Most training professionals strongly recommend not adopting two puppies at the same time. The biggest challenge of adopting two new puppies is their tendency to bond very closely with each other, often excluding a meaningful relationship with their humans. Having more than one dog is great. But if you wait at least a year before having a second puppy, you get all the benefits of having multiple dogs without the chaos of having multiple puppies.
Every dog has the opportunity to learn and adapt to their new home and bond with their owners without competition between siblings. You'll find it easier to train one puppy at a time. First of all, puppies are a lot of work. Potty training only takes a long time.
Having two puppies can make nights more relaxing, but it only means twice as much time spent training your new loads for outdoor potty training. It also means twice as much time spent teaching obedience orders and basic manners. An important advantage is that littermate puppies are fun to watch. Two puppies can provide hours of entertainment.
Homeowners often find themselves turning off their TV just to watch them frolic, explore and play. Raising two puppies at the same time is a lot more work than just one. However, if done correctly, you can double your puppy's pleasure. Finally, the biggest advantage of adopting two puppies at once is all the love that will fill the home.
Maybe having two puppies at a time sounds reasonable, but many dog trainers, breeders, and shelters say it's much better for everyone involved if you add just one puppy at a time to your family. For example, if you're away most of the day, you'll want to spend some quality time with your two puppies separately. Of course, if you can adopt two puppies from the same litter, it's good because you can keep two siblings together. All of these things take time, and doing it for two puppies at a time takes more than twice as long.
In fact, responsible rescuers and breeders are more aware of the difficulties of raising two puppies at once, and may categorically refuse to give two. One of the main issues sibling puppy owners have to deal with is the disadvantage of puppies getting too close together. Of course, just as there are negative aspects to consider when having two puppies at the same time, there are also positive aspects. Skilled dog breeders are careful to place two puppies together in a house because they know how much work it is to raise both of them properly.
If you are buying a puppy from a breeder who recommends having two puppies, look for another breeder. It's important to note that some anecdotal evidence suggests that adopting two puppies from the same litter can cause something called littermate syndrome. Fortunately, there are a couple of ways you can teach your puppies to be more independent, even if they have to live in the same house. If you take the “Good Dog One-der” class, it will show you how to involve your children and I really think it will change the dynamic of one or two puppies in your home.
Those first few weeks and months as a puppy are also key to socialization, and many owners don't expose their puppies to other dogs. Many people think that raising two puppies together who are from the same litter makes the pairing more successful, but it doesn't really matter. The program is designed by a breeder with more than 40 years of dog ownership, many of whom have been professionally bred and trained and is the result of feedback from customers who have brought their new puppies home over the years.
