Why Adopting Two Puppies at the Same Time is Actually Less work than Adopting One
By Macayla Cline
Deciding to adopt a puppy is just the first step in bringing a new furry family member home, leaving you with many more decisions to make. But what if one of those decisions was to consider adopting not just one, but two puppies at the same time? Why would adopting two puppies at once not be such a bad thing? According to CertaPet, nearly 76% of dogs experience severe anxiety and 73% of dog owners would consider adopting a second dog if it meant their first dog would be less anxious. This idea of adopting two puppies at once is not only becoming more popular, but there are many resources becoming available for these scenarios such as this video:
When you find yourself before the puppy liter, trying to pick just one, the cuteness overload will make you want to take them all home. Because of this, many people consider the idea of adopting two puppies, but are afraid of “double the work.” Yet, many professionals say it can be a very rewarding experience if it is done correctly. According to the Shiloh Vet Hospital, “There are many advantages to adopting two fur friends together. To my families surprise, we ended up with two Labrador puppies in the same house at the same time during the pandemic. What we would have expected to be a nightmare became one of the best experiences we could have asked for, making us believers in the power of adopting two puppies at the same time.
How did this happen in the first place? My parents had adopted a yellow Lab for Christmas of 2019. They named her Cami and she was the most rambunctious of puppies to begin with. To name a few of the struggles we were facing, Cami was chewing very personal belongings up, peeing wherever she wanted in the house, and would bark despite receiving nonstop attention. Given I was living in Fort Collins, Colorado, nearly three hours from my family, I wanted to adopt a puppy to have with me. Only 2 weeks later, I adopted a chocolate Lab who was named Mocha. Mocha was not a high maintenance dog when I was in her presence, always wanting to behave. However, she dealt with severe anxiety and would lose control whenever left alone, despite how well her training was going. I found myself quickly afraid to leave the house for any errands or even work. Then all of a sudden, the pandemic hit and I was sent to live back home. At first we were afraid of what having two lab puppies, only two weeks a part in age, would be like in the same house for months. But very quickly, we noticed improvements in both of the girls as soon as they began to forge a bond.
Why did we see improvements in their behavior when they had a buddy? To begin with, they were able to depend on one another for attention rather than need attention solely from their humans. They became inseparable and could not be spotted less than a few feet from one another. Whenever it was dinner time, they would wait for both bowls to be placed in front of them so they could eat at the same time. We could play with them and still form our own unique bonds, but there was no pressure in terms of not giving them enough attention. As long as they were together, they were okay.
They received plenty of exercise from playtime alone. The girls have equal amounts of energy, which means they are ready for playtime at the same time. Believe me, it can get loud when they are playing and you are struggling to make it from point A to point B in your house. But they would play so hard, they were exhausted by the time we were taking them on walks and hikes. It gives my family a peace of mind knowing they are keeping each other active without having to take them out for exercise every two seconds.
How could this make the training process go any better? Given the girls were so different in there personalities to begin with, they were able to create a healthy balance in there training methods. Mocha was able to learn with a calm demeanor, taking potty training and everything between really well. Cami struggled at first with it, but watched Mocha perform the correct trick or skill to receive a treat. Cami learned by watching Mocha, and progressed much faster than she had been doing before. On the flip side, Mocha was able to relax more whenever my family and myself would leave, knowing she had Cami with her. Cami was able to demonstrate a calm demeanor when left alone, which in return, allowed Mocha to realize it was okay to be left alone for a little. Eventually, all of Mochas anxieties went away and it was clear she just needed her buddy to walk her through it. Potty training became almost a competition between the two. When one would go outside and get a treat afterwards, the other would want to do the same thing to get a treat. They learned so much faster when they not only received praise for what they were doing right, but watching their buddy get praised helps them register even more.
Now of course, not every situation will be perfect or go the exact same way. However, it gives the puppies more of a chance to adapt to their new home when they do not feel like the only sheep of the human herd. For tips on how to raise two puppies successfully, visit the https://www.animalbehaviorcollege.com/blog/pet-training/double-trouble-or-double-the-pleasure/ blog. This is what we followed to make sure our girls were still receiving the upmost care during this fun transition.
Sources:
“Double Trouble, Double the Fun: Adopting Two Dogs at Once: Shiloh Veterinary Hospital.” Veterinary Blog for Los Angeles — Shiloh Veterinary Hospital, 28 Sept. 2020, https://www.shilohsvet.com/blog/double-trouble-double-the-fun-adopting-two-dogs-at-once/.
