Benefits of getting two puppies Puppies are social animals and tend not to cope very well if left alone all day. Getting two puppies can help to ensure they always have company, even when you're not home. They can also play with one another when home alone which can help to reduce destructive behaviour.
Dogs are social animals and usually happier around other dogs, but a second dog will never be a substitute for inattentive, absent or too busy owners.
Bond With Each Puppy
Each dog gets a chance to learn and adapt to his new home and bond with his owners without sibling competition. You'll find it easier to train one puppy at a time. Dogs are social and usually enjoy playing and being together, but what they want most of all is time with their people.
It's often more than twice as difficult for one person to train two young dogs at the same time. Young dogs may also bond to each other and be less likely to create as strong a bond with you. What's the age of your current dog?
It is a very poor decision to get two puppies from the same litter in almost all cases. Sometimes, people with extensive prior K9 knowledge may be able to handle the added stresses of getting two dogs from the same litter, but it is still generally not recommended.
Allocate the Time and Resources for Another Pup
You also have to keep in mind that you'll need to invest extra for essential gear — collars, leashes and crates, to name a just a few items — as well as unexpected vet visits, potential boarding and possible pet sitters and dog walkers.
Most training professionals strongly recommend against adopting two pups at the same time. The biggest challenge of adopting two new puppies is their tendency to bond very closely with each other, often to the exclusion of a meaningful relationship with their humans. They can become inseparable.
Training two puppies at the same time is nearly impossible for one person to do, and training them at once (even if not simultaneously) usually isn't recommended because of the risk of them developing littermate syndrome.
All canines need individual focus, attention, play, and training daily, in addition to regular grooming. Having multiple dogs means an increase in the daily time spent playing and working with your dogs to make sure each is getting enough attention.
Two puppies might play together, but are also likely to bond so strongly that they can't tolerate being apart and won't bond with their humans. Puppies have to learn to be alone to avoid developing separation anxiety, but this is difficult with the constant presence of another puppy.
Before settling on a breed, think about the gender of the dog. For the happiest dogs and the safest household, opposite sex dogs almost always do best together. Many same-sex combinations of dogs will fight, sometimes to the death. Those who work out a dominance order may not fare much better.
In dogdom, there's a turn of phrase called, "Second Dog Syndrome". This describes the process of adding another dog to the home quite well, but not necessarily in a positive light. As humans, we are bound to forget all of the time and effort it takes to raise a puppy right.
Dogs are inherently social animals that live well together in groups, but that does not mean that all dogs get along. Most dogs will welcome a new sibling, but it is not always smooth sailing.
Benefits of Having More Than One Dog or Cat
Your pets will have the opportunity to socialize and play together, which means they won't get bored if you're working, sleeping or out of the house for a few hours. They'll never have to be alone except when they want to be.
According to the American Kennel Club, puppies younger than 10 weeks cannot be left alone for more than an hour. From 3-6 months, they should not be left longer than their age in months (for example, 3-month-old puppies cannot be alone for longer than 3 hours).
It can take up to one month for an old dog and new dog to really settle in and accept each other's position in the pack. If you want a second dog, you need to be ready to commit to this process and not panic.
No – you should never put two dogs in one crate. It does not matter how well they get along or if they are siblings or littermates. A crate is way too small of a space. No two dogs should ever be forced to share it.
Some of the things to consider are gender, size, and age. Most experts agree that, as a rule, male and female dogs get along better than two females or two males.
Whether you rescue an older dog or a puppy, a lot of dogs tend to follow the 3-3-3 rule when getting acclimated: 3 days of feeling overwhelmed and nervous. 3 weeks of settling in. 3 months of building trust and bonding with you.
It's our only Down Dog rule – that when dogs meet and greet each other that time should be limited to three seconds, then you call your dog away and praise them for their wonderful manners. It does depend on the breed, and, most importantly, you only allow your dog to meet and greet if both dogs are happy to do so.
Individual time with each puppy is crucial. Walk and socialize them separately. You can take them separately to doggy day care on alternating days. When you take them separately to doggy day care then it forces them to get to know and interact with new dogs and not just play with their littermate.