Kelley Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 What has been your experience? Any advice? We are looking at lapdogs (shih-poo). Our vet says it is better to adopt 2. Thanks! Kelley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I don't agree with your vet. If you want just one, take just one. Only take two if you're willing to deal with all the coat issues you'll have with them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alte Veste Academy Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Our vet says it is better to adopt 2.Thanks! Kelley Hmmm. I think that's actually very unusual advice from a vet. Did he give his reasons? I don't know anything about that particular breed but everything I've read advocates getting only one new puppy at a time. Here's an excerpt from my favorite book, How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With by Clarice Rutherford and David H. Neil. "Don't Take Home Two If you want two puppies, wait until the first pup is five to six months old before bringing home the second. By this time, the pup will have bonded to you and will be comfortable spending more time alone in his yard or house area. The problem with littermates is that the initial bonding is to each other rather than to you. If they have each other, neither pup will give you his full attention. This makes training almost impossible. Contemporary research in dog behavior indicates that puppy-human bonding is essential to a superior relationship. It's a very rare person who can induce bonding with more than one puppy at a time." Emphasis theirs, not mine. I just got a chocolate lab puppy in November and I can't even begin to imagine having to break up the puppy behavior between two puppies rather than simply correcting the behavior of the one. Again, I don't know anything about that breed and you might have different needs/wishes with regards to your dog's place in the family. If you need two to keep each other entertained, that's something to take into consideration. I would expect a lot of headaches during the puppy training period with that choice though, and more problems with potty training. My general feeling is that if people know the challenges going in and are willing to take them on, the outcome will be better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peek a Boo Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 we had two pups from the same litter several years ago. It worked fine for us, but they were terrier mutts, mostly outside dogs, and we weren't that interested in 'bonding' w/ them. They kept each other busy and happy, played w/ the kids, and went on walks with us. Being inside dogs they would be twice the mess tho ;) There was a similar thread a few months back..... i'll see if i can locate it.... here it is: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamommy Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I agree with the OP regarding the potential bonding issue with two puppies. I never heard a vet suggest getting two at once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I did and it was a complete nightmare. I have never heard a vet say anything like that either. Some of my family members have been lisensed breeders and when I asked them they said they had never heard of that. We had two cocker spaniels and it was terrible. Trying to train them, the chewing the whining. I loved them dearly but bad times. I would not wish that on anyone. It is worse than two toddlers. Good luck if you go that route though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Ours aren't from the same litter, but from the same puppy rescue. I love them dearly, but it was a BAD decision! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon in SC Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I did and it was a complete nightmare. I have never heard a vet say anything like that either. Some of my family members have been lisensed breeders and when I asked them they said they had never heard of that. We had two cocker spaniels and it was terrible. Trying to train them, the chewing the whining. I loved them dearly but bad times. I would not wish that on anyone. It is worse than two toddlers. Good luck if you go that route though. Just curious - did it get better as they "grew up" out of toddlerhood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon in SC Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Ours aren't from the same litter, but from the same puppy rescue. I love them dearly, but it was a BAD decision! Are yours still young? If not, did life get easier after they got older? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 If you desire two, then yes, two from the same litter is great. If you just want one, do NOT get two. Your one pup will be just fine with his human companions and there is no need to get an extra dog just for the puppy. I can't even imagine that! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Peregrine Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 we had two pups from the same litter several years ago. It worked fine for us, but they were terrier mutts, mostly outside dogs, and we weren't that interested in 'bonding' w/ them. They kept each other busy and happy, played w/ the kids, and went on walks with us. http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php Same here.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 We just got a puppy on Saturday. A toy poodle. I cannot imagine having two of them at once LOL! We havent had a puppy in 9 years....our Jack Russell is 9 years old. So we're starting all over in the puppy department LOL. By the way, we originally wanted a shih-poo....they seem like they are wonderful dogs and so cute!! But we found a toy poodle that we just fell in love with for a great price. So we took him home the other day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Are yours still young? If not, did life get easier after they got older? They're 3 years old now. No problems with chewing or jumping or puppy things like that, but they don't get along with each other too well, so walking, playing, training etc., still takes twice as much time as it would with one dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Just curious - did it get better as they "grew up" out of toddlerhood? Actually and sadly having 4 kids and 2 pups was really hard to deal with it and one person thinking someone else had them and vice versa led to a really bad day when one was hit by a car in our driveway by some idiot college kid. I guess they were trying to turn around in our drive in a big hurry too and hit one. The other mourned badly for weeks. When he finally came out of it he was very mean, he will bite at anyone and the only person he gets along with is my daughter. So it never got easy. He don't like any of my other kids so they have no dog to play with. I refuse to get another and with his personality noone would ever give him a home so we are kinda stuck with this very unfriendly dog now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelley Posted January 19, 2009 Author Share Posted January 19, 2009 What we have done with our 2 shih poo pups.... Separate kennels, Separate rooms, Separate feeding bowls, Separate play times, separate snuggle times. They do NOT sleep together. Monitored playtime with each other (very short bursts) These pups are snuggle bugs and love to cuddle with us (human family). Each of my kids is taking on the responsibility in caring for each pup and playing with each one separately. I am hoping that these actions will help them stand on their own and continue to bond with us.. Kelley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katalaska Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Two puppies from the same litter are a bad idea...they tend to bond with each other and not with their humans. Two of her dogs had litters this past summer and she kept one puppy from each litter; they are a couple of days apart in age but she specifically did NOT keep littermates. We adopted a puppy last January and another (from the same father, different mothers) in October. They are 8 months apart and it has been wonderful. The little puppy has learned a lot from his older half-sibling and they are great companions. The older puppy does seem more bonded to us (her people) than the younger one, though--probably because she only had us to bond with whereas he has had an older puppy AND people to bond with. Personally, I wouldn't get two from the same litter and I think it is easier to have puppies at least a half year apart. However, my experience is limited to my present circumstances. