Hi, just looking for some pointers.

My family is getting 2 Chessie pups in about a month. They are not related but are both going to be right at 8 weeks old. They are also going to be Male and Female.

These are primarly going to be family pets and we have 4 kids from the ages of 3-12.

It's very important to me for both the pups and the family be very happy and not get into bad habits at the start.

Any suggestions how to start everyone off on the right foot?

Thanks in advance!

Use kennel boxes for house training, incorporate the kids into helping out in the house training of the pups. Anytime the puppies slow down, take them outside for an potty breaks. Train the kids to watch for sniffing and signs that they need to go out. This helps the kids take part in training the pups. Then set "rules" with the kids. This will be the hardest. NO TUG OF WAR, NO KEEP AWAY, NO TOSSING TOYS, BALLS AND SUCH FOR THE PUPS EXCEPT UNDER SUPERVISION. Kids and pups work great together and form great bonds. Playing within the rules ensure no bad habits develop which can be very problematic in the future.

Good luck you will have your hands full, but it can be done.

Jeff

Thanks!

I have read about it being a lot of work when it come to socialization when getting two puppies cause they will gravitate towards eachother and not the family.

Will this be the case I wonder even if the pups dont know eachother or is this mostly for pups that are from the same litter? Our pups are coming from 2 different breeders so hopefully it won't be as bad.

quote:

Originally posted by Fishiest1:
Thanks!

I have read about it being a lot of work when it come to socialization when getting two puppies cause they will gravitate towards eachother and not the family.

Will this be the case I wonder even if the pups dont know eachother or is this mostly for pups that are from the same litter? Our pups are coming from 2 different breeders so hopefully it won't be as bad.

In my opinion as long as the pups have plenty of attention and their own special time with their people it isn't a problem. People to them are just goofy looking dogs. So as long as the pups are not ignored and just left alone with each other there isn't usually a problem. When the only companionship they receive is from the other pup is when they turn off the human contact. But that is just my opinion.

Jeff

Four kids and two Chesapeake puppies? one word: DON'T.

A CBR pup is a lot of work the first year to turn it into a good family member. A lot more work than many easier breeds like Labs or golden retrievers. A lot more work than most people can handle. Even childless, experienced dog owners avoid getting two young dogs of this breed close in age at the same time.

If there is any way you can get your money back on one of the pups, and/or wait for a future litter from that breeder, please try and do so. Forfeiting a deposit will be cheaper than losing the entire purchase price when you end up needing to get rid of one or both in 6 to 12 months.

I know this sounds harsh but, there isn't a nice way to put it: getting 2 pups from the same litter or the same age at the same time is a recipe for disaster. Probably the number one reason nice young Chesapeakes end up in rescue is that families have NO idea of how much harder it is to train two pups than one. It's not just twice as hard; it's 3 times as hard. I can't imagine anyone with four kids having the time it would take. It's much better to space them at least 24 mos. or more apart.

It's a myth that two dogs will keep each other company and make life easier on you. Two dogs will bond with each other and not you and both of them will be twice as hard to train. In fact about the only way to train two pups successfully is to keep them separated; work and train them separately except for brief periods (so much for keeping each other company!)

I would speak to both breeders about getting two pups at once and if either thinks it's a good idea, that is the one who you need to get your money back from. If you insist on trying it, inform both breeders and ask if they will take their pup back if it does not work out. This may not be what you wanted to hear, but it's what you need to know.

Damn..

I second and third what Julie says. I won't sell two pups from the same litter, and if I find someone is trying to buy a pup from me and another pup from someone else, I will tell them that this is not a good thing, why it's not a good thing, and opt out from selling them a pup.

The best way to go is to get one puppy, put a good year or more worth of training into it and if you feel that all has gone well and you still want a second dog, then start looking again. This way you should end up two trained dogs that have not bonded on each other.

Kathy Miller
Sandy Oak Chesapeakes

Hell I fourth what Julie says. In the end you can not put the time or be fair to the dogs. Get a lab.

Julie's opinion here is dead on, unless you have some serious experience with dogs that you have not mentioned. If this is just a family pet, do you really need two. Try one and make sure that works. And after that juvenille delinquent grow up a little, then think about #2. They are a lot of work.

You should also find a puppy kindergarden to take the pup to. You could probably find a chessie owner close to you that could make a suggestion for a trainer.

