Are litter mates a good idea?
August 9, 2010 11:02 AM Subscribe
Are litter mates a good idea?
I'm finally at a point in my life where I have the space, time and energy to have a dog! I'm interested in getting a cockapoo (from my friend who's a breeder), and I live in a two bedroom condo (no fenced yard, alas).
With my ability to work from home and a helpful roommate, the dog will get plenty of TLC. I know that dogs are very social creatures, so I'm wondering if I should get two dogs so that they'll have each other for company for the times I won't be home. Would litter mates be a good idea?
I'm finally at a point in my life where I have the space, time and energy to have a dog! I'm interested in getting a cockapoo (from my friend who's a breeder), and I live in a two bedroom condo (no fenced yard, alas).
With my ability to work from home and a helpful roommate, the dog will get plenty of TLC. I know that dogs are very social creatures, so I'm wondering if I should get two dogs so that they'll have each other for company for the times I won't be home. Would litter mates be a good idea?
I did this too, when I adopted a lab mix puppy from the pound. I felt she needed a buddy, so also adopted a year and a half old stray (Rott/border collie mix, we think) from the pound. It worked fine -- when she grew up, and outweighed him by a good 40 lb, she was still his loyal sidekick. We still miss them both very much. Downside we didn't see: all the mischief they got into together. And I must say they were both a lot more obedient on their own then when they were together.
But dogs also do fine with you as their only pack members. My current dog, an Australian Shepherd rescue, is just great with just my husband and me.
So, it is really your call. Do you want two dogs or one? (Our solo dog status is our compromise -- I could live with a kennel of dogs, and sometimes dream of retiring to run one. My husband prefers cats. So that's our agreement -- one dog only, four cats.)
posted by bearwife at 11:25 AM on August 9, 2010
But dogs also do fine with you as their only pack members. My current dog, an Australian Shepherd rescue, is just great with just my husband and me.
So, it is really your call. Do you want two dogs or one? (Our solo dog status is our compromise -- I could live with a kennel of dogs, and sometimes dream of retiring to run one. My husband prefers cats. So that's our agreement -- one dog only, four cats.)
posted by bearwife at 11:25 AM on August 9, 2010
Having two dogs of same sex/similar age is generally not a good idea (esp. bitches). Problems might well still be unlikely, but much less unlikely than otherwise.
Having two puppies at the same time is generally even less of a good idea. Over the past six months, we went from two dogs to nine dogs when Nina whelped back down to 3 when the last of the litter (except our keeper) left in May. So believe me when I tell you that two puppies is not twice as much work as one puppy, it's one-puppy-work squared. And two puppies together can get into all kinds of trouble that one puppy cannot. And doing the work to raise a puppy well, which more or less requires doing a lot of work with the separately, is much more difficult when you've got another puppy clamoring for your attention and when you've got to schedule two puppy classes instead of one.
Having littermates is the least good idea. ISTR there are additional problems that come from having littermates, but can't recall offhand what they are. Biscotti knows; I'll try to remind her to check in to this thread.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 11:33 AM on August 9, 2010
Having two puppies at the same time is generally even less of a good idea. Over the past six months, we went from two dogs to nine dogs when Nina whelped back down to 3 when the last of the litter (except our keeper) left in May. So believe me when I tell you that two puppies is not twice as much work as one puppy, it's one-puppy-work squared. And two puppies together can get into all kinds of trouble that one puppy cannot. And doing the work to raise a puppy well, which more or less requires doing a lot of work with the separately, is much more difficult when you've got another puppy clamoring for your attention and when you've got to schedule two puppy classes instead of one.
Having littermates is the least good idea. ISTR there are additional problems that come from having littermates, but can't recall offhand what they are. Biscotti knows; I'll try to remind her to check in to this thread.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 11:33 AM on August 9, 2010
Before I was born, my parents got two sister cocker spaniels, intending one to be for them and one to be for my grandparents. They hated being apart, apparently, and whined so much that my parents eventually took both of them. And then they were wonderful. By the time I came into the picture, they were getting pretty old. Eventually Muffy went blind and Dusty went deaf, and after that they walked everywhere shoulder to shoulder, helping each other get along. They were inseparable and got along wonderfully. Muffy died first, and Dusty spent all her time lying on Muffy's bed, whining. She died a few days later.
