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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

2 pups.

21 replies

Doha · 23/11/2011 19:13

Hi really need some advice here.

Getting a male black cocker spaniel pup in 2 1/2 weeks tome (so who is counting). The breeder has just posted that she has one pup left another male -red this time.
I am swithering wheither to buy or not as they will be company for one another..
Will it be a lot more work to toilet train 2 puppies etc
is it a bad idea getting brothers

I am totally confused

OP posts:
misdee · 23/11/2011 19:44

no dont do it.

will say more later

silentcatastrophe · 23/11/2011 19:48

Lots of people would advise against getting 2 pups from the same litter together, as they will bond with each other and not with you and be far harder to train. If this is your first stint at dog ownership, it is not generally a good idea. Getting one pup up to speed with training, chewing etc is usually enough. Most people would advise that you got your first trained and through the bulk of puppyhood before embarking on another dog. Some people do succeed with 2 pups from the same litter, but they are not in the majority. It is a massive commitment. Do you have the time to train each dog separately? To spend the time with each one individually, so each one gets to bond with its human carer? How will you cope with rivalry? Dogs, like people like to know where they stand, and it can be very difficult when they are of equal status. Will you be able to tell which dog to feed first, for example? If they live together in the same part of the house, again, they will bond with each other.

If, on the other hand, you are coming to the situation with a full picture of the issues that lie ahead, things become more possible. Personally I think it is a bad idea. Puppies are very hard work,and you would more than double it!

misdee · 23/11/2011 19:56

please read

misdee · 23/11/2011 19:56

i shouldnt have read it, still hurts :(

Kayzr · 23/11/2011 19:57

I wouldn't even consider it. Training one pup is really time consuming and thats when they only have you to play with. 2 puppies are so much harder.

IfYouSeeKay · 23/11/2011 19:58

No. Don't do it. It's never a good idea. Apart from all the extra effort that you have to put in to ensure that they bond to you rather than just each other, additional training etc, you run a huge risk of them falling out when they hit sexual maturity and fight for position of top dog.

If the breeder is a good one with the best interests of the pups and their new homes at heart, they should refuse to sell 2 together anyway. And if they don't, then I'd be looking elsewhere for a breeder.

minimuu · 23/11/2011 20:04

A really really bad idea. Please don't do it. Sorry to be a downer but I would also be very worried about a breeder that would offer you two puppies from the same litter. All responsible breeders would know that it will end in disaster.

The puppies will bond with each other rather than the owner and this can cause huge issues as the dogs get older and I mean huge issues. Often this means that one or even both of the dogs are not happy in the situation.

Other issues obviously will be it is hard work. Not just hard work really really hard work. You will have to train each puppy individually. Ideally you will have to walk each puppy individually to start with. The puppies will be guaranteed to pick up each others bad habits and not good.

There are always exceptions to the rule but I reckon on a percentage of people that in the misguided belief it is a good idea to have two puppies together I bet 98% of them regret it and rehome.

Did I mention please don't do it. Enjoy you one bundle and give all your time to him. Have the time to enjoy him and give him the best you can. Then in 2 years as you have enjoyed it so much get another one then! Grin

minimuu · 23/11/2011 20:06

Misdee a manly pat on the shoulder - no, a really big hug don't be Sad

misdee · 23/11/2011 20:11

bad day minimuu. ralph being a bugger on a walk which i know tom would've done like a pro. still miss him.

Original poster
Doha · 23/11/2011 20:14

Thank you all for your prompt replies Smile

Misdee l feel so awful for you having to rehome Tom, that must have been a traumatic time for you. I hope all is well now that you have just the one dog.

Okay so l will stick to the one still name less mutt. Perhaps l was thinking too much along the lines of humans needing company so perhaps dogs do too.

I am going to be such a beginner at this dog owner lark.
I have sussed out vet and training classes and insurance.

Garden has been escape proofed and l have numerous neighbours offering to dogsit if needed. Can't see that happening l am not going anywhere for long without my boy.We even have a neighbours texting with name ideas !!!!

Thanks again, l am so glad l found this site.

OP posts:
Original poster
Doha · 23/11/2011 20:14

x post misdee

Keep your chin up x

OP posts:
Original poster
Doha · 23/11/2011 20:18

Minimu

Just read your post out to DH who after 10 years of family begging has finally relented to have said dog-and he is a bit gutted. I think he was liking the idea of us having one each.

