Should I buy two puppies at the same time to have each others’ company?
As it seems like a great idea, the answer to this question really depends on what you are planning on getting out of owning a dog- or two!
If YOU are intending to have a great relationship with a dog and do awesome training, we recommend that you buy one puppy first. Once the puppy has formed the relationship with you and is very well trained, you could bring another one into your life. You should invest sufficient “alone time” in the second dog and form a solid relationship and train. That way you will end up with two dogs that are strongly bonded with you.
If you bring two puppies into your house hold at the same time, it could be quite an effort to get the same results on each of them. They will bond with each other more than with you. They both speak the same language. More likely they will “talk”to each other more than they desire to talk/ interact with you. Just imagine three people are in the same room. One speaks German, the other two only speak English. Creatures of any kind will choose the easier route. The two will talk in English to each other , and the third one is not really of their interest.
If there are only two people in the room that speak different languages, they both will try to figure out a way to communicate with each other.
The next decision to be made is to choose gender.
Two dogs of opposite gender is always a choice with less challenges later on.
Opposite genders are more likely NOT getting into serious arguments. An argument though could break out over one of them being closer to you physically than the other- they can be jealous.
Also possessiveness over an object of desire (food, toy) could be a trigger. Male versus female usually don’t get into serious fights as male versus male, female versus females most likely do.
If two dogs get into a fight it is best for you NOT to interfere as you most likely get bit. At this point, they don’t know what they are biting at! Spraying them with the water hose (if possible) creates a good enough distraction to break them up.
Another consideration might be to have two dogs from different breeds.
Be aware that different breeds might have different temperaments due to the fact that they have been bred for different purposes. This might have in graded totally different behaviors and interests. Therefore they interact differently with humans and other species of animals.
An extreme reflection of the above said, is a Rottweiler coupled up with a Husky, expecting that they come from a breeder that follows a breeding program that reproduces the true purpose of which the breed originally was created for:
Huskies are bred to pull the sled as fast and as long as possible. They are NOT a breed with a lot of human social interaction. His very pronounced behavior is running. Do you see the reason why there are not too many, if any, obedience champions within this breed?
The Rottweiler was originally bred to drive the cattle to the market. He instinctively does so by nipping the cow in the heel and make it move forward. After the cattle was sold at the market, the owner would put the pouch containing the money around the Rottweiler’s neck. The Rottweiler naturally does not let strangers touch him, especially not around the neck.
Now imagine a Rottweiler and a Husky living together…..
The Husky running wild, and the Rottweiler trying to bite his heels.
Maybe this is entertaining to some, to some degree?
This is an excellent example of two females that were acquired as trained adults from Zauberberg kennels.
They are sisters that had been raised together and separately trained by the breeder.
The new owner took one after the other into her home.