robdeb Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 We have a new arrival at the end of Jan when he will be 10 weeks old. We have read lots of media and are looking at the pros and cons of getting 2 puppies at the same time. Any comments welcome..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valkyries Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 if you have the room the time and the money and you want two i'd get at the same time train together i wish i'd got mine together but lol i only planed on one xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 I definitely recommend against it. One puppy is so much work, raising two can present a serious challenge. Two puppies to toilet train, to train to walk on a loose leash, to train basic manners. Two puppies who need constant supervision in those first few weeks/months etc. You also risk that the puppies will bond more to each other than to you, and you will need to put in a lot of effort to get them used to being on their own as well as being together. You'll also find that there are very few reputable breeders who will sell you two puppies at the one time. I'd recommend waiting until your first pup is trained to a point you are happy with before adding another pup to the family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest snowdog Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 i have three pups 9mths 6 mnths and 3mnths and ita hard work but such fun to see them all play like kiddies, my friend has two out the same litter and its been a rough ride but so many benefits out way the hard work she put in and shes completley happy with hers and i also thinks its soooo lovely to see them play and learn from one another , IMO i would say yes to 2 pups good luck xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazz Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 I have to agree with Bec, especially on the bonding issue. Should they bond with one another, you may have a very difficult time with training and control. With Huskies, it's hard enough with one at a time. We want to add another Husky at some point, but right now, we have Zoya and our son's Aussie Koda (when he moved back home). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest snowdog Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 to stop the bonding you have to make sure they have time in the day were they are seperated and seperate beds so they dont become in seperable or you end up with seperation issues with them, but if you seperate them throughout the day its fine, and have a time to let them play together,as i say my friend has done this quite succesfully, hope this helps x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunc Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 Hiya Rob welcome on board 2 pups at the same time wow man your gonna be busy its hard enough to bring one up but like Bec as pointed out you are going to have problems with training in every way, if its to late to do anything about it then good luck your going to need it if not then seriously think about what your doing and take advice from the guys on here. P.S I am a registered breeder and I would never sell 2 pups to the same person most that I see get turned down for 1 never mind 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 to stop the bonding you have to make sure they have time in the day were they are seperated and seperate beds so they dont become in seperable or you end up with seperation issues with them, but if you seperate them throughout the day its fine, and have a time to let them play together,as i say my friend has done this quite succesfully, hope this helps x Glad to hear your friend has done it successfully, but I think the OP really needs to be aware of just how much work it entails. I've know experienced dog owners and very experienced breeders who struggle raising two pups at once, for an average pet owner it is something that really needs a lot of consideration and careful thought. One pup is hard enough, we see that even on the forum with all the questions and problems novice and experienced owners run into, and like Dunc reiterated, finding a reputable breeder willing to sell you two pups at once will be a struggle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest snowdog Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 Glad to hear your friend has done it successfully, but I think the OP really needs to be aware of just how much work it entails. I've know experienced dog owners and very experienced breeders who struggle raising two pups at once, for an average pet owner it is something that really needs a lot of consideration and careful thought. One pup is hard enough, we see that even on the forum with all the questions and problems novice and experienced owners run into, and like Dunc reiterated, finding a reputable breeder willing to sell you two pups at once will be a struggle. yes she has very successfully, and like i said in my post bec its been a rough road and its hard work, there are views on both sides, we are here to give our opinions and experiences, not pick fault with others , everyone has differing views ppl need to know that ye its hard work, very very hard work, ive have three pups all growing up and needing attention, and training, and im not half as experienced as some of our older forum members and havnt the history or vast experience learnt over many years like some, but i did it and do it and enjoy it, and ppl may enjoy the hard workas id o and reap the rewards , but they need both sides of the coin to make a descision, just saying it can work out but be prepared for a lot of hard work IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 Good to hear you've had a good experience snowdog The general rule I tell anyone who is looking at adding another dog to the pack is to get the dog you have currrently trained to a standard you are happy with, and then look at adding another dog. I follow this rule with my dogs, because I'm fairly inexperienced and have no desire