Well it seems like its going to be quite an undertaking.

Please bare with me though:

I have raised multiple pups before ie dobermans and great danes. I also have had a single chessie before. That said, I realize Chessies are different and have seen it first hand. Now, I am by no means an expert but do have some experience.

That said, if we were to take this on could I please ask for some pointers to make this more successful. I had thought that by not having litter mates, different sexes and crate training, having the crates in different rooms and training seperate we would be on the right track to make this work. Are there other suggestions yall might be able to make? If we have a plan we can keep to it and make it work.

Thanks in advance.

If you have the experience of having raised other dogs, especially a chessie, have at it. Just don't let the dogs get isolated from human contact by just playing with each other. Seperate quarters and play times from the other pup is the key. I've done it and so has a lot of folks on this forum. It isn't impossible but you will be spread thin. But with 4 kids you already are.

Depending upon your kids, I would get them involved and responsible for the socialization and training of the pups so that they get plenty of individual attention. If the kids buy into the program you get to train kid and pups together.

We all cringed at your first question because we all assumed you had never had a chessie but they looked so cute and you needed two. I am glad you clarified that you are not a novice to the raising of pups especially Chessies.

Good luck again

Jeff

PS Did you consider an older rescue dog and a pup as opposed to two pups? Not wrong or right just thinking out loud.

What Jeff said...did you consider an older dog and a pup? Maybe a trained rescue and a pup?

It's nothing to take personally; but it's a proven fact this is the wrong breed to take on two pups to train at once. There's NOTHING wrong with thinking it over thoroughly and asking your breeders--BOTH of them--to be a safety net if things don't work out.

Maybe you will prove to be an exception, but the odds are stacked heavily against you with four kids, unless one is old enough and responsible enough AND committed enough to take on having his/her own dog and do all training while you train the other. And even then, it's not an ideal situation. If you absolutely had to get two dogs at once, one should ideally be an adult with some training and/or a much lower maintenance breed. You could even foster a Chesapeake. Rescue gets a lot of puppies from people that ambitiously try to train two at once, but they also get a lot of nice older dogs some with quite a bit of training, that get surrendered due to housing, divorce, etc.

Recently, can't remember if it was here or another retriever board, someone asked a similar question about raising two pups at once. Even the VERY few who'd done so successfully said they would never do it again. And respondents were mostly hard core dog people; breeders and serious competitors in various dog sports like agility, hunt tests, shows and so on. Not active families with 4 kids.

I don't like to use the terms always or never with dogs as they have a habit of making liar out of me. You might be able to make it work. But you need to start with your breeders, your spouse and your kids to help you make it work and be sure none will feel shortchanged. And, you need to make sure you aren't biting off more than you can chew just to 'prove a point.'

Are you prepared to commit all your spare time with your dogs, supervising them together and separately, training them separately, shuffling them between airing, yard, crate, kennel, etc., rain or shine, dark or light, freezing temps or stagnant humidity? Can the kids/spouse fend for themselves 2 evenings a week when you take each to a separate class? What if one or both gets sick with projectile puking and explosive diarrhea splattered through their crates on your walls and carpets, one of your children has kept you up all night with a similar bug, can you deal with that and getting the other 3 kids off to school on a cold, rainy morning?

So the best advice I have is speak to BOTH breeders at length about training two pups at the same time. If neither volunteered to help out and/or be a safety net for their puppy given the abysmal record of nearly all 2-puppy homes, it just shows that person is more interested in the cash-in-hand from the puppy than making sure you and the puppy are a good match. And in that case I submit you will be better off forfeiting that deposit and going elsewhere.

If on the other hand you're as stubborn as a CBR and still want to try, remember also there's no shame in admitting it's too much and there's also a pretty good market for slightly older puppies that someone else has done the chore of house breaking and civilizing. And in a few years you'll be on here cautioning someone else not to get two at once....

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Julie R.,

Julie is correct and a very descriptive example of the problems a person could encounter.....Julie you might want to write some stuff for planned parenthood....LOL...

You are correct it is a big job to do it correctly and a person needs to be honest about what to expect.


Jeff

Julie, an excellent post and excellent advice.

