Using two different markers is the best approach if you want to try training both of your dogs at once. For each dog, you can use a different verbal cue, such as “good” or “yes. Another choice is to mark one dog with a sound, such as a clicker, and the other dog with a verbal cue.
Is training two dogs simpler than training one?
- Twice as much training, twice as many walks, and you’ll need to walk them one at a time while you’re training.
- Even the most responsible kids will want a lot of your assistance when it comes to raising and training pups.
- Double the focus. You must devote time and personalized attention to each of them.
- Both boarding two and traveling with two are more difficult and expensive than flying alone.
How to Best Handle Two Puppies at Once
Okay, you made the decision, and now you have two gorgeous puppies. It will take a lot of work, but it is absolutely possible.
Everything must be done separately for each puppy to realize his full potential, including walking, training, eating, and sleeping. As long as the puppies are spending enough one-on-one time with you, sleeping together while they are very young may be acceptable for a while. However, eventually, the puppies should sleep in their separate crates.
While they should occasionally play together, every child needs to spend time with you every day. Make playing with you the pups’ preferred pastime. Put Puppy B in her crate with a unique toy or puppy chew saved just for this occasion while you play with Puppy A. then alternate pups. This will teach them that spending time in the crate is beneficial.
Before you can work with the puppies as a pair, you must first train them individually. This means that all toilet breaks must be taken independently, with the exception of the ones that eight-week-old puppies require in the middle of the night. He ought to move his puppy in a new path if a family member is willing to assist. If you walk them together, they’ll divert each other exactly like the eighth-grade class clowns you knew. One will attack your shoelaces or eat acorns while you are attempting to educate the other to walk nicely.
To help them socialize with other dogs, puppy training classes are a fantastic idea, but it’s best to take each puppy to a different one. Even if a family member works with each puppy in the same class, it might not be effective. They’ll have traveled there together, be aware of one another, and probably be unable to concentrate on training at all.
Puppies need to learn how to function as individuals just like humans do. Separately socialize them. One will eventually need to visit the veterinarian, perhaps even staying there overnight or longer. The other must be emotionally mature enough to live at home with you without his sister as a role model for appropriate behavior.
Bond With Each Puppy
It’s fantastic to have more than one dog. However, if you wait at least a year before obtaining a second puppy, you will enjoy all the advantages of having many dogs without the pandemonium. The absence of sibling rivalry gives each dog an opportunity to bond with his owners, learn about his new home, and adjust to it. One puppy at a time will make training easier for you.
Although dogs are gregarious creatures who often like playing and socializing, they prioritize spending time with their owners. Make sure there is enough of you if you choose to get two puppies.
Selecting a Puppy
How can you choose the best breed for your family? How can a trustworthy breeder be located? What inquiries ought to you make of a breeder? For advice on these issues and other crucial things to think about when looking for a puppy, download this e-book.
Is having two dogs more difficult?
Beyond money, having enough time for several dogs is the main issue for many individuals who acquire dogs. Even though many dogs like interacting and playing with other dogs in the house, each dog still need and deserves the same amount of time from you. To keep another dog company, some owners decide to bring another dog into their home. This occasionally works. However, if you already have one lonely and bored dog and spend a lot of time at work, getting another one could result in you having two lonely and bored canines.
All dogs require daily playtime, individual focus, attention, and training in addition to routine maintenance. If you have more than one dog, you will need to spend more time each day working and playing with them to make sure they all get enough attention.
How are two canines that don’t get along trained?
How to handle two dogs that fight or just won’t get along is covered in this article. Paul Owens, CPDT, provided the information that was used in parts of this article. The Dog Whisperer author Paul Owens is a character on the DVD for the same name.
Two dogs fighting can be upsetting, unsettling, and dangerous for everyone involved. Your first priority should be the dogs’ safety if they don’t seem to get along. Setting up your surroundings so that it is difficult for your dogs to attack one another or any other dogs is the first and most crucial step. Start by dividing up the house into distinct sections for each dog, using dog crates, dog gates, or other devices to keep them apart. Once both dogs have a firm grasp of the “Leave it command,” do not allow them to engage again (see below).
