The kids have begged you for a dog. Like a responsible would-be pet owner, you conduct your research and concede.
Then…they beg you for two dogs. Now what should you do?! There’s some debate in the pet community as to whether it’s wise to get one or two puppies on sale to join your home. It’s a personal decision that should be weighed and pondered greatly. Here are two questions to consider asking yourself as you’re deciding to adopt or purchase two puppies on sale, at the same time.
Firstly, do you have the time and patience?
Raising one puppy is a task, but imagine two. Just think down the line for second. It’s midnight and you hear one puppy whimpering who may be suggesting a late night relief run. The other puppy is unaffected but awakened, and you decide it’s best to take them both. What could have been a quick walk becomes a longer and more labored task to accomplish. Before you know it, they’ve engaged in some midnight fun and their potty run is an afterthought. At this point, you might start second guessing your decision to getting two puppies on sale.
And since we’re on the subject of potty runs, house training two puppies is an arduous, but doable task with persistence and patience. You’ll find yourself separating and supervising the two to ensure they’re eliminating in the proper places. Again, ask yourself. Do you have the time and patience?
Secondly, can you give each puppy individual attention?
Just because the puppies on sale that you found have come as a packaged deal, you’ll soon discover that they have very distinct personalities and require individual attention. One might be a loner and the other may be a constant cuddle companion. You’ll have to treat and do everything for them separately, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Just make the firm commitment to spend social time with them individually. This will prevent them from becoming inseparable and creating a super bond with each, to the exclusion of developing a meaningful relationship with their humans.
While it is certainly more of a commitment to own two puppies on sale, it has successfully been done many many times. With the proper time and dedication, they can be raised to be healthy, well adjusted, sociable adult dogs!