Feeling Overwhelmed with Our Two New Puppies!

You made the commitment so you should stick to it. Read some books or go online and learn what to do. Get a trainer if need be. They are not puppies forever. Once you get past the puppy stage, you will be much happier.

They need training, lots of it. Find a class, also do some research into crate training to help them learn to hold their bladders longer at night. It will take patients and time, that is always true with any baby, human or otherwise.

Immediate advice is to return one of them. As a breeder, I would not ever place two puppies with a family at the same time.

Of course they are bonded to each other... they are littermates & have never known their life without each other. To raise two littermates requires taking them out separately for activities, & training. Additionally, it is not uncommon for two puppies to fight with each other when they reach maturity, or to develop jealousy issues & fight over you.

Here is a link to an article that explains well what would take me a while to type:
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/13_1/features/Pro...

Now, is it possible to raise 2 puppies from a litter? Yes... people do it. Those that do it successfully & have happy, well-adjusted dogs are the ones who invest a lot of time in training & socialization. Each puppy goes on trips without the other, each puppy takes classes without the other, playtime in the house is done separately. This allows each puppy to develop independence & self-reliance. They also then associate comfort with YOU, and are then able to develop a healthy relationship with the other puppy.

I know this is hard advice ot hear, but I have seen too many people on the wrong end of this situation, & don't want to sugarcoat the efforts that you need to make if this will be successful. Truly, if you are overwhelmed now, after 1 week, don't wait longer to let one of the puppies go back. Letting go now allows your family to bond securely with the puppy you keep, allows the breeder to place the returned puppy in a loving home of its own, and in a few months/year, if you decide your family really needs 2 dogs, another puppy can be gotten, without the inherent issues that typically come with 2 littermates.

T. - Breeder Rhodesian Ridgebacks 13 years

We have an 11 month old golden. We went through a stage where I was overwhelmed with just one and I am and have been a dog person my whole life! He's still a work in progress and will be for years.

They need training classes with the adults of the house doing the training and children watching and learning. Make sure your words for commands are consistent throughout the family. The trainer will be your best go-to person, so find one you like and respect.

They need a TON of daily exercise. Do you have dog parks in the area? Once they are up to date on shots they will be safe in the small dog area.

They need to go potty after eating, drinking, playing, napping and everything in between. That could be going out literally 15 minutes apart, at times. Say "go potty" and then a ton of praise each time. You go with them with a hand held leash.

When you need a break, the crate (one for each dog so they have their own space) is your friend but don't use it as a crutch. They need family/pack time too.

When they are sleeping, make sure kids leave them alone.

They need plenty of durable chew toys suitable for puppies.

They need one on one time with you so you guys become the pack leaders.

Good luck and have fun!!

While returning one of the pups is good advice, the first poster has a lot of good advice as well. A friend of mine got 3 pups at once. Same litter. And they drove her crazy! However, she spoke to trainers and she separated the pups except for playtime and sleep. She enrolled them in training classes at separate times. She walked them separately. She did have help from her husband and teen son though so she was not always outside walking one of them. They also ate separately so no fighting over food. She told me her first year was just nuts and many times she was ready to give it up. But now they are 5 yrs old and all one big happy family.

We got two brothers when they were young too. It worked out beautifully for us - they played hard, then slept hard. I treated them just like toddlers: get them outside immediately, feed them, play with them, then let them nap. Spend a lot of time with them and get them a lot of exercise (just like kids), and they'll learn to behave the way you want them to. Of course they'll play and "fight" together - that's what puppies do! I was surprised to see the responses about not getting siblings - ours have been great! Good luck to you, these little animals depend on us for love and care.

I disagree with the posters who say adopting 2 puppies is a bad idea. It's kind of like having twins- it is a lot more work in the beginning, but you have a built in playmate for life! My husband and I both work, so our pooches have each other to keep occupied during the day. We had a solo dog first, and she had severe separation anxiety. We decided to get puppy to keep her company and ended up getting 2 puppies. I am so glad we did! Our dogs are litter mates. They had small dominance fights in their "teen" phase (6-8 months old), but we established ourselves as the bosses very firmly, and all has been well for the last 10 years to today. Our dogs are pitbulls, btw, so our initial task was a bit tougher than some less dominant breeds :) Dogs are social creatures, it can be easier on you if you do not have to provide 100% of that social interaction.
Get them trained, get them toys, give them lots of exercise. Learn the difference between puppy play and fighting. There is a huge difference. One usually involves blood, one is normal social behavior.
My dad is a vet, he always gets dogs 2 at a time (usually a purebred puppy and a companion from the local shelter).

