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Anyone think 2 dogs are easier than one?

1K views 9 replies 7 participants last post by  LoveEcho 
#1 ·
My goal was to get a puppy at the end of the year regardless of what happened with Avery. For those of you that don't know Avery was diagnosed with Lymphoma in May, sadly it was very aggressive, by the time we got an appt with an Oncologist I had to make the difficult decision to let him go. He was only 4 years old. He would have loved another dog that he could actually play with (I have a Chihuahua currently)...

So now I've been thinking. My new puppy will be coming home mid-august and I'm sad she won't have a playmate. At the same token, I will have tons of time to spend with her and train. Do you think the one on one time with me will be better than the benefit of another dog? I just know as far as tiring a dog out, dog play is the best way to do it. I've been considering getting a older rescue, so I won't have two puppies at once. I am just so heartbroken about Avery, I know deep down there is a void I want to fill, but I also don't want to be overwhelmed. The other thought is to foster in the meantime, however finding a breed rescue that lets you foster without breed experience seems to be difficult.

What do you think?
 
#2 ·
One puppy at a time, raise it, train it, bond with it, spoil it with all of your love and attention. You cannot beat one on one time with your puppy.

Then maybe when your puppy is a year old, you could rescue an older dog or when your puppy is around 2 years old you could get another puppy?
 
#3 ·
I have two pups 18 weeks and 12 weeks... training is time consuming (double the time each day) but they have each other for company when I am at work. I would not change having them both for anything. :)
 

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#4 ·
2 dogs = double the training, vet cost, food cost, time and exercise. I enjoy having my 2 shepherds and couldn't imagine my life without them. My dogs enjoy each others companionship but they are extremely bonded to me and my family. I think a dog is okay without another dog. I think it comes down to how much time and commitment to 2 dogs do you have. Both my dogs have different needs and require different activities. Athena is all about fetch while Sinister needs mental stimulation on a daily basis or gets into serious mischief. So it is how much time can you invest into 2 dogs. I am so sorry for your loss! Good luck with your new pup.
 
#5 ·
A year old!?!? LOL I'm not sure I'll be able to wait a whole year!

But I definitely need to see what life will be like with a puppy before making any rash decisions. Perhaps, its the waiting that's getting to me, August seems soooo far away!!

I know I won't do two puppies at once, that for sure!
 
#6 ·
I've had pairs of GSDs living together for long periods several times in my life, and it's always been much harder than one dog. A lot of people get a second dog because they want the first dog to have a "friend" or companion to amuse themselves without any effort on the owner's part. It's the same reason a lot of people take their dogs to dog parks and let them loose without supervision. This can be a real problem with young puppies raised together (search for "littermate syndrome") or if the two dogs aren't interested in each other. Are you prepared to put in twice (or more) as much effort to own two dogs if necessary?

Owning my current dog made me realize more and more what lengths people go to make their dogs less interested in interacting with them. If I raised another puppy I would make every effort to keep him as handler focused as possible.
 
#7 ·
I would not be getting another dog for the puppy, if that's what you are asking. I know that's how it sounds. But I don't believe in leaving two dogs home alone unsupervised unless I'm 100% sure they are ready for it, so company when I'm gone is out. As I said before, I would never do two puppies at once, esp not from the same litter. I think not having Avery here is just making it harder to wait.
 
#8 ·
Having young dogs is alot harder than one thinks..I just lost my THIRD set of TWO dogs within months of each other..I swore I'd never get another close in age.

Masi just turned six, and I have a 14 week old piranha (sp)..I cannot envision having two close in age again..it's devasting enough to lose one, when you lose to, it really stinks.

Get a puppy, enjoy him/her, if you want another dog in the house, Foster, good luck with your decision
 
#9 ·
Did I mention this will be my first puppy that I will raise on my own? LOL

My last puppy was my family's dog and she is 11 years old. And we had 1 other puppy 4 years earlier.

Avery was 8 months old when I got him and looking back, he was easy. Already potty trained. Only chewed things I said he could. Crate trained. His energy was more than I expected, but I know I'm ready for the energy this time around (and then some)...

Lincoln, my chi, was 4 years old when I got him. And other than potty training being a nightmare, he is a really great little dog.
 
#10 ·
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/general-puppy-stuff/158118-id-love-get-two-puppies-once.html

Having two young dogs at once generally falls into this category.

I don't think I know anybody on this earth who would say two pups at once is EASIER. Do-able, maybe, under the right circumstances...definitely not easier. And definitely not for a first-timer.

The thought of having two of Delta makes me shudder....

As others have said, wait. Get your toes wet, learn the ropes. You'll value the experience so much more.
 
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