hi there, we are getting a whippet pup in new year, and everyone who has whippets say they really enjoy their own company, so we are thinking of taking on 2.
anyone here who had 2 pups at same time?
or anyone with any advice?

iam aware of bonding & training issues- which would be made easier as im choosing whippets,
but would like to hear other peoples advice or experience

thanks- maggy

Ohh Maggy, all I can say is don't do it. I kept two from my litter 2 years ago and it was a nightmare, still is in some ways.

Do a search for the subject, and you' ll find lots of opinion on it.

Dawn R.

Yes, I kept two pups from the same litter - never again.

Maggie,
I have to agree with the others- leave a couple of years between the two. However, I am SO JEALOUS!! I was supposed to get a baby whippet October time, but due to work committments I'm delaying until April/May.

LUCKY LUCKY YOU!!

The only reason why people find it hard is if you dont give them individual attention, they'll bond with each other and you will find it really hard training them, it is better if you can give one on one undivided attention.

Susan

I think (although I've never had two puppies, I've known people who have, and regretted it......) that it's more than just giving each one individual attention so they don't bond, there is also the toilet training, the training each one seperatly, then teaching them again with the distraction of the other pup.  On top of this is the stress of possibly losing both dogs close together - both to the human and the remaining canine.....  I think a 2 year gap is better, although I've always seemed to have a 7 year gap, and find the newer dog brings the older one a second lease of life......

It's not the best idea to get two puppies the same age. Get one puppy and enjoy him/her for a year, preferabley two. Then decide if you want another puppy. If you really want two, another thought would be to take on and older whippet either a few months before or after your puppy.

I think a lot of dogs and especially sighthounds seem to know their own breed when they see them - it's really amusing!

No, no, don't do it!!! We got 2 pups that were 3 days apart in age, and 3 years on they can't be in the same room unless I keep a close eye on them. I will NEVER do that again! :-(

I dont think personally that dogs recognise there own breed if they are socialised with all different types of dogs, Digger i think you'll find thats what i did say.

Susan

I'm one of the "Never again" gang. It's certainly not just a matter of training, besides, having a new puppy is so lovely, why do it only once? Do it now and you can look forward to doing it again in 2 yrs!

I don't know Susan - my friend used to have a deerhound that was brought up with shar-pei and you should have seen her face light up at a show the moment she clapped eyes on another deerhound. It happened way too many times for it to be a coincidence.

My Spanish definitely recognise anothe Spanish, clipped or unclipped :d

One of my dals was thrilled to see another dal at a show, then nearly had apoplexy when it stood up and turned into a harlie Dane! :D :D

The puppies in my puppy classes certainly recognise one of their own, especially the Springers for some reason.......

Not surprising really as they would have imprinted on their dam.  Pups that have had a surogate mother imprint on her breed and often behave much more like that breed.

All I will say is I wouldn't do it again.  Training was not an issue in our house.  we had 3 people who could train two puppies and they could go in the ring together and ignor eachother BUT in the house they edged eachother on sooo much.  lost about 4 pairs of shoes and was the only time we have ever had dogs pinch food off the sides.  We re-homed one (that was the plan all along!) and now they are both in the house.

However it is you to make your own decission! :) 

Its damn hard work I have an 8 month old and a nearly 4 month old and they play quite rough so I have to constantly step in, cannot leave them alone together and they egg each other on terribly to do naughty things.
However saying that I would never part with either as I love them dearly, even though so looking forward to when they are much older LOL.
Bev

I have to agree with everyone else, I'll NEVER have two pups together again. My two borzois have been a nightmare - completely unlike any other 'zoi I've had - they are so closely bonded with each other and egg each other on into misceif, even at age 4.

Susantwenty - I have to say my breed definitely recognise their own breed, even from a great distance, every borzoi is greeted with grins and wagging tails.

Jane :)

Must have been a fluke because I never had any problems.

From the number of posts I have read on here, and my own experience with my two, I would say that having no problems is more of a fluke!! And I agree, my Cavalier boy definitely gets more excited by other Cavaliers and indeed most spaniels than by other breeds of dog.

I would deff have 2 from same litter.

i kept 3 pups from my last litter for show, they are now 15mths old, i have 2 males and 1 female.I have only showed 2 uptill now, as one male is very slow maturing, The only prob i had was when they were 6mths old up untill they were 10mths old, which was when i would take 2 of them to shows, the other one would miss them, at the age of 10mths he did not mind being left with his mum and grandad. I have a good bond with my young ones and the 3 have a great bond together, yes i no the males will one day have there differences, and i am ready for it, but for now they are great together.

You can still have one to one training,which is what i have done alot with mine.

It may not work for everybody, but for me it deff did and is something i would deff do again.

Wouldn't it be a bit different to the OP though because already having older dogs means that 1) you have lots of experience of multiple number of dogs already and 2) Having older dogs means that the pups are not just bonding with each other?