ETA: Tara is a breeder of some very "hardcore" dogs- I would probably follow that advice for a Ridgeback :)

Definitely get them into puppy training-Petco usually has socialization classes. Also as someone said, a dog park but not until after they've had their puppy shots. In the meantime, lots of playing, long walks, chew toys-tire them out! Also it's important to show them who the master is-they'll gang up on you if you don't establish that really quickly. The puppy stage is hard whether it's one or two, but at least with two they can entertain each other!

I highly recommend taking them to puppy classes, probably separately. I'm not sure what kind of puppies they are, but they need to be trained, regardless. I know PetSmart holds puppy classes, my aunt is taking her 2 new puppies there and my cousin is as well. My Grandma hasn't taken her dog to any classes and you can see the differences in behavior. They need to be trained, and so do you as a new dog owner.

You are never supposed to get two puppies at the same time. They bond with and listen to each other more than they will with any people and they are much, much harder to train. I think you should find a home for one of them and get the other one enrolled in lots of puppy and then dog obedience classes!

.... gosh how hard.
I know a family that got one, puppy.
And that was hard enough for them. And their kids were of no help, even if their kids are old enough to be responsible with their pet puppy.
But you need to do and get, proper training for them.
Sooner, the better.
And puppy proof the home.

They play with each other like kids do. Why does that bother you? Just let them play....perhaps you can leave them in a part of the house that you don't have to be right there with them.

I think if 3 puppies being rambunctious is annoying you to this point that perhaps you might be a cat person.

We did this when we got our boston terriers (now 11 years old). It was crazy awful trying to potty train 2 puppies at the same time. This was also before we had kids so we had plenty of time to work with the puppies. I would give one of the puppies back if you are already overwhelmed after a week.

yours is a cautionary tale. puppies are SO MUCH WORK! even one is such a huge commitment, two really is just asking to have your life eaten for the first year or so.
that being said, i'm not going to pound you for getting litter mates. it would have been better, of course, if you were experienced and prepared for the work, but that doesn't mean it can't work.
you definitely need some professional help, and for the family to divide and conquer. keep them separate as much as possible, and while you're house-training, have whoever has the most energy shadow the more active puppy. you're already probably the busiest in the family, so you take the quieter one. walk, train and socialize them separately as much as reasonably possible, and only give them brother-time when they're not interacting with humans. once they've been socialized to accept the family as the top dogs, they won't be so rambunctious with each other, at least when you're around.
i hope it works out, hon. it IS nice for the dogs to have a friend- and in this case a sibling!- in their lives. good luck!
khairete
S.

If I was in this situation...

I would return one of them. It seems sad to return one, but it's not as if they have bonded as the only dogs at your home for weeks... They only got a few extra days together, when they would have been separated already if you had only gotten one in the first place.

I have fostered many shelter puppies. One year I had five at once. It was insane! Luckily, most of them adopted fairly quickly... But there were two who I had for about six months together before they were adopted. When one left, the other moped around for a little while but got over it fairly quickly. I was so relieved when I only had one left~ she calmed down quite a bit! and we actually bonded better than we could when I was caring for two. I almost adopted her myself, but she wound up going to a great forever home. :) Anyway, the point of that was to let you know you won't traumatized the pups by separating them at this point.

Like others mentioned... It is certainly possible to raise litter mates together, but if you are already feeling overwhelmed... Just wait! Lol. They will likely be quite rambunctious for at least another year, possibly more depending on the breed.

That said, I agree with puppy classes. Also, as much socialization as possible with other people. :)

I would read up on littermate syndrome.

This problem needs to be addressed asap - either with immediate, intense one-on-one training or re-homing one of the pups (and continued training with the other).

People do it quite successfully but I'm personally not a fan of two pups of the same age being brought into the home at the same time.

Nobody should have sold you two puppies. One is hard enough. If you got them from a pet store, please do not take them back. Pet stores are horrible places where animals are not cared for in the least. I can't imagine a breeder selling you two puppies. That's insanity.

You need to get them both in puppy classes right now. They both need to go separately, or two of you take them at the same time. But either way, they need to be in training classes. I would tell you the same thing with one puppy. If you don't do training classes you are setting yourself and the poor puppies up for a lifetime of challenges and struggle.

I hate to tell you but this time won't pass unless you get them trained. And they will get worse as they grow older if you don't do training. If you can't handle them, please for their sakes get them a good home or contact the breeder to take them back.