FWIW, I've owned, bred and trained Chesapeakes for 35 years, and had horses and other dog breeds before that. I've had 3 instances where I kept littermates or pups of the same age, and in every case placed one of them before they were 8 months old because of all the problems I had trying to train them and trying to keep them from totally bonding on each other! I won't sell pups this way and wouldn't do it again myself, and I have no kids to deal with! I can't imagine trying to raise 4 human children, work at a full time job and trying to raise and train 2 chesapeake pups at the same time!

Kathy Miller
Sandy Oak Chesapeakes

Just saw this thread... and have many questions...as age of each child, maturity level, etc. plus many more.
You heard from two outstanding & respectable breeders (Kathy Miller & Julie Reardon). The many other outstanding breeders who post here would also agree with them. Two pups near the same age is a ticket for disaster (dog & humans). You heard from the breeders...now my turn to chime in... As an Animal Behaviorist, I spent too many hours dealing with the problems that resulted from someone trying to raise two pups together. Intentions were always "good" but the burden was overwhelming always in the end.
The family suffered (often fearful of getting even a single dog) and one or both dogs faired poorly.

quote:

Recently, can't remember if it was here or another retriever board, someone asked a similar question about raising two pups at once. Even the VERY few who'd done so successfully said they would never do it again. And respondents were mostly hard core dog people; breeders and serious competitors in various dog sports like agility, hunt tests, shows and so on. Not active families with 4 kids.

It was on the cbrs4me site. I posted there how by raising two pups together, one pup or both often get "the short end of the stick", that attention/training is not given equally (along with the other inherent problems trying to raise two pups together).

It can be done (but a very heavy price to pay on the family, loss of time spent together because of attending to the puppies, etc). Also, there is the reduced time that can be spent with each individual dog (only so many hours/day/week). That lost time is very important to the dog's development. One or both dogs pay the price that will eventually result in problems down the road.
To adequately raise two pups, you will have to dedicate more time than planned for - ie YOU get less sleep per night to give that extra time to a dog, or forget that "outing", shoping trip, or normally 'time alone' you may have so that you can dedicate/spend the necessary time with each dog.

Sorry if Harsh Words, but remember it will eventually affect your family, the dogs, and potentially your childrens view/outlook at dog ownership (seen too many "children" who became resentful for having to take responsibility of dog ownership, especially the unpleasant aspects - yard clean-up, sick pups, walks when tired or missing their TV show, etc). Another aspect is FRUSTRATION (on the family). Puppies are Puppies (no matter how well trained). Often even experienced dog owners get frustrated, anxious, or overwhelmed at the dog's defiance, non-obedience, or behaviors. That results in "hard feelings" or negative feelings where the dog is viewed/looked upon as a burdon, inconvienience, or a problem. Often the dog is subjected to yelling, shouting, or other inapropriate reactions out of anger, frustration, or anxiety. At "best" (which is still negative), the owner is resentful of the dog in some mannor.

Question, did you tell either breeder your intentions of getting a puppy from another breeder at the same time??
If so, what was their reaction/response. If "favorable", I'd be very leary of that breeder - money is their interest, not the dog.

So in summary, THINK VERY HARD on this Life Changing Decision - for you, your family, & the Dogs.
If you still feel this is what you intend to do, we go from there. But in actuality, the odds/percentage is against you.

Charlie

The aforementioned cbrs4me threads are:

http://www.cbrs4me.com/wwwboar...messages/138115.html Gina’s original post

http://www.cbrs4me.com/wwwboar...messages/138156.html My post

If you go to Gina’s post, you can click on all 20 replies to view.

Charlie

Why ask for advice if you are taking none. Your situation is impossible. You have youg kids that need time and now your going to have two pups??? You have trained dogs to do what? Great Danes are nothing like chessies. What you forgot to tell everyone is that you also intend to breed them !! Correct???

Thank you very much, everyone!

A little fishy alright!! If you have had all this experience raising twins then ask for advice, then dispute every bit of advice that everyone gives you, why ask for advice?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: john parkin,

J Parkin,

1) My question was never "whether we should do it or not" it was "suggestions how to start everyone off on the right foot?". Members took it upon themselves to change the topic to whether it should be done or not. Therefore, I would only be disputing their advice if they actually answered my question, which most did not.

2) I only brought up my experience when point blank asked. It was not to challenge anyone as if I am the puppy czar or something.

3) I also have never posted here prior so am not sure what you are insinuating.