So take from that what you will.
posted by phunniemee at 11:40 AM on August 9, 2010 [3 favorites]
So take from that what you will.
posted by phunniemee at 11:40 AM on August 9, 2010 [3 favorites]
I have littermates, 3 years old, got them as rescues when they were puppies. They are thick as thieves, keep each other company, etc., and I don't regret it. I love having two and I think they are better off for having a constant companion.
It was a giant pain in the ass to train two puppies at once, yes, but it was worth it for me. Mine are opposite sex mutts, if that helps.
posted by Pax at 12:02 PM on August 9, 2010
It was a giant pain in the ass to train two puppies at once, yes, but it was worth it for me. Mine are opposite sex mutts, if that helps.
posted by Pax at 12:02 PM on August 9, 2010
Almost 4 years ago, my husband and I got two aussie shepherd littermates - both boys. About 8 months ago, they finally figured out that they have separate names and that one can be in trouble while they other is being good.
They don't have any separation anxiety and have distinctly different personalities since we were very careful to make sure they spent plenty of time apart as puppies, but they do tend to egg each other on (Dog1 gives a quiet woof, Dog2 jumps up and barks at Dog1, Dog1 barks louder at Dog2 and away we go).
I'd get littermates again, but it is way more work than raising two dogs that are slightly different ages. They'll need separate walks, separate person-puppy playtime, separate training sessions, etc. It was great being able to sit back and watch them wrestle around knowing that they were wearing each other out though!
posted by the_shrike at 12:04 PM on August 9, 2010
They don't have any separation anxiety and have distinctly different personalities since we were very careful to make sure they spent plenty of time apart as puppies, but they do tend to egg each other on (Dog1 gives a quiet woof, Dog2 jumps up and barks at Dog1, Dog1 barks louder at Dog2 and away we go).
I'd get littermates again, but it is way more work than raising two dogs that are slightly different ages. They'll need separate walks, separate person-puppy playtime, separate training sessions, etc. It was great being able to sit back and watch them wrestle around knowing that they were wearing each other out though!
posted by the_shrike at 12:04 PM on August 9, 2010
I have read that if you get litter mates they are more likely to bond with each other than to bond with you. If you consider that a down side, it's something you might want to take into consideration.
posted by Kimberly at 12:14 PM on August 9, 2010
posted by Kimberly at 12:14 PM on August 9, 2010
I have read that if you get litter mates they are more likely to bond with each other than to bond with you.
I think this is possible but probably also depends on how well you train them to understand the pack order. My dogs are definitely bonded to each other but individually are each more bonded to me. If anything, they vie for my attention.
posted by Pax at 12:32 PM on August 9, 2010
I think this is possible but probably also depends on how well you train them to understand the pack order. My dogs are definitely bonded to each other but individually are each more bonded to me. If anything, they vie for my attention.
posted by Pax at 12:32 PM on August 9, 2010
One other, slightly grim, thing to take into consideration is that they are going to age together; so when they start getting on in years, and develop larger medical requirements, this is likely going to be something you are going to be dealing with in two dogs at the same time. This can be draining both financially and emotionally.
My first pets as a child were very similarly aged, and grew ill and passed within a few months of one another. It was a very sobering experience to little me, and as a result, I've avoided putting myself into that circumstance again.
That said, if this is just an effort to find two dogs that bond well, don't worry too much about focusing on litter mates, dogs generally like other dogs, particularly if you like them.
posted by quin at 1:14 PM on August 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
My first pets as a child were very similarly aged, and grew ill and passed within a few months of one another. It was a very sobering experience to little me, and as a result, I've avoided putting myself into that circumstance again.
That said, if this is just an effort to find two dogs that bond well, don't worry too much about focusing on litter mates, dogs generally like other dogs, particularly if you like them.
posted by quin at 1:14 PM on August 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
I am of the opinion that having two dogs is more than twice the work of having one. I've also been told (by the owner of the rescue from which I adopted my dog) that having littermates is much more work than just having two dogs because it makes training more difficult. If you've never had a dog, get just one first. And please consider adoption.
posted by emilyd22222 at 1:20 PM on August 9, 2010
posted by emilyd22222 at 1:20 PM on August 9, 2010
Bad idea. And no offense intended to your friend, but no knowledgeable and ethical breeder will place littermates, especially same sex littermates, together.
