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Author Topic: new dog - start with two puppies or not?  (Read 4858 times)

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
new dog - start with two puppies or not?
« on: March 12, 2018, 02:34:24 pm »

We recently had to have our 10yo Foxterrier pts and are now looking for a new pup. I have always only had one dog at a time, but we are quite keen to have two this time. What is the usually preferred way - getting two pups together from the same breeder or have one, and then get another later? If second option - what would be the ideal gap in age between two dogs, and would people recommend to get the same sex (I don't want to breed dogs, so any I get will be "done" as soon as possible, which might determine the age gap...)


We haven't decided on breed yet, other than it will be a dog from a larger gene pool  than WFT (our girl slowly deteriorated over 2.5 years with myelopathy, a degenerative disease of breeds with a small gene pool) and health checked parents.

landroverroy

  • Joined Oct 2010
Re: new dog - start with two puppies or not?
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2018, 04:47:53 pm »
I have read that getting 2 puppies at the same time is not a good idea because they are more difficult to train. One pup becomes dependent on you as the pack leader and is eager to please you and becomes responsive to your commands.
2 at the same time have their own little private pack. They respond more to each other than to you, they are less dependent on you as they have each other, and consequently listen less to you than a solo dog would, and are more difficult to train.   
Rules are made:
  for the guidance of wise men
  and the obedience of fools.

harmony

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: new dog - start with two puppies or not?
« Reply #2 on: March 12, 2018, 05:53:29 pm »
Agree with landroverroy's comments. They will already have formed a pecking order to some degree within the litter. It is very hard to treat them as equals as inevitably you will favour one to the other. They will also give each other confidence to do things you will not want such as chase, wander etc. Very often they fight later on.


« Last Edit: March 12, 2018, 06:36:03 pm by harmony »

Buttermilk

  • Joined Jul 2014
Re: new dog - start with two puppies or not?
« Reply #3 on: March 12, 2018, 07:08:15 pm »
When rehoming greyhounds the advice is to always get a 2nd dog of the opposite sex to the resident one.

greenbeast

  • Joined Jul 2014
Re: new dog - start with two puppies or not?
« Reply #4 on: March 12, 2018, 08:11:19 pm »
Two puppies together will likely be a nightmare. You can train them (individually of course) but they will bond very strongly and make their own fun ignoring you!

greenbeast

  • Joined Jul 2014
Re: new dog - start with two puppies or not?
« Reply #5 on: March 12, 2018, 08:13:46 pm »
IF you do want two pups i'd suggest a year apart, the first will be well into adolescence by the time the second comes along. We had 3 at a year apart each. They bonded and played well with the next one up the chain but not too closely to be a pain for us

nutterly_uts

  • Joined Jul 2014
  • Jersey - for now :)
Re: new dog - start with two puppies or not?
« Reply #6 on: March 12, 2018, 08:17:08 pm »
Get one, then get a second when the first is about 9/10m old and has basic training on the way and is bonded to you :)

2 puppies can be done it but is a LOT of work and means making time to do everything twice with only one puppy at a time, and you have to be careful they don't bond more to each other as you can end up with a dog who can't cope alone and that can be a nightmare

sheeponthebrain

  • Joined Feb 2016
  • Turriff
Re: new dog - start with two puppies or not?
« Reply #7 on: March 12, 2018, 08:45:45 pm »
personally I wouldn't take on a second until the first is at least 75% trained.  I've seen folk have 2 pups from the same litter and end up having 2 uncontrollable dogs far too often.  it can be done but as said they need lots of time and a very experienced trainer

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: new dog - start with two puppies or not?
« Reply #8 on: March 12, 2018, 09:17:46 pm »

OK, that sounds probably sensible. We'll get one first and then see how it goes. Trying to get one from a local breeder, maybe even go for a Labrador this time... it is very quiet in our house at the moment and I find myself thinking all the time - oh I will have to take the dog out and then remember she isn't there anymore...


SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: new dog - start with two puppies or not?
« Reply #9 on: March 12, 2018, 11:43:24 pm »
 :hug:
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: new dog - start with two puppies or not?
« Reply #10 on: March 13, 2018, 08:31:52 am »
Sorry to hear about your wee dog, Anke.

We got Bryn then Gwenna - full siblings but two years apart in age. It's worked really well - they adore each other and play together but Bryn is reasonably well behaved and she copies him.

Totally different natures though. He's quite reserved, laid back - she's a menace  :innocent:

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: new dog - start with two puppies or not?
« Reply #11 on: March 13, 2018, 09:32:02 am »

Sorry to hear about your wee dog, Anke.

We got Bryn then Gwenna - full siblings but two years apart in age. It's worked really well - they adore each other and play together but Bryn is reasonably well behaved and she copies him.

Totally different natures though. He's quite reserved, laid back - she's a menace  :innocent:


Did you have the boy done before the girl arrived? I always had female dogs so far, so I have no idea how early on entire male dogs start to pester any girls...., and as far as I know male dogs need to grow up a bit before castration as well?

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: new dog - start with two puppies or not?
« Reply #12 on: March 13, 2018, 10:31:53 am »
Did you have the boy done before the girl arrived? I always had female dogs so far, so I have no idea how early on entire male dogs start to pester any girls...., and as far as I know male dogs need to grow up a bit before castration as well?

Bryn was castrated at about six / seven months, so yes, long before Gwenna arrived. Having the dog before the bitch was not planned - we wanted a CWC, and the breeder only had dog pups, so we got Bryn. We've totally fallen for the breed, hence the bitch puppy and a plan to take  a litter from her whe she's old enough and if she's suitable for breeding.

devonlady

  • Joined Aug 2014
Re: new dog - start with two puppies or not?
« Reply #13 on: March 13, 2018, 02:57:24 pm »
I kept five Whippet puppies from a litter of six and have never had a bit of trouble (they are 10 years old now) :dog:

harmony

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: new dog - start with two puppies or not?
« Reply #14 on: March 13, 2018, 03:21:55 pm »
I kept five Whippet puppies from a litter of six and have never had a bit of trouble (they are 10 years old now) :dog:


I have a friend who kept a full litter of flat coats - 7 I think- but it wouldn't be for everyone.

 

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