two puppies together or just one

[bunny]

hi
thanks for all the advice, and its been a mixed bag, i have four adults in the home and one 12 nearly 13 and my youngest at school now, so i have all day for them, i do not work, and my husband is home also four days in the week, i feel after having a family conference, and chatting through who could do what, and how people felt, we have decided to go for it, i know some of you will scream, at the screen, but we have chatted with the breeder, covered so much and talked about the temperments, and she really knows her dogs.
I would not contemplate it at all, if i thought for one minute i could not give the dogs what they needed, or the family wouldnt help, elmo who we have already is so well behaved, at 10 months, he knows all the commands of sit, stay, leave it, drop it, and wouldnt take food until he is told to take it, even if it is on the floor infront of him. and also understands "be nice", i hope you can all wish me luck, and i will keep you posted, i have become friends with my breeder now, and she is always on the end of a phone to, she says i have done a good job with elmo and she thinks i will cope well, and give them a good home, she has refused people dogs, incidently that is why the chance came up in the first place, so she really is good. thanks for the support, especially those that gave a bit of light, i spoke to someone the other day, that actually did have three, and one came from a rescue home, and she said she never had problems, and no fighting, so i have my supply of matchsticks ready for my eyes, and the valium, hey! maybe i should do a diary slot, could come in handy for others, as this must be a regular issue for a lot of people. and lets face it i have got through 4 toddlers and 2 teenagers WHAT COULD BE WORSE THAN THAT :shock:                    

[taniac]

Will you then have 2 puppies and Elmo or just 1 puppy to go with Elmo?  

As Elmo has got all his basics it should make it easier and at 10 months he's always going to look to you more... His feelings towards a puppy will be like my Neo who often wears the expression, 'Mummy when is the little hooligan leaving'!  

Congratulations on making a decision and I look forward to seeing pictures of the new arrival(s).  I'm sure you'll cope just fine   ...  I would get a crate for the pup so Elmo can get some peace and quiet!                    

[PennyB]

One thing you must do then is train the pups separately and work very hard at not letting them bond with each other and not the members of the family. It may sound awful to keep separating them must its a must.

As there was only 13 months apart between my two I have trained them separately which as you can imagine was hard work as I live on my own.                    

[Laura]

Elmo - well he certainly won't get bored with 2 puppies around him all day!!  Are both the new puppies male? Tango and ?  That is you thinking of names all over again! :wink:

I look after my friends puppy for the odd hour Brogan, Bailey and Roscoe together - I couldn't do it long term!!  You're a braver person than I am!!  Do hope it all works out for you and more importantly for the dogs!!                    

[lizzy]

Hi Bunny,

Just remember when you do get your pup, Elmo will be at the teenage stage :shock: he will have his own needs and sometimes this age can be quite challenging!! Just something to keep in mind

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Lizzy Molly and Evie                    

[bunny]

just thought i would let you know that i saw my babies on saturday, squeezable, gorgeous, and i just loved them ,one of them as young as he is started wagging his little stumpy tail, i am in love totally.....                    

[padfoot]

Good luck...you're going to need it    

Keep us all posted about your new babies.                    

[Hel]

This is going to sound really awful, but here goes....

I have serious doubts about a breeder who 1) would let you have two pup litter mates and 2) do this when you already have an older pup (is he a half-brother/full-brother to the pups?).  Unless you and the breeder are exceptional, I would suggest that the breeder has some spare puppies on her hands which she can't home.

Puppies are lovely and it is easy to say yes.  What is usually sensible for the long-term behaviour and well-being of all the dogs is to say no.                    

[Katina]

I would never ever want two puppies at the same time in my house. It would kill me  .  
I would never sell two puppies to the same household either.                    

[lizzy]

I did'nt realise Bunny was hoping to get 2 !!! puppies, brings me out in a cold sweat just thinking about it!

Lizzy Molly and Evie                    

[Mike]

I thought it was just one pup Bunny was considering to add to her 10 month old Elmo - certainly that's what I got from the earlier posts. Please let us know if it's actually 2 pups you;re considering at the same time in addition to Elmo, as that's a whole different ball game and you could be opening yourself up for a lot of heartache if the sibling rivalry that often develops between two pups raised together in the same home rears its ugly head                      

[Jane S]

I think Bunny is getting 2 pups (litter mates) from the same breeder of her 10 month pup - at least that's how I read it. I am really shocked at any breeder thinking this was a good idea but get the feeling that Bunny had made up her mind from the start & there is nothing anyone could say to change it. I know 2 members posted positive things about taking on 2 puppies together which encouraged Bunny but they did not already have a 10 month old pup at home :shock:

Jane                    

[Laura]

Elmo wasn't mentioned at the start of this post.  :?  And yes bunny is getting 2 littermates.  I just hope that Elmo is up to the challenge of leading a multidog household in the very near future  .  There will be a 9 month age gap between him and the pups - he will be 11 months old. I remember Bunny starting a post because Elmo was terrified of other dogs.  

My boys are an identical age gap to above -  I am very aware however that now is not when the problems happen - but on sexual maturity of the pup.  Brogan is very mature and well, Bailey is horizontal he is so laid back - They are from different breed lines.  I look after Roscoe (Same breeder as Brogan) he is 2 weeks older than Bailey - and I am so glad that he isn't part of our household - his personality is identical to Brogans and it is mayhem :roll:   Good fun when it is only for an hour here and there - wouldn't wish that on Brogan full time though - would be like him a  Dad to twins at 14!!!

I really do worry about these 3 very young males - and hope and pray that we are all proved very very wrong and it all works out fantastic - for the dogs sake!!  Good luck Elmo                    

[Pammy]

I agree with Jane. I think Bunny had made up her mind beforehand and nothing we could have said would have made any difference at all.

Sorry Bunny - I don't mean to offend - but you have selectively sorted out what you wanted to hear and disregarded the rest - some of which is from very very experienced people who I wish I'd have listened to in the past!

Like others - I hope this does work out - for the sake of the dogs concerned.                    

[Colin]

Hi Bunny

Given that you say Elmo is "terrified of most other dogs" perhaps your time and money would be better invested in hiring the services of a behaviourist to help him overcome this rather than buy two more puppies that could just exacerbate his problem.

Maybe you will be extremely lucky and things will work out fine. Far more likely is that you won't be so fortunate and will end up with far bigger problems than you already have. Why take a chance and gamble with the welfare and happiness of three pups in this way ?