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ForumsGerman Shepherd Dog > Adding new gsd puppy to six month gsd (15 replies)
Adding new gsd puppy to six month gsd by dmo171 on 15 May 2012 - 13:48 |
| 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??? |
dmo171 by starrchar on 15 May 2012 - 17:21 |
| 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. |
starrchar by aceofspades on 15 May 2012 - 17:31 |
| 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. |
aceofspades by Conspicuous on 15 May 2012 - 17:34 |
| 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! |
Conspicuous by magdalenasins on 16 May 2012 - 10:34 |
| 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 |
by dmo171 on 16 May 2012 - 15:09 |
| 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 |
by Hundmutter on 16 May 2012 - 15:25 |
| 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. |
Hundmutter by Conspicuous on 16 May 2012 - 15:25 |
| 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. |
by magdalenasins on 16 May 2012 - 19:09 |
| 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. |
by dmo171 on 17 May 2012 - 05:43 |
| 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. |
by magdalenasins on 17 May 2012 - 09:33 |
| neither of your dogs are sexually mature. You'll know then. :) |
by 3Shep2 on 17 May 2012 - 17:23 |
| I have four shepherds ranging 4-7 months apart in age, each was introduced into the pack at 6-10 weeks of age-they are now 4 years through 5.5 years of age, plus a 27 month old and a 5 month old: One male, five females-I do not have and have had no problems "." They have always ran together-no life is not perfect but my rules are simple-I speak, they obey; the 5.5 year old like to talk back-the 27 month old is very high drive and the five month old is a pain in the tush, but then she is half Lab. |
by todd6414 on 17 May 2012 - 20:15 |
| Unless you keep them seperated and take them out at different times to play or train they will def bond with each other. They will also bond with you but it wont be the same. The older pup wont be as bad but the younger male will care about his older sister above all. This makes training diffucult as the best reward you can give each dog is to play with the other. There is a 90% chance that you will get rid of one of these dogs with in two year, hope thats not the case though. Good Luck |
todd6414 by aceofspades on 17 May 2012 - 20:20 |
| They will get along fine most likely. The problem is that the bond between the dogs becomes greater than the bond between dog and handler. THAT creates huge problems and once that bond is created between the dogs it is incredibly difficult to break it and the. Replace it with a dog to human bond. ANYONE who has done two puppies and does anything beyond just leaving them to their own devices will tell you that it poses its own special set of difficulties. Left together unsupervised they will destroy, dig, run away etc etc. My young two are two years old now and I still can not let them outside together unsupervised. If they are out together a CLOSE eye needs to be kept on them or one gets cabled to a run or put in a kennel/run. Even supervised they will disappear when you look away for even a second. However if one is contained the other won't go anywhere. It is only when the two of them are free together. My other dogs don't go anywhere. They stay right on our property whether they are alone or the young one(s) are out with them. I 100% equate this to the two young ones having a stronger bond with each other than with me. We are working on transferring the bond and we are so close but it is now consistent work to maintain the dog/handler bond and prevent it from returning to dog/dog. There is no doubt I'm the alpha. I can take them anywhere and they behave wonderfully, they are just typical teenagers and like to stir the pot when they are together off leash or out of kennel. |
by fawndallas on 18 May 2012 - 03:11 |
| Interesting topic. I never would have thought twice about having 2 pups at the same time. This does pose a challenge with the litter of puppies that I have. We are personally intending to keep 2 of them, but I am starting to reconsider. I also intended to hold 1-2 back for service dog training; one for my dad and one to donate.... Having to keep these dogs separated to avoid the bond....ugh. This is going to take a lot of thought and planning. I also intend to offer training for the sold puppies.... If the puppies go to their new home at 8-9 weeks, how long should I wait before having the owners bring the back for formal obedience training to prevent the puppy bonding with any I keep? The puppies will only be with me for 2 weeks when they come back. Also, one of the puppies will be going to a friend of mine, but will not be delivered until the puppy is about 14-15weeks old. At what age should I keep this puppy separate from any we keep? |
fawndallas by Mfd on 18 May 2012 - 13:31 |
| I got a new female pup when my male pup was 7 months old. My male hated her at first and I couldn't trust him for about a week, really wondered what I was thinking. But now he loves her, lets her take his toys, eat out of his bowl and even allows her to take his raw bones. I think he should stand up to her alittle more she is the princess and I guess he doesn't mind. My male is more laid back, and the female has very high drive, she can play all day mental stimulation seems to wear her out or swimming. My husband started taking the male with him to work everyday so I would have all my time with the female, so I had the time to bond with her. But our situation is not the norm, I am home all day and my husband works for himself so the other dog can go with him. You have to be careful the younger pup just doesn't bond to the older dog. We didn't let them play together till she got bigger and still we supervise play because he is so much bigger than her (they are now 1year and 6 mos.) She adores him, but is never just left with him, she is always with me and the other dog is mainly with my husband or we take them together. Its alot of work but my male was very behaved when I got the female so she was mostly the work. Now they are both great to live with, but individual attention is so important, if I was to have just left my female with my male she would most likely not wanted anything to do with me. Its been a balancing act. I wish you all the luck in your decision, one dog is always easier than 2, but it is nice that my 2 dogs have such a wonderful relationship and have eachother to play with. |
Mfd
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