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akmommy Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Two puppies from the same litter are a bad idea...they tend to bond with each other and not with their humans. :iagree: We had 2 pups from the same litter and it was a disaster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vettechmomof2 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 We had 3 from a litter and even though it worked out for us it is a lot of extra work for most people. If you want them to bond stronger with people they need to focus on you, not another puppy. If you want them to have companionship or playtime with another dog, puppy socialization classes are great for that. If YOU want to dogs and do not mind the extra work then go for it. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnetteB Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Never again litter mates! More than twice the mess and noise and they don't bond as well. We've tried it with Border Collies, mutts, and Schnoodles. We were glad to find a new home for the second dog each time, but it was sure hard "giving up" on one of them. Life is much more peaceful with just the one family dog thinking he/she is a human :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kari C in SC Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I didn't read all the responses, but I thought I would tell you that my mom adopted to girl beagle mixes from the same litter. They are inseparable now. I think they are about 8 months old now. They definitely comforted each other when they were being crate trained, etc. Having said that, we just adopted one puppy this past October. She cried the first few nights, but she got over it. I think it really depends on if you want two dogs. I didn't want two dogs, but my mom did. Worked out for both of us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ria Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I've only heard nightmare stories about this... If you want two dogs, get them a year or more apart. Ria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelley Posted January 20, 2009 Author Share Posted January 20, 2009 I appreciate everyone's insight...I enjoy reading everyones experience. It is hard to believe that my little snugglers could cause trouble. We already treat them as individuals from the very start. They spend 90% of the day apart.... Kelley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon in SC Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I appreciate everyone's insight...I enjoy reading everyones experience.It is hard to believe that my little snugglers could cause trouble. We already treat them as individuals from the very start. They spend 90% of the day apart.... Kelley To encourage you, Kelley, my 83yo mil and sil are new parents to two Papillion puppies from the same litter. They definitely have days when they wonder what they've gotten themselves into but the babies bring them joy, too. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katemary63 Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 We did, but they were outside dogs. Can't imagine why your vet would say that except that he would get more business from you. A single puppy would be just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelley Posted January 20, 2009 Author Share Posted January 20, 2009 This response could have occurred because my children were asking her opinion of adopting two puppies from the same litter. Our Vet has a lot of pets!! She takes in rescue animals. Same with our groomer, she also has a lot of pets! Our Breeder was just on Animal Planet Dogs 101 for their collies. So she is nationally known. Our puppies are very mellow and cuddly. We are always handling them. They have very little interaction with each other. One of them actually likes to sleep with me, while the other is content in his crate. I just pray that they continue to be snuggle bugs. Even though that it is double the work in the beginning, I pray that all of this individualized attention will provide a successful outcome. I think that since we are home all day, that we have time to work with each pup, compared to families that are at school and work all day. I have trusted God and will continue to do so throughout this season in our lives. As a Widow, I have had to Trust Him completely, and we prayed over our puppies. kelley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jodi-FL Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 we got 2 black lab/chow mix puppies from the same litter from the animal shelter 14 months ago. they are the sweetest things. after we adopted them, i heard (only on this board, not from people IRL) that it was a really bad idea so i questioned my vet. he said it totally depends on the breed and the individual temperament of the dogs. we got a boy and a girl (she was the shy girl out of 4 girls, he was the only boy). we trained them together, they shared one kennel when they were little, now they each have their own. they have very different but distinct personalities. they have not bonded more with each other than with us..they've bonded differently with each of our 7 kids. it is easier to walk them separately, but they are okay to walk together if necessary, i just like the extra exercise. right now we are living with my 80-something in laws waiting for our house in FL to sell (we're in PA now) and they have never had indoor dogs. even though our dogs were used to having free roam in our fenced in back yard in FL and now are chained outside when they go out (the girl hated the cold the first week we were here, the boy loved it. now they both enjoy it as long as they're out together) my in-laws are very impressed with their behavior and love having them around. the kids named them Romeo and Juliet :) now that they're in public school, their friends ask if that's the name of a rock group (psh...) jodi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelley Posted January 26, 2009 Author Share Posted January 26, 2009 Jodi, Thank you so much for posting your experience. I agree, in the fact that it depends on overall temperament and perhaps breed qualities. So far we are having a real good experience. It is nice to hear from someone who has something positive to say. Many blessings to you! Kelley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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