It is hard enough to raise one puppy properly, with adequate socialization, exercise and training. It is three times that work at least with two, since you ideally socialize them and exercise them and train them separately. Two dogs can get into ten times the mischief of one, two can come up with levels of mischief that one would never think of.
In all the years I have spent involved with the dog world, I have seen exactly two cases where same-age puppies did well, and both were in extremely experienced homes with two people who each took the primary caretaker role with a puppy.
If you truly want to be a good owner, and raise your puppy to be the best dog it can be, my advice would be to raise one well, then if you still want another in 3 years, get another. By then your adult will be old enough to help train the puppy about the rules of the house, and you will have recovered from puppy-raising enough to consider another.
posted by biscotti at 2:42 PM on August 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
It is hard enough to raise one puppy properly, with adequate socialization, exercise and training. It is three times that work at least with two, since you ideally socialize them and exercise them and train them separately. Two dogs can get into ten times the mischief of one, two can come up with levels of mischief that one would never think of.
In all the years I have spent involved with the dog world, I have seen exactly two cases where same-age puppies did well, and both were in extremely experienced homes with two people who each took the primary caretaker role with a puppy.
If you truly want to be a good owner, and raise your puppy to be the best dog it can be, my advice would be to raise one well, then if you still want another in 3 years, get another. By then your adult will be old enough to help train the puppy about the rules of the house, and you will have recovered from puppy-raising enough to consider another.
posted by biscotti at 2:42 PM on August 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'm agree with the_shrike and biscotti: two dogs at the same time is not the same thing at all as getting one dog.
It sounds cute and fun and cute, but it's not really fair to the puppy. I'm an experienced dog person, as is my wife. We have two dogs from the same litter. It's very hard to engage one dog at a time as a puppy: The other puppy is much more interesting than you. The two critters heterodyne on each other, creating a vortex of superpuppy stupidity, excitement, and self-designed behavior. Which sounds cute. Unless it's 24/7/365, eating the furniture, jumping on new people, or egging each other into running off without listening to you (into traffic).
Raise a good dog. If you want a second one, your existing good dog will help you raise a second good dog.
posted by lothar at 3:20 PM on August 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
It sounds cute and fun and cute, but it's not really fair to the puppy. I'm an experienced dog person, as is my wife. We have two dogs from the same litter. It's very hard to engage one dog at a time as a puppy: The other puppy is much more interesting than you. The two critters heterodyne on each other, creating a vortex of superpuppy stupidity, excitement, and self-designed behavior. Which sounds cute. Unless it's 24/7/365, eating the furniture, jumping on new people, or egging each other into running off without listening to you (into traffic).
Raise a good dog. If you want a second one, your existing good dog will help you raise a second good dog.
posted by lothar at 3:20 PM on August 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
We adopted two littermates three years ago, but only after very careful consideration. Vets and trainers thought that we were in a rare position to handle it, and we did put in all the extra work that the_Shrike mentioned. Two academics on summer leave can make themselves silly worrying about whether the pups are getting enough separate, solo attention!
So in a nutshell, I know this can work well (our dogs are great and very well adjusted), but I believe what folks say by way of caution. It's certainly a terrible idea if one thinks the two dogs are going to entertain or "take care" of each other, especially when young. The opposite is true.
It is more work having two...but only when young. Nowadays, there are times when we can let them play together rather than it always being us, and I think some things like obedience and agility classes have been somewhat easier, actually.
All that said I'd certainly urge caution.
posted by Mngo at 3:24 PM on August 9, 2010
So in a nutshell, I know this can work well (our dogs are great and very well adjusted), but I believe what folks say by way of caution. It's certainly a terrible idea if one thinks the two dogs are going to entertain or "take care" of each other, especially when young. The opposite is true.
It is more work having two...but only when young. Nowadays, there are times when we can let them play together rather than it always being us, and I think some things like obedience and agility classes have been somewhat easier, actually.
All that said I'd certainly urge caution.
posted by Mngo at 3:24 PM on August 9, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
They did have some separation anxiety when they were apart for a vet visit, though. Howling and crying and running all over looking for the missing sister. It wasn't really a huge deal until one of them got sick and didn't make it through a surgery. Her sister was devastated for months, gained tons of weight, wouldn't play. Things didn't really get better until we got another dog. Something to bear in mind.
Best of luck and congratulations on your new puppy(ies)!
posted by chatongriffes at 11:21 AM on August 9, 2010