buying 2 pups at once. Bad idea? - Page 1

Just interested in peoples thoughts about buying 2 pups at once for a family with kids. I have provisionally reserved a male and a female GSD. Some people say that they dont bond with you as they bond with each other and that it is impossible to train them. any suggestions/thoughts. Anyone had similar experience. Alex

It's a bad idea. stick with one at a time.

If you have to ask, it is probably not such a good idea. It would be alot of work and very time consuming. Just like having twins. The dogs would have no problem bonding with you. You say it is for a family with kids, is everyone in the family chipping in with care or is one person solely responsible for the pups? There are a lot of things to consider before committing to this, just as there are in getting one dog? Have you trained a dog before? Have you had multiple dogs before? Do you have the time to commit to training? It is not impossible, but think before you leap and be prepared for whatever decision you make.

There are some issues with bonding, training, feeding,and the list could go on. I think the simplest way to point it out---- You will have a "Joe-Mary" and a "Mary-Joe" and the puppies will not know one from the other. It may create a situation that "children" training may not be able to overcome. I think "good advise" is one this year and one next year. As a rule we will not place 2 puppies in the same home from the same litter. One "great" well trained dog is better--- and better off--- than 2 trying to figure it out. Your "great" well trained dog will help you train your new puppy next year. Morgan

I would not raise two pups at the same time. I wanted two GSD's and purchased them 1year apart. This worked out very well I had plenty of time to train and bond with them individually. And the first one was still young enough to enjoy a playful puppy, they were two peas in a pod, but still benefitted from the individual attention I was able to provide.

If you're a professional dog breeder or trainer, knock yourself out. If you are Joe Somebody with a couple of kids then not such a good idea. For one you don't know that they aren't going to get bored with the first puppy you sell them. It happens. It would be even worse if they decided they don't want to puppies. They may ask you to take them back or they may sell them to Lord only knows who or drop them off at a shelter. One dog gives them time to learn how to live with a dog and they are less likely to give them up. Plus they may try to breed these pups together and I am assuming they are from the same litter. If you make them wait then you'll either have proof of a spay/neuter or you'll be able to sell them a breeding dog compatible to the one they already have.

I have to agree with everyone here. It is best to buy one (1) puppy and allow it to grow to at least one (1) year of age before buying the second one. Puppies learn much more from older dogs that they learn from humans. A pair of puppies is very difficult to train, as they bond so easily with each other (especially littermates). If you could keep the puppies absolutely separate from each other, then it would be possible. But; who wants to do that? It's best to enjoy the first puppy, then buy another a year later. Twice the enjoyment with one-half of the grief.

it is you funk man that have no clue hun :) Sure it's easy to just throw the 2 puppies into a kennel run and let them be raised there without any human exposure.... some of us don't think like that. We LOVE our pets... we don't treat them like a prisoner whos only crime is being alive. Normal people treat pups like a family. It is hard as hell to even raise 1 puppy properly. The first puppy I owned had massive diarrhea which stunk up the entire house! His crate was in my bed room too! which at the time i was sleeping and almost died from smelling that aweful crap! Just imagine if you had 2 pups who was doing that? Also trying to bath them and cleaning up the crates,etc. It is for the best to raise 1 puppies at a time. It takes LOTS of time to raise the puppy and Money. Just double that time and money for two puppies.

Also if you have two males... once those pups grow up... they might not be too nice with each other... As one may want to be the alpha dog. If Both males want to be the boss... you will have common fights... this goes for the bitches too... but their fights are exremely worse than the males. If the puppies are of different sexes... you will have problems when the bitch goes into heat (too young to be breeding!) and you have the male trying to mount her and trying to mate her.

Brittany - Just because you have two puppies does not mean you throw them into a kennel run to be raised without any human exposure. You can very effectively raise two puppies together. But, it takes patience, knowhow and as you said time and money. Two dogs/puppies can be walked together -- taken to a park or any other setting where one might walk their dog. Teaching the down stay at a very early age becomes quite effective so you work with one dog while the other learns patience and down stay etc... There is a lot more involved, but it is possible an is done all the time. Just as I have room in my heart to love all my 2 legged children, I have room to love all my 4 legged children also. As I said before, it is possible, but takes a big commitment.