to handle two naughty puppies or untrained dogs at one time! I get another dog first and foremost for myself - my three all have four years between them LOL I swore I would stop at three, but I am already planning my next one, haha - don't know when it will be though, I want to at the very least have Daisy's CCD and CD obedience titles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest snowdog Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 yes i have and am still experiencing life with them, i enjoy the fact that my three are also teaching eachother as they would in a pack in the wild without humans,obviously they are domesticated but when at play in the garden thats all forgotten and they enjoy their wild side lol, they interact with eachother as young pups do and im there to step in when needed, but i am not regimental in anyway and dont map things out , i live life by the day and enjoy my pups and the mayhem they bring and theres nothing i enjoy more than watching them play as a pack. lifes good surrounded by husky pups p.s i will say i do plan out important stuff, and disregard the rest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siberian_wolf Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 We have a new arrival at the end of Jan when he will be 10 weeks old. We have read lots of media and are looking at the pros and cons of getting 2 puppies at the same time. Any comments welcome..... Hello Now I am answering purely from my own experience. We started with just one husky, Gizmo, and then 6 months later decided to get another which turned into two brothers, Marley and Bandit, so now we have 3 huskies all around the same age! Although I love them all dearly and wouldnt change them for the world, I personally wouldn't recommend someone do the same thing especially if it is your first time owning that particular breed. Forget about the breeds usuall characteristics for now, lets just say you went ahead and got two puppies at the same time. Now to start with you will need to double everything, such as: 1) the basic cost of buying the equipment you need for a puppy (i.e. Beds, crates, bowls, food, treats, toys, etc etc) 2) the essential vet visits (i.e. vaccinations, neuturing, etc etc) 3) Health care (i.e. flea, wormer) 4) training classes if you're going to take them and on top of that you have: double the toilet mess on your floor double the effort you need to put in double the trouble double the fur double the mess double the chewing double the grooming double the noise! I could go on Now there are good points and advantage to having two, but you would need to work very hard to get those good points. Again it would be doubled Double the love and affection for example. And having two could (i use the word could lightly) make training easier as they would learn from each other but then again they could decided that playing between themselves is far more interesting and so training could become alot harder. Now, again without including the usual husky behaviour traits you also need to think about the life stages. At first, during their puppy stage, everything could be perfect for you. But after this lovely and delightful stage you have the 'teenager' stage where they start to test the boundries and will test you as a leader to the absolute maximum!!! Basically it's likely they will both become terrible teenagers! I have 3 that are currently going through that stage now and it is NOT easy! Fortunately gizmo is almost 2 now so could be considered as adult now, not that he acts like all the time. They were all brilliant as puppies until they hit the teenager stage and I got: Scraps breaking out between them Marley was aggressive with other dogs he met Gizmo showed aggression to humans They were all being bosey with one another They showed no respect to me or anyone else in the house as they thought they were the leader It got to the point where I started to fear that we would have to rehome them, but we called a behaviourist who has been helping us handle each situation and has shown us what we need to do. Since we have been following the strict regime everything is now calming down and the boys are starting to realise they are not the pack leaders, we are, and so are more relaxed in general now they don't have to try and manage 4 humans! Basically Im trying to deter you away from having two at once. If you want two my advise would be to stick with one for now and remain at one for 18months or more and then start thinking about a number two. Hope this helps your decision Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utahraptr Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 I got 2 at once - Haley as an adult (a year and 7 months) and Kahtadin at around 10 weeks. The only reason we got 2 at once was because they were mother and son, and the dog control wanted to adopt them together rather than separate them. They were so close that she didn't want them to be apart. Kahtadin had a home if we didn't take him, but we throught it was too mean when we saw them together to split them up. it was overwhelming at first - Kahtadin wa not toliet trained, Haley was nervous as a mother with a young pup. I admit I bawled quite a few times the first few weeks. It's great now, since they entertain each other and get along great. But it was hard at first, even with an adult and pup. For 2 puppies at once? I wouldn't do it. Other things to consider - cost and vet bills! Haley cost me around $400 to get spayed, plus another $100 to get caught up on shots (she was behind on everything, previous owners basically got her puppy shots and that was it). Plus all the heartworm and flea/tick meds. Then Kahtadin needed the rest of his puppy shots (he had the first set free from dog control), flea/tick and heartworm, neutered (just cost me $157 for that). Basically, take one dog and double everything for vet visits and care costs. And with 2 pups around the same age, the bills will all be at/around the same time, with 3 series of shots, then spaying/neutering (if you choose