.  One is working towards mobility/therapy work.  The other, well, we are still working on that.  She has energy to burn all the time; wears everyone out, eveN my lab.  i work at home, so you can say training is all the time with at least one of them.  Sometimes training is just how to be calm and go into "zen" mode.  ------ That said, it has been a huge challenge.  Making sure my set up is so that they do not have any access together.  That was a challenge and expensive; two crates, two kennels, now we have to have two different kinds of food, as one has a sentive stomach.  Training, wow.  As they are just puppies, each session lasts about 15 minutes, 5 times a day for each dog.  Add that a normal work day, feeding family, cleaning house, raising a teenager... Everyday is long; something is always missed.  Socialization is the hardest.  Double the time, gas, and energy.    ------------- Listen to the advice to do one at a time.  You will enjoy puppyhood so much more.  Unless you currently have a multi dog home, having more than one puppy at the same time will be exausting.  I am lucky, my male pup is calm and laid back.  I have learned that this is more exception than the rule.  If I had 2 high engery pups like my female, I would have thrown the towel in a long time ago.

I've usually had two, but not the same age and not acquired at the same time.  So far all my dogs have had 2 or more years between them.  Some I got as puppies, some as adults.  Right now I have a 6.5 year old and 4.5 year old and will hopefully be getting a puppy this summer (by my 4.5 year old).  I like having two, especially if they are a bit different.  Often if I get stuck or frustrated with one, I can focus on the other for a change of pace.  I would never get two puppies at the same time though, I don't have the time or patience for that.

Gustav is correct  ...It is not an easy task, but I never got into anything in life that was easy if you succeed.

I had many mentors and in my life I trained and bred and here is just one pic...

I had my first foundation that Larry Filo sent my way and david Moore of schreveport Pd./fire dept put me thru the ropes..

ONE Year later I had two , a female , Zu and  Moore's Konig out of Larry's other line..

I trained up to 5 at a time. but that was my way  of BACK TO LIFE after my husband passed..I trained with many good mentors

HERE IS a pic when I got home with my Enclavehof boy and he had to get right into the groove.

Undivided attention..MY dogs were my life and they never lacked any attention of proper hard training..Hard dogs had a hard lady to keep them in line..

It was worth it.

Why get two at the same time? I'm guessing so they can keep each other company? Wear each other out? Not necessary if you commit to training every day. This doesn't have to be actual field training or even class. Just basic sits, downs, hide and seek, find etc. I've done it but didnt like it and it was alot of work. Get one, let the dog grow up, then consider a second. You can avoid a lot of headache, fights, etc having one then adding later on.

Barb