Adding new gsd puppy to six month gsd - Page 1

Before everyone calls us crazy for bringing in 9 week old to live with six month old, I would like some advice to integrate the two. Our 5 1/2 month old pup is a girl and our 2 month old will be a boy. I've gotten advice from our trainer and breeder but would like some other opinions. We love our girl so much we had to get another as a playmate/ companion. She is great and gets lots of attention and exercise, just seems bored all the time. We planned on waiting until she was two to get another gsd, but we couldn't wait. Thoughts???

I wouldn't call you crazy, but I defintely don't think getting another puppy is the best solution to your problem. I am curious as to why you are unable to wait.

I am not trying to be confrontational, but I am really trying to understand your reasoning.  If your 5 1/2 month old is bored it's because you're not giving her what she needs. Is it due to lack of time? If so, you are not solving your problem. Getting another puppy is going to double your work. You're still going to have to put a lot of time into caring for and training both puppies, unless you want unruly dogs in your house. In addition, the two will likely focus on each other rather than focus on you, which is less than ideal. I'm not saying it isn't doable because with an experienced person this scenario could work out fine. Personally, I think you'd be better off giving the puppy you have more quality time.  

Having said the above, it sounds like you have your mind made up and all I can suggest is to spend quality time with each pup (training and playing), individually. When the two are together they should always be supervised, especially at first. I would crate them seperately and feed them seperately. I'm sure others here will have some good suggestions. Just be ready for double the work and potentially some new problems, some of which may be a a lot more difficut to deal with than a little boredom. I wish you the best with your puppies.

I agree with starrchar. I will add that I had two puppies together. They are six weeks apart one male one female, but that is irrelevant. I would never do two puppies again. It is a TON of work to keep them from bonding to each other and get them to and maintain a strong bond to you. So so much work, to do that you have to keep them seperate any time they are unsupervised so there really is no benefit to having two young ones together. We had a very difficult time keeping the puppies from forming a strong bond with one another and I would actually say we failed which made it even harder. I think at two years old we have pretty much successfully transferred the bond but it hasn't been easy. I still can not let them outside together unsupervised.

Maybe you need to tire her brain out more than just her body?

I just watched a tracking class and it looked like so much fun! Met some really nice people and it was a great "thinking" exercise for dogs of all ages. not too physically demanding, so no risk of over doing it with growing joints.
Maybe look into something like that?


I agree with starrchar, I think adding another pup will only make things difficult.


Best of luck with your decision!

I have two puppies, both same gender, both same age (same litter). You are insane. :D The only time either one sees the other is if one is being walked from his crate to outside or vice versa. Can't even play/train with one inside without covering the crate of the second or putting him in another crate in another room because they go crazy barking. They get almost no contact with each other whatsoever and it's not just double the work, maybe 4 times the work. I expect this will continue for oh another year and a half. :D

What makes you think your dog is bored? WHat advice did your trainer give you that you want other opinions? I am going to assume it was you're insane? :D

Maybe bored was the wrong word. We want to give more to our pup. She gets plenty of love and attention and exercise so all the critics can hold there tongue. I know people have multiple dogs and was looking for some positive advice. But I appreciate every ones opinion good and bad. We are ready for the work just wanted some advice. Our trainers advice was if you're gonna do it to better get it over with while there still young as opposed to doing it all over again in a couple years, like having k kids to far apart

Seems to me this thread illustrates why so many of us counsel against breeders palming off two puppies from a litter with new buyers.  They may (eventually) turn out to be "good company for each other" but on the other hand that may never work out - and along the way they are, as Magdalenasins says, four times the work.

I'm not sure I agree with that line of thinking, but you're doing to do what you're going to do and it sounds like you've already made up your mind.

Growing up, we had two Labs who were litter mates. We got the one at 8 weeks, the other was returned to the breeder by an older lady who didn't seem to know Lab puppies grew into big dogs (?!). Anyway my mom was in touch with the breeder when this other Lab was returned at 6 months of age. One thing led to another and we ended up with the litter mate. They were wonderful dogs, but boy did they get into trouble with each other! It's like they could read each other's minds and say "Ok....GO!". They were very much bonded to one another so training was more difficult.

I would not do it again. I'd wait until the dog was 3 or 4 and then get the other pup while big dog is young enough to romp around with it, but old and established enough that the training/human bond is set.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I think there is not much another dog can provide the other that a human can't already do. Play time, companionship, leadership...we can give them those things!


JMHO.

Not only that but you may end up with two dogs who will as they sexually mature not get along. Are you prepared to crate and rotate forever? I'd take what your trainer says with a grain of salt, dogs don't care what ages they are and it would be easier for you as the owner to have an older dog that requires less of your time and training and then get a puppy. All those people who preach not to get littermates are right lol. We only did it because the opportunity came up and my husband wanted a pup and I have experience (not that I am enjoying it! I mean yes yay puppies but sheesh I am face down on my pillow every night) these two will be trained for SchH so they see no one but me, the handler (as far as fun stuff I mean, obviously they see people). Not pets who would be raised differently and possibly together (though I still wouldn't recommend it more than a little bit each day). 

You will know how your first dog takes to other dogs as it matures and will be able to go from there. You may be getting in over your head. if you are ready for that I salute you lol.

Well we took everyone to get the dog. Me, wife, two kids and older gsd to get two month old. It was a family affair and went great. They are getting along well at home as well. They don't seem to mind sharing as well. Does it not depend on the personality of the dogs to see if they mesh? Only time will tell.....but so far so good.