to do so), and all the other vet costs. Plus toys, 2 crates, food, food dishes, leashes, collars, harnesses, ect ect ect. At least if you get one dog now and one later on, costs will be more spread out. Then you have to hope they get along and are good pups. Kahtadin is the best pup we've ever had, so laid back and non-destructive, no issues with him. Easy to potty train (although we get the occasional 3AM wake up when he has to go out). But if you get a pup that's the opposite (likes to chew, dig, destroy things, hyper, ect) then you could have a handful with just one. Add another pup to the mix and it could be worse. As other people have said, it's very hard to train 2 at once. We work with Haley when Kahtadin is in the crate, or he gets in front of her and drives her crazy. He learns fast by watching her, but if you had 2 pups training at once, uness you could train them in separate rooms or with 2 people (one for each dog) you could have attention issues, treat stealing, ect. It could get hard. Also, if one pup has food aggression, or other food issues, youll have to deal with that. Ours get along very well, eat from the same dish, share everythign (Haley even gives treats to Kahtadin) but they're mother and son, and she still babies him even though he's over 6 months old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krzykal Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 Hi we took on 2 pups from same litter, 2sisters at that, hmm,, i have to agree with siberian wolf, now i would not change anything for the world but it has been so much hard work and the hard work continues everyday. I found that trying to train them is a slower process and i was advised by someone else who did exactly the same and took on 2 sisters to separate them eg, separate beds, crates not by each other, walk them separate sometimes etc and this is what i have been doing but it is hard work, im not going to lie i enjoy every minute of it but dont think i would ever do it again and i still have so much more to go through as yet. If you have never had a husky before i would definatley say no to 2 pups at same time as you have to devote yourself and time 120% to them and as siberian wolf said the teenage years wow another experience to go through im currenlty going through that with my other huskies and having the 2 pups as well it is so much hard work you have to concentrate on pups plus older dogs and make sure none of them slip through the net so to say lol and believe me they try anything to get away with what they can lol So from my experience so far of having dogs close in age and having 2 pups from same litter and also if you have not experienced having huskies before then i would say no not such a good idea to have 2 pups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bec Posted January 1, 2010 Report Share Posted January 1, 2010 The other thing you have to consider - and it's not a pleasant issue - when you have dogs of the same age or around the same age is that they will grow old together and you will have to care for multiple elderly dogs at the same time. Sadly this also means that you will most likely lose all your dogs at the same time, it is devastating enough to have one dog pass that I can't fathom how awful it would be to lose all your dogs around the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashley Osburn Posted January 1, 2010 Report Share Posted January 1, 2010 currently i have 2 puppies im trying to teach at the same time and it is a very big challenge for me. if i had the choice i probably would have just gotten one and trained that one and then gotten another later on down the road and trained that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah16 Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 This is a difficult one as it really depends on the people and the dogs. We got Loki as a pup then a month later brought home Willow, also a pup. Willow hated Loki with a passion and for about 2 days would not let him anywhere near her without biting him. It wasn't too bad as they were both so small there was no damage etc. However after a few days something clicked and ever since they have been amazing together. They are now both coming up to 3 years old. We call them the old married couple! LOL! They have NEVER had a dispute, or grumble at each other and I could never imagine they would. It is like they are intune with each other and it is very sweet to watch. However working in SHWA now and seeing and speaking to people I know how it could also go so wrong. As others have said it is double the trouble/ costs etc and could end up with one or both of the dogs having to be rehomed. It is also true that most breeders won't sell you two - or even one if they know you have recently got another puppy! You have to make the decision if you can cope with two pups together. Sarah x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrystalPistal Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 honest opinion .............. get one then the other later for many of the reasons stated above and with the added benefit that when the first one has been trained/socialised properly the second one wont be half as much work because it will learn from the older one quick smart mind you you could end up with a coupla right terrors .......... i did ............ jst kiddin !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee&Falks Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 We have 9 years between our huskies and are hoping that Noushka's calm tempermant will help. When we asked about Falkor he had a brother, which the the breeder is deciding to keep although my missus could't decide which of the 2 pups to for and wanted both, The breeder recommended that we didn't try it , in fact I don't think she would have let us have both, as in the past she has had to end up getting Huskies re-homed due to dominance/fighting issues, too much hard work with 2 etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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