However l have said we can review situation in 2 years.....

OP posts:
silentcatastrophe · 23/11/2011 20:27

Good plan! All dogs are so different and all come with their issues to solve. You will go through a massively steep learning curve with your first! I prefer dogs when they are a bit older and less silly. Since all our dogs are 2nd hand, we have not had the opportunity to work with a puppy. It can be enormously challenging finding a suitable trainer sometimes.
Well done for finding out the training, vet etc.

JaxTellerIsMyFriend · 23/11/2011 20:37

The short answer is No, dont do it. Minimu and misdee etc have already said the reasons not to.

I have a 2.5yr old GSD and a 14month old GSD, I adore my dogs but by god they are hard work. I train them seperately and ideally should walk them seperately, but in reality that doesnt happen. Luckily my older boy is a superstar and is an angel - the puppy copies all his good behaviours which is great but still very hard.

IfYouSeeKay · 23/11/2011 20:38

Honestly, you won't regret waiting until your pup has grown up to get another.

My current 2 dogs are only 13 months apart in age and I thought that would be plenty as I'm fairly experienced but i realised very soon after getting the second one that the first was still too much of a pup and I should have waited longer. I'll never have less than a 2-3 year gap in future.

Misdee, sorry you learned the heard way just waht heartache 2 pups can cause. But you absolutely did the right thing in rehoming Tom for everyone's sake.

JaxTellerIsMyFriend · 23/11/2011 20:51

ifyouseekay I totally get what you mean.

My 2 are fantastic together, look lovely and are fab dogs, but even me and my family as very experienced GSD owners know better than to do this again. I wouldnt change things now, but it has been and will continue to be hard work - especially as they are working line dogs. Also doesnt help as DH is away much more than he used to be so organising dog walking, school run and all the other day to day things is like military operation. I am lucky that I live in the countryside and can walk / run dogs for miles.

misdee · 23/11/2011 21:03

ralph is better on his own. now tom has gone, (and bear in mind i was very biased towards tom as he was my loyal dog), i can see clearly all of ralphs qualities. he is a gentle giant, and such a softy. he is daft as a brush, a great footwarmer, and a very loveable dog.

but he can still be aloof and stubborn.

but is so much better on his own.

musicposy · 24/11/2011 10:57

We considered this when we got our pup last year and I'm so, so glad we didn't. They look so lovely as pups, but goodness, Poppy has been such hard work at times that I think two might have had a totally different outcome for us.

As it is we have 2 of different ages (one nearly 10 so theoretically calm and easy) and that's do-able, but hard at times even if you are quite experienced. Ours had a real bad fighting spell and still have the odd spat.

I'd say, just get one. When that one has grown up, gone through crazy puppyhood and difficult adolescence and calmed down a bit, then decide if you'd like two.

CalamityKate · 24/11/2011 17:06

No decent breeder would allow two pups to go together. It's a terrible idea. Even really experienced owner/trainers would balk at it. Ideally you need to leave at LEAST 18 months between dogs.

notjustme · 24/11/2011 17:09

Definitely another 'no, don't do it' from me - it is hard enough if you wait until you have an older dog and then add a puppy - you still have to work to make sure that the puppy doesn't just attach to the older dog rather than you. Our oldest dog was 4 when we got our next dog, a rescue pup at 9 weeks, and even with all the will in the world I think he would still choose him over us! Whereas our third dog loves the other dogs but is definitely more attached to us/me as to them.

higgle · 24/11/2011 17:17

Doha, having two dogs is great, but not littermates or dogs the same age.
When your new dog is 2+ a neutered dog of the opposite sex will be great company, and some years down the line willhelp keep it active and young in its ways.

How about getting a rescue dog later on? You can get puppies from some rescues (O.K.another Many Tears plug, but I'm sure there are others)

My brother has a great love of golden retreivers and has a pedigree one, but it does make him feel a bit guilty about all the homeless dogs, so he has a rescue dog too, a lovely lively black lab cross who was little more than a puppy herself when she was pregnant and chucked out by her first owner. His retreiver is getting on a bit now, but the rescue bitch keeps her company and plays with her and encourages her on walks, great all round.

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