Hello from West Virginia (getting 2 new littermates)

[mkkessinger]

Im new to all this forums an German Shepards. I have always admired the outstanding breed my wife an I will be picking our dogs up Friday Nov. 30 we are very excited. We are getting two litter mates, I hope we are doing the right thing. I thought it was a good idea untill I begin reading all the warnings about tring to train two puppies at once. I hope we are up for this challenge

[Nigel]

Welcome! I have litter mates, 2 yr old females. I've had no problems. DW does most of the training with Zoey and I train Tuke. We may have been lucky, IDK, but I think these guys together were easier than my lab or malamute were by themselves (raising them as pups).

[GSDBESTK9]

Welcome to the board. I would be weary of a breeder that will let you take home two littermates. I know we don't allow it. Two puppies at the same time is VERY HARD and unfair to them. Please reconsider and I would research that breeder a little further. No reputable breeder would let you take home 2 littermates, at least they shouldn't. Sorry, probably not what you wanted to hear.

[1sttimeforgsd]

Hello and Welcome, some members are pro and some con on the 2 puppies at once task. I think from what I have been reading on here it will work if you give each pup it's own training session without the other pup being around so that each pup can learn to focus on you and not on each other. Be sure to post pictures of those new babies when you get them home.

[arycrest]

Welcome to the board!!! What area of WV are you from (I have relatives up there).

My experience with raising multiple puppies at the same time is different than most, in fact, I raised three that were close to the same age together without any significant problems. I knew I was going to get Ringer before I moved to Florida ... but I also unexpectedly ended up with his litter sister, Honey (long story) at the same time that I got him. A short time later a friend gave me Kelly as a house warming gift ... ergo I had three puppies very close to the same age. I was home 24/7 and didn't have any problems raising, training, nurturing them. For years we lived "happily ever after"

My problems came a little over a dozen years later!!! One of the major problems was financial, caring for three senior GSDs with various health problems ran into many thousands of dollars, but it was the least of my problems.

I lost Ringer, Kelly and Honey within nine months of each other ... first Ringer who died about a month before his 13th birthday, then Kelly died about two months after Ringer, and finally my sweet Honey died suddenly about 7 months after Kel. I cannot begin to describe the pain and depression I went thru losing three dogs so close together.


Losing the Three Amigos wasn't the first time I've lost dogs close to the same age though the circumstances were different, the end result was the same. Three years earlier, in 2003, was the first time it happened to me. I got Too up in MD and brought her down to FL a short time before her 5th birthday. Surprise ... at the same time I got Ringer & Honey, their 5 year old father, JR, ended up homeless so I ended up with him too. All went well for many years. Then a few months after JR celebrated his 13th birthday, he died and less than three weeks later 12-1/2 year old Too had a seizure caused by a medication and she died. I was devastated, depressed, it hurt so bad, I can't describe it, I ached with grief.

While it's been about 4 years since losing my second batch of seniors, just writing this message brought back the memories and the tears and pain as if it were yesterday. I've shared this information before with others, hoping they'd think twice before setting themselves up for the hurt and pain I've gone thru when losing much loved companions.

GOOD LUCK with whatever you decide to do!!!

[MaggieRoseLee]

Welcome to the forum and hoping you are taking advantage of all the information like --> Should I get TWO puppies/dogs at once?

It's not so much that it's impossible to raise 2 puppies at once, just that it is so much harder (and more expensive to feed/vet/train) that it's setting up stuff to be a problem right from the outset. Personally, I've raised 4 practically perfect pups at this time and would NEVER get more than one at a time.

My bigger concern is what GSDBESTK9 brought up, the breeder. The better breeders would REFUSE to sell you 2 puppies because they know it's usually a dis-service to their puppies and their main concern is the puppies. If they could care less and just want to take your money, let you pick out any 2 puppies you want, and then drive off into the sunset with no further help or support (cause they are your puppies, YOUR PROBLEM) I'd be very worried.

So if your breeder is not one of these --> Things to look for in a 'Responsible' Breeder then I'd be even more concerned if you were taking on 2 puppies from them rather than just one.

[Sunflowers]

Welcome.I would never get two. One is a full time job already, I can't imagine where I would get the hours in a day to do twice what I do now.