# Training Two Puppies at Once



## dbarrett (May 3, 2009)

Hey all, new user here.

I was wondering if anyone has gotten two GSD puppies at the same time (for example, a brother and sister from the same litter) and brought them up together, and specifically how you handled the training.

I'm wondering about training them together, separately, or maybe a little of both? Would they mimic good behavior, bad behavior, or be indifferent? Did they find each other distracting? Can one be taught to heel on the right, and the other on the left?


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## dOg (Jan 23, 2006)

2 words

double trouble

Most breeders will not agree to it, knowing it will more often than not, cause issues. Bonding is more difficult, training more difficult, and bolstered by one another, two will do things one might think twice about trying. They want success for their brood's progeny, so
will refuse to sell two at once.

<span style="color: #3333FF">A leerburg article on this subject</span>


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## Marathon (Mar 27, 2009)

I haven't worked with two GSD's fromthe same litter, but I have a 5 month old lab and a 3 month old shepherd. At first training can seem a little more difficult, but it gives you a good opportunity to work on things like coming when one dogs name is called and the other has to remain in a sit-stay...etc.

The lab recently passed the canine good citizen test and I think the GSD has picked up a lot from him. Honestly the GSD could probably pass get his CGC at this point in time. My thought is that if you have been sucessful training one dog, you won't have a problem with two. In fact it will open a whole new set of training opportunities.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Do you already have 2 puppies? Or are you thinking about getting 2 puppies.

Cause if you do NOT have the 2, then most of us would recommend just taking one.

To the point almost all responsible breeders know giving 2 to the same family is such a bad idea they won't do it (so take a good look at your breeder.............).

The many many many reasons are listed on the leerburg site already posted  as well as on 

http://www.uvhs.org/behavioral_docs/double_trouble.pdf

http://www.caninedevelopment.com/Sibling.htm

It's just hard enough to raise one puppy (check out the shelters with all the wonderful dogs that are only there because it was overwhelming for their owners as SINGLE dogs...) and just seems to set everything up for success if you can raise one at a time.

Not that I haven't had more than one dog at a time, but a 5 year split works best for me. Get one raised and perfect and THEN add the next!


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## dOg (Jan 23, 2006)

I know a couple who recently lost their male, and have a senior female.
They know gsd's very well, having had many over the years, and replaced him quickly with a pair of pups. They both have expressed some doubts about the wisdom of this decision. "What one doesn't think of, the other does!" 

Many folks have more than one dog, myself included (3), but I would not raise 2 pups at once for many reasons. Training opportunities are going to exist for 24/7 for a couple years with one. It could easily be overwhelming. Why stack the odds against success, when failure can so easily be catastrophic?


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## angelaw (Dec 14, 2001)

I have 2 brothers currently. It's NOT something I recommend. I train them seperately, the are in different rooms of the house in their crates at night. They are let out seperately. They get limited time together, e.g. yesterday outside all day with me, only 2nd time in a month they've been together. You have to be able to completely sep. them and most people don't have the time or energy to do so. I'm keeping these 2 for a few more weeks to see how they progress with schutzhund, because I can't keep 2 into adult hood. I know my limitations.


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## dbarrett (May 3, 2009)

Sounds like it's not recommended at all. No, I haven't bought two puppies...but I was thinking about it. I've been convinced it's not a good idea now.

I didn't know the social problems could get that bad...like bonding with each other more than with the owner or severe separation anxiety. Thank you for the feedback and articles.


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## meisha98 (Aug 27, 2008)

I keep getting tempted to get another GS pup (Lainey will be 7 mo. old Wed. 5/20). Then Lainey will get into puppy mischief and I think "What am I insane? One is enough to deal with." Of course, I'm by myself which makes a difference too. I also have heard that a "responsible" breeder will not do two pups at once.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Babs and Jenna are littermates.
Heidi, Whitney, and Tori are littermates.
Milla and Ninja are littermates. 

Rushie is 5 months younger than Babs and Jenna, and seven months older than Heidi, Whitney, and Tori. 

I suppose that makes me masochistic. 

In some ways, I think it is better to raise them together. I have never had ANY trouble with them bonding to me. But then I live alone and have the key to the food bin. I love to watch them play together. I love to watch puppies play with the adults. 

But no, I would not recommend it. It is really more than double the work. House training is a trip when you have two of them running around getting ready to squat the minute you turn your back. Each puppy really needs to be trained individually and socialized individually. Then, once they are reasonably well behaved on leashes, if it is likely that you take them both places, you will have to work with them together, both training and socializing. 

So if you figure you are three times as patient, you have three times the time required for training, and three times the time required for socializing, then you might consider it. 

But here are a few other things to consider:
1. If your puppies grow up and decide one day that they want to KILL one another (it happens sometimes, especially in same sex situations), can you keep them 100% separated? If you have two females out of the same litter, plan on having each have their own secure area whenever you cannot supervise regardless.

2. If you have a male and female pup and do not want to speuter until they are 18 months to 2 years, then you will need to by hypervigilent about when your bitch comes into season and keep them completely separated for the weeks that she is in season. Not impossible, but may be inconvenient, and if ignored, the disasterous. 

3. If you buy pups out of the same litter, you may run into two pups with very similar health histories, good IF it is good. If anything serious is running in their lines, they you have two shots at having a pup with it, and also the possibility of two pups with serious issues. 

4. Puppies raised together, if they are so lucky, they grow old together. The health issues increase and you have two aging dogs to pay for. Then one dies. Sometimes the other follows shortly. Then you have more than double the grief. Your house is suddenly empty. If you space them out four to five years. your fifteen year old dog goes and your ten year old is still there to lean on.


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## dOg (Jan 23, 2006)

Here's an example of what can happen raising 2,
what I meant when I said they'll do dumb stuff 
together one might think twice about doing.
(these were St. Bernard siblings behaving badly)

It's not impossible, just a lot harder!

<span style="color: #3333FF">Jack's story about siblings</span>


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Oh come on. I am sorry, but this did not happen BECAUSE they were siblings! If these owners got two unrelated puppies at one time, if they had a four year old dog and brought in another they could have had the same EXACT scenario. 

I have three sets of siblings and none of them are jumping out of windows to attack dogs or people! 

Uhg!


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