What are the Pros and Cons of having two puppies to rear?

It’s makes training easier if you only have one to deal with.

I’m sure you could describe it as “double trouble”, which would be all of the cons. Then again…they are so adorable! I think it would be worth it.

Also, it would be nice that they both had a puppy friend to play with so they don’t get lonely.

Pro: twice as cute
Con: Twice as much to collect during POOP PARADE!!

We added 2 Siberian Husky pups to our family last year (brother and sister). For me, there were no cons…just twice the love and fun. :-)

thanks guys – ive recently got two Chihuahuas – brother and sister, and yes Clubjenna youre right! double doodoos collecting lols. coping with jealousy can be daunting, and training is very hard, as they seem to gang up on me, and run away and start playing. They are not so ‘into’ food and titbits, i guess they dont have big stomachs to feed lol.
@Jade – which of your two will you get sterilised? (spade or castrated i mean) im thinking on getting them both ‘done. thats another thing – double the cost lols.

Just multiply the good and the bad by two.
However one of the pros is that they will entertain each other and won’t be so lonely when you are away and of course all of the stuff mentioned by @ClubJenna and @YCLYHO
And of course when you go away on a trip you have to find someone willing to babysit 2 dogs or fork out twice the money for an overnight day care.
They will be more difficult to train but easier than introducing one after the other, because the first one may get jealous and regress in his training.
But it is double the love and they are fun to watch playing. :)

Pros:

They will have companionship when you are away.
You’ll get double the love.

Cons:

It will be harder to train two pups at once (obediance & potty training).
Double the poop to clean up.
Double the food and supplies to buy.
Double the chewing on furniture.
As they get bigger you’ll have to go on two separate walks unless they are well trained.
As they get bigger they’ll need double the room.
They’ll require double the attention.

Pros: You’ll have double the fun.
They will have company.
I have found traing easier with two. One gets something the other doesn’t and they
will school the pup who rides the short bus.
Cons: .................

you should get both pets fixed , especially the male, all that testosterone make a very agitated dog…..

@Silhouette Have you ever had two puppies at once and tried to train them? In my experience, the dog who got it has never schooled the other one..

Double trouble….you can’t keep your eye on both at the same time and training them basic commands is harder with two dogs.

I think it is good to have 2 to keep each other company but….. I would not get them both at the same time. It is hard enough to properly train one pup much less 2. I want the pup to be human oriented and when they spend most of their time with another dog, they generally are more dog than human oriented. Also they both get old and die at the same time. I would rather have a couple of years difference in their ages, then when one goes you still have the other to love.

they have been relatively easy to get house trained, and know to use paper, if im not around, ive managed to teach one to sit (only when theres a tit-bit on offer) but the other is very resistive lols, although im sure she knows what i want her to do, but hey – ill get there :)

I really don’t think it’s good to raise 2 puppies together. I have always had the best results introducing a puppy when there is already a mature, experienced, well-behaved dog in residence. I think this is the best scenario. The older dog really helps show the puppy how things work in your household.

Having two puppies is like having twin toddlers.

@icheredia – youre not wrong!! its very hard work, and everything else in my life has gone to pot lols

one of my current problems is that every time my door bell rings they get very excited and when i open it, attempt to run out…...........Caesar where are you when i need you????

@YCLYHO Believe it or not, if you just do what Caesar has the people do on the show, it will work for your dogs.

Once your puppies learn the “sit, down, stay” commands, you’ll be able to teach them not to run at the door when the doorbell rings. Have a friend come over. Put your dogs in the “down, stay” position, then have them ring the doorbell. Keep the dogs focus on you. I don’t know how you stand on this, but when I was training my pit bull I used a choke collar (as long as you use it properly, it won’t hurt the dog and is humane – it’s the way dogs in the wild [and wolves] discipline eachother – a nip to their neck – so it’s natural to them – PLUS, I brought her to a professional dog trainer, and they recommended choke collars as well), so if you are comfortable using one, you can have them on the choke collar so that if they get up to run to the door, it will pinch them and they’ll be deterred that way. If not, just tell them “No!” sharply and have them go back into the down, stay position. If they do not run to the door when it rings, give them lots of praise or give them a treat.

I love all these new people and ideas. Before you got here, Cesar and choke chains were dirty words! I think his theory is so right on and choke chains (not check collars) are a necessary training tool! Welcome welcome welcome!

@stemnyjones and rooeytoo – thanks – its too hard to restrain two dogs at once, i dont even think choke collars would work as they are such small dogs and have extremely quick movements, theyve already learnt that when they are naughty, all they have to do is make me chase them around the chairs or run under a side cupboard etc lols. i am now teaching them to sit, which the boy has grasped very quickly, the bitch is stubborn, very stubborn – grrr, love em to bits though :)

choke chain*

My apologies :)

@stemnyjones – I have no problem with them or what you call them, I think they are a necessary training tool (maybe not for chihuahuas ???). Some folks though get upset at the mere mention of them and as I said Cesar is not in great favor either. Personally I think he is great.

@rooeytoo People who get upset with him or choke chains don’t understand canine psychology. They see their dogs as fragile toddlers instead of descendants of wolves.

oh no its not that im against choke chains at all – ive used them with my other dogs in the past – they were a necessity! if i have to use them when my pups are full grown, then i wont hestitate, what im saying is, i need more than one pair of hands to even try to restrain them whilst somebody is waiting for me to open the door

@YCLYHO – maybe a big butterfly catching net??? heheheheh

@rooeytoo lols – yep it seems to be the only solution :D

I don’t have much experience with small dogs… choke collars might be too hard on chihuahuas, anyway o_o

yes im thinking harnesses are best for them, but maybe for training purposes a choke collar may be needed, thanks for your interest :)