Above: Using a crate to keep dogs apart is a smart idea. We prefer double door dog crates like this one from AmazonBasics.
The types of reactive behavior that are most frequently referred to as “aggression” include those that are fear or pain-induced, resource-guarding (dog food, dog toys, people), and redirected (dog can’t get to item so takes it out on nearest person). There are no quick fixes, and since this behavior has probably grown worse over time, changing it will take time.
It is extremely advised that you consult a qualified behaviorist/trainer who is knowledgeable with positive training techniques. He or she can assess the circumstance and enroll you in a program for behavior change. You might go on the website of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers or request a recommendation from your doctor.
To determine whether there are any physiological issues affecting the dogs’ behavior, medical examinations may be required. Avoid training methods that involve yanking, pinning a dog to the ground, striking, startling, or shaking. You should not utilize choke, prong, or shock collars during your training. For training purposes, gentle, no-pull harnesses like the SENSE-ation Harness are strongly advised and can be a big benefit.
You can start working separately with each dog on deferential skills in addition to consulting a professional dog trainer. As a result, you will need to teach each dog the command “Leave it.” Each dog will be trained to quickly stop engaging in whatever behavior he is engaged in and come to you.
The greatest place to begin is by teaching your dog to give you something on command. Start with something the dog will find moderately valuable (i.e., a Dog Toy or Dog Treat). Place the priceless item in the middle of the room, then stroll the dog casually past it while it’s on a leash. When the dog notices the object say his name, then “Leave it and using very gentle pressure on the collar move him toward you with your leash. Give him lots of dog treats when he drops the thing and interacts with you.
Above: We like American-made organic dog treats. This Rileys Organic Peanut Butter & Molasses Dog Treat is a terrific option.
When using a clicker to train, click to signal the event and then administer the rewards. Continue doing this until the dog can effectively give up the item when given a verbal cue solely (no pressure on the Collar). Then repeat the process while increasing the object’s value. The dog will develop this ability gradually, enabling you to utilize your “Leave it cue with any environmental distraction, including food, toys, other dogs, and people. Then and only then should you think about reintroducing dogs that have attacked one another in the past.
Will two dogs from the same litter be better?
1. Give getting two new puppies at once a lot of thought. Make sure you can provide both pets with all they require.
2. If you do decide to get two puppies, make a solid commitment to socializing and training them individually to prevent them from developing a strong bond.
3. As an alternative, think about adopting a puppy now and a second later, or even better, a puppy now and an adult dog later.
Unquestionably one of the most delightful things in the world is a brand-new puppy. It is a cold, hard heart that is unmoved by puppy breath, cuddly pink puppy pads, or the joy of seeing a young canine explore his surrounding environment. So, two puppies must be twice as wonderful if one new puppy is, don’t you think? Well, generally not.
Adopting two puppies at once is generally not advised by training experts. The biggest difficulty in adopting two new puppies is their propensity to form intense bonds with one another, frequently at the expense of developing deep connections with their humans. They are capable of uniting. Additionally, owners sometimes misjudge the amount of time needed to raise and train two puppies, which leads to the puppies becoming untrained and undersocialized.
Don’t Get Two New Puppies at Once!
Since my husband and I currently have five dogs, I would be the last person on earth to argue against obtaining a second or third dog. Regardless of whether they are siblings or not, there are compelling arguments against getting two young puppies at once.
While the majority of new puppy owners appear to understand that caring for one puppy is enough of a commitment for them, a small percentage succumb to one of a few prevalent justifications for why two puppies could be preferable to one. I am able to refute each one of them!
Let’s examine the most frequent justifications given by people for wanting to adopt two puppies at once, along with some arguments against them.
Two-pup rationale #1: “I want to get two puppies so they will have someone to play with while I’m gone all day at work.
Recognizing that your dog might benefit from companionship during the day is a positive thing. Think about the mischief two puppies can get up to if they are left alone if you think one dog may cause problems while you aren’t there. Better answers might be found in:
- Choose a period when a member of your family can take a week (or many) off work to be at home and assist the puppy in becoming accustomed to being alone. Several weeks of vacation? summertime return of the kids? Use the time wisely so your dog can eventually learn to like being alone himself when it’s time to return to work or school.