I am tenatatively considering another dog for next year.  Are two better than one?  How does it change the behaviour of the older dog, assuming that it does?

Only considering at this point as only mentioned in passing to the family and they thought it would mean that our dog would become second best and pushed out.  I can't imagine that for one second, mind you this was coming from the two youngest kids so perhaps they think they are speaking from experience :D

Hi Rottweiler2005. I'm glad your 3 are doing so well together, at 15 months though it may be too soon for you to be recommending this to other people. My two borzois didn't really start serious misbehaving till they were 2. Also you can't say yet what they will be like when a littermate dies - not pleasant but all things to be considered I'm afraid. Jane

Hi "chaumsong"

I did say in my post "May not be for everyone" but it was for me. Yes i no one day i will/may have 2 stroppy males, but i am prepard for that day if/when it arrives.

Alot of people used to say "OOOOO u watch when they are 9-10-11 mths old" you are asking for trouble" Well they are nearly 15mths old as still have a great bond.they could share same food bowl and not one cares.

As for training and special bonds, that all can still happen, my 3 still went out with me, seprate from the other litter mates, time or training and time for bonding.

I no a another rottweiler owner who has 3 males, from same litter who are now 5 years old, and live together in the house, so yes it can be done. But maybe not everyone can bring there dogs up to have that special bond between litter mates aswell as humans.

As for losing litter mates, as mine are only 15mths old i hope i still have many many years to come with them, but if something was to happen then i would learn to cope aswell helping the other litter mates cope.

"OWNING 2 OR MORE LITTER MATES,MAY NOT BE FOR EVERYONE" But is was for me.

Hi rottweiler2005, well done - you've obviously spent a great deal of time and effort with your gang :)

I am with the "Never again" people.  It is not because the did not get enough indiviudal attention either

I am having a litter from my TM this year, we were hoping to keep the best 3 to run on, any idea how other people that breed get over that problem if they cannot decide at 8-12 weeks which they think is the best.

Lynn

Separate kennels is supposed to be the best method of preventing them becoming too dependent on each other.

You just have to choose and hope, and if the other ones go to show homes then it doesn't really matter which of them does best as you bred them anyway. 

If they end up in Pet homes you are never likely to realise you made a mistake with the one you kept (the standard of most pet photos does not allow you to nit pick the differences).

If you realise you did make a mistake having the photos you took through their development to refer back to you can hopefully learn from it for the next generation, but this does require patience. :D

I could never run on pups, after all at what stage do you realise who is best?  In my breed they can sometimes not reach maturity until 4 years old.  I have a limit on how many I can keep and it is no more than 4 under 12 years old (my breed can often make 16), at present I ahve five and a 1/4 ranging from 2 to 13 1/3 years old.

Our current top dog and top hound did nothing much in his youth and only got his title this year just before his fifth birthday, as his breeder had taken him out of the ring waiting for him to come together.

is there anyone with good experience of owning 2 pups!?

Nope! we have 2 pups now,one is nearly 6months and the other not 4 months but they scrap like hoodlums.They have to have differing diets as one has a cast iron digestion and the other is opposite.The 2nd one has spoilt the house training of the 1st,and one will only piddle on paper and the other will only do it on material,so we are using plenty of old towels!! They are d*** hard work from dawn to dusk,but ever so sweet when sleeping:)

MY predicament is that I plan tokeep puppies out of a litter this year, we have now found another 2 litters in America, that the matings will  not be repeated  and we definately need these line for our breeding plan, I am getting a puppy out of each litter,  but different breeders, then one will fly over to the breeder who has the other puppy and  did the Pet Passport for me last time. They will be there with anonther 17 TM's running as 2 pack, this is as these dogs have been kept for the last 17 years and live in complete harmony as a 2 packs.

Three puppies of ours were at these kennels last year and have come over very well adjusted happy bidable dogs. They have bonded with there new owners in this country without a problem when they arrived at 10 months.

I do not think that what we have done is the best arrangements possible but due to my husbands and my age we cannot leave a year between bring in these 2 new puppies, but if they are anything like the last three, they are happy contented and vert focused on there humans, and when they meat up at shows they greet like old friends, but show no distress when they are separated after a few days holidaying together.

I hope you get what I am trying to say, they have instant recognition of each other at shows.

Hi Maggymills,

I am going to be different from everyone else and say, yes, I have had good experiences with two pups together, in fact I must have been a complete lunatic as I had three together! (Are everyone's eyes popping out?)  I work from home though and always have lots of time and I would take them out as a threesome for their main walk (with my other dogs) but seperately twice a day too to local fields,  you must train them seperately.  Also cheating slightly, as I had older dogs, which the younger ones looked up to and followed their lead, the older dogs kept them in check, and the younger could rough and tumble together without annoying my older dogs, they also toilet trained so quickly as they copied the older ones.

It is much harder work with two, as you must train them, but I also love the companionship they give to each other, it is wonderful to see them running and playing together even as adults.  If you have the time and effort to put in, by all means get two.