- Find a friend, neighbor, or family member who is often at home and who is willing to watch your puppy so you can enjoy the benefits of having a puppy to play with during the day without the long-term commitments and expenses of owning a dog for more than 15 years.
- To combine your puppies at one of your puppy-proofed homes for puppy daycare, ask your veterinarian if she has another client with a puppy of a similar age. Then, after work, send the second puppy back home. The phrase “puppy-proofed” is highlighted. Even if one of the puppies is not yours, two canines can still get into a lot of mischief.
Two-pup rationale #2: “I have two children and they each want their own puppy.
What a lovely concept. Just refuse. When did children start getting to set the rules? Seriously, most families I know already struggle to get their kids to keep their word to take care of the one family dog, including feeding, walking, and cleaning up after it. Mom ultimately does the most of it. So, mom will now be responsible for both puppies? Consider adopting one puppy now and an adult dog from a shelter or rescue group if they both have strong reasons to have dogs. Even in that case, I would adopt one animal first and give her at least a month to adjust before adopting the second.
See the second half of this post if you need to adopt two pups for the kids at once.
Two-pup rationale #3: “We want to have two dogs eventually anyway, so we might as well get them at the same time so they can grow up together as best friends.
That’s what you might very possibly receive, then! The dog-human bond is frequently harmed when two puppies are raised together because they typically become lifelong best buddies. They inevitably spend more time together than they do separately with you, which leads to the possibility that they may develop strong bonds with one another and put you on a secondary level in their life. Even though they are determined to retain their dogs for life, many owners of puppies who were adopted at the same time end up being disappointed in their interactions with them.
When the dogs do have to be separated, this super-bonding also creates a ton of stress (and stress-related behavioral issues), and sooner or later, something will require that they be separated: one goes to training class and the other doesn’t, you want to walk one but not both, or a health issue necessitates keeping one hospitalized or otherwise kept apart.
Two-pup rationale #4: “A second puppy will play with the first and keep her occupied when I’m too busy to spend time with her.
Nice idea, but take note of this. You may be sure that you won’t have time for two pups if you can’t give one puppy the attention she requires.
If you can’t play with your dog, there are some fantastic interactive dog toys on the market that can keep her entertained. However, don’t mistakenly believe that playing with another puppy or a pen full of toys can replace social interaction with you. Before bringing a puppy into the household, it’s crucial that you give this considerable consideration. Puppies do require time. While scheduled play dates with a friend’s healthy and compatible puppy are great to give her some playmate time, acquiring a second puppy is not a suitable replacement for your own engagement with your dog.
Two-pup rationale #5: “If we adopt a second puppy, that’s one fewer that might be euthanized.
I won’t argue against this other than to point out that puppies aren’t the issue in many shelters across the nation right now. There are always outliers, but overall, I’d say the majority of shelters in the US today have no trouble adopting out the bulk, if not all, of the puppies they receive. Adult canines are most likely to pass away as a result of homelessness. Get an adult dog rather than a puppy if you truly want to save lives, or at the very least, adopt your puppy today and come back for an adult dog in a few months.
Two-pup rationale #6: “The breeder we are buying our puppy from thinks it’s best if we take two.
Run away as quickly as you can if the breeder is pressuring you to acquire two puppies at once. Unless a potential buyer can demonstrate she has the knowledge, time, aptitude, skills, and financial resources to provide a wonderful environment for two puppies simultaneously, a properly responsible breeder will, in most situations, decline to sell two puppies to one home. A responsible breeder wouldn’t try to force two puppies on a buyer and wouldn’t be doing her puppies’ or the new owner’s interests any favors.
What to Do If You Adopt Two New Puppies
You might already have two new puppies that you adopted, and you are now sorely regretting your mistake. Or perhaps you don’t regret it, but you now know that you have much more responsibility than you initially thought. Perhaps, despite all I’ve said above, you’re determined to go ahead and do it. There are steps you may do to reduce issues and increase your success as the owner of a puppy pair if you fall for the lure and end up in double trouble:
Additionally, you can “split crating process abruptly Start from day one with a puppy in a crate in each child’s room if they are old enough to be responsible for letting their puppies out at night.
In any event, one of the bedrooms should house the individual crates for the puppies. This is crucial so that someone can hear them when they wake up at night and need to leave. Even though you’re all sleeping, the eight hours of close proximity to the pups is beneficial to them. Furthermore, if one puppy wakes up to go outside, you can sure the other puppy in her adjoining box will do the same.
2. Prepare them independently. If you spend the time working with each of your puppies separately, your training programs will be far more effective. It can be confusing and challenging to try to click and reward one pup for performing a desired action while the second pup is performing an unpleasant behavior if you are using clicker training, which I hope you are! When this occurs, both puppies believe they were clicked, which means you are rewarding both the desired and undesirable behavior. Oops! Not to mention that if the other puppy is present as a distraction, it will be much harder to acquire and maintain any kind of attention from either dog.
Giving your dogs a positive association with being apart from you during training is the ideal moment to do so. While the other gets to hang out in her box in a different room, preferably far enough away that she can’t hear you clicking, and empty her deliciously stuffed Kong, the first gets to play (train) with you and receive your attention, clicks, and tasty goodies.
If your family has a second trainer, they can work with the second puppy simultaneously in a different room. One day you’ll be able to work with both simultaneously in the same space, and someday one person will enjoy working with them both simultaneously. But that’s someplace down the road, after they’ve both thoroughly internalized their etiquette training.
3. Use them in distinct games. In puppy pairs, it’s typical for one puppy to be more assertive than the other and take the initiative during playtime. Playing with them separately is equally as vital as playing with them together occasionally so that the more dominant pup doesn’t constantly get to set the rules for the other.
For instance, if you consistently play “When the two play fetch together, you’ll probably notice that one pup consistently retrieves the toy and brings it back, while the other runs merrily in the background. If you pay close attention, you might even notice the more assertive one giving a small body language warning if the other tries to obtain something from them, like a harsh glare or a stiffened body. The weaker sibling bows to the more assertive one by releasing the toy and turning her back. That’s a perfectly acceptable and typical puppy engagement, but it can reduce the “puppy’s retrieving actions were softer. If you don’t make an effort to reward her when you play with her by herself for fetching toys, you can have trouble training her to retrieve later on.
4. Take a walk and interact with them separately. You’ll need to walk one dog while leaving the other behind with something amazing, or while someone else walks the other one around the block in the opposite direction, just as during your training sessions. It doesn’t work to walk them together with different handlers; the less self-assured pup will start to depend on the presence of the more self-assured one to be brave in the real world. The shyer pup is then more prone to be afraid when the more assured one isn’t around. You must treat each pup separately and carry out all the activities you would typically carry out with one puppy.
enrolling in a puppy-training course? Make two nights available, not just one, and take them to different classes. Visiting the groomer? Not one journey, but two. When is the next round of puppy immunizations due? not one, but two appointments. I’ll give you a break, okay? They should go somewhere alone at least as frequently as they go somewhere together, though it doesn’t have to be every time.
So, are you beginning to understand the “different but equivalent program? Every action you would do with one puppy must be taken independently with each puppy. In order to prevent them from becoming reliant on the other pup’s existence, it is important to make sure they are both receiving the care, training, and socializing opportunities they require. You can certainly do things with them both at the same time, but you must ensure that they are both entirely at ease and okay with being apart.
Anorexia (refusal to eat when the other is not there), separation anxiety (barking, destructive behavior, tireless pacing, and wailing), and other stress-related behaviors, such as aggression, become life-threatening behaviors for super-bonded dogs when they are separated.
Super-bonded canines will inevitably have to be split up at some point in their lives. When one gets sick or requires surgery, the other does not. One will typically pass away before the other. I am aware of instances where the surviving dog of a super-bonded pair had to be put to sleep after the partner passed away because he was too anxious to function. No dog lover would ever want to find themselves in this scenario.
