hello...new and confused!

hi all,
I just joined this group. Let me introduce me....My name is Stacy and I am the proud mommy to 3 kids and 1 kitty named Hershey and 2 brand new pups! My pups are my confusion so maybe someone here can help. First, my pups are sooooo sweet and soooo young...they are 6 weeks old today! Bandit is the boy and Sassy is the girl. Here is what I am confused about..... Have I made a mistake adopting 2 puppies at the same time????? I have had dogs before just never 2!!!!!! I have been told by some people that 2 pups are not good together cause it makes training....ie...housebreaking...ect....IMPOSSIBLE. They will grow up with one listening to me and one not. Already I feel it may be true . They have such different personalities. This is all new to me and I desperately need advice. Example being.....Bandit seems to understand more of the idea of where to potty and where not to potty...Sassy seems soooooo much more outgoing. Bandit hides alot in the crate where Sassy is right under foot . Sassy wants her belly rubbed and Bandit will NEVER lay on his back on purpose. Also, I want to know which is the best puppy food (that I can afford) here are my choices......


Science Diet
Pedigree
Iams
Puppy Chow......Yes, My vet said this is a good food!!!!!!
Purina One for puppies
Pro Plan by Purina

I am really happy I have found this group.....Please give this new double puppy mommy some help!!!! I will be looking forward to being in this group that seem to really love their 4 legged kids!

 

Six weeks is way too young .But getting two is your choice and you have to live with it .LOL !
I use science Diet and eukanuba mix for mine .I am trying Back to Basics though on some to see if there is a difference .Will know in a few months how that goes .
Two can be easier as one will follow the other most of the time ,but you got your hands full there .LOL
Welcome and pictures please when you can !

 

HI Stacy and WELCOME. Soundsa like you had twins.LOL!! I myself use prunia one and have good luck with it on my puppies and adult dogs. What breed of dogs are they. I really wish you luck with potty training. i use the pee pads first and then out side when i take them to the pee pad and they go i always tell them how good they are and give then a treat. i use candine carryouts at walmart .97... the dogs love them. :y_the_best
Just hang in there

 

none of those foods are good. if i had to choose from one id choose pedigree. but only if its pedigree advance. im not sure if the US sells that. anyone seen advance?

 

WOW..sounds like you have quite the active household...LOL

I got my 2 aktias (Ricky & Lucy) from the same litter at 7 weeks old. It was a challenge but I'm sooooooo happy I got them together. Although they are brother & sister, they are extremely different, Lucy (90lbs) is a party girl, loves to be in the mix and wants everyones attention and dog cookies 24/7, and Ricky (110lbs) is a big gentle boy who is shy and a bit afraid of things at first but a big mush who loves the attention too!! We made a point to socialize them with people and other dogs early on and it paid off. They are now 2 years old and as puppies I fed them eukanuba (how ever you spell that...lol).

 

Two dogs can indeed be very difficult to housebreak and train when you get them at the same time. People say that they form a greater attachment to each other than to any human. I used to have two dogs that we got at the same time as little puppies, and one of them was very attached to me. It all depends on the individual dogs and how you raise them. It is not IMPOSSIBLE, though, and there are things you can do to help.

First of all, each puppy needs some alone time with you. How you accomplish that varies - maybe one is sleeping, or outside (never unattended at that age!), or being played with by one of your kids or husband or a friend. However you do it, you need alone time with each pup! During this time, play with the pup and start to train it. Keep everything totally positive. Get a book on clicker training or other positive methods. I like to recommend any of Ian Dunbar's puppy books or "The Power of Positive Dog Training" by Pat Miller for new puppy owners.

As far as housebreaking goes, I would just be totally consistent. They need to go out at least every hour, and also after eating, drinking, playing, or sleeping (take them out IMMEDIATELY after waking up - I usually carried mine!). Take them outside through the same door to the same spot every time, and when they go, praise them AS THEY ARE GOING, but keep it somewhat lowkey or they will stop in the middle, LOL. Always use the same words when heading outside (like, "Want to go outside?") and when they are actually going ("Go potty!" or "Hurry Up!" or whatever words you want to use).

They need to be supervised at all times. When you can't be watching them, they should be crated (or at least somewhere that they can't chew on inappropriate things and you don't mind if they potty). Some people tether the pup to themselves with a leash tied around the waist or in your belt loop or something. That way the pups can't go into another room and find mischief when you aren't looking. It's also good to confine them to one room for a while, using baby gates. I practically lived in that room when our dog was small, and if I had to leave I took her with me or crated her.

Crate training would definitely be a good thing to look into. Having both dogs have a place of their own is nice, and it comes in handy later on for car trips and trips to the vet and if you ever have to board them. Don't crate them together, though - use two crates, which you can set next to each other. If you are going to crate train, look up info first so you know how to introduce the crates and how big they should be, etc.

Good luck with your pups, and come ask questions if you need to!


Jamiya

 

Thanks so much for all the advice. Yes, I do have my hands full. Yes they are way to young to be away from their mommy....I got them at 5 weeks old because the person I got them from said they were ready and he was taking them to the shelter! So, I left that day with both pups.... I only went there to pick "one" out...lol Thanks for sharing to me how different your brother/sister are that is exactly how they are. Sassy is the party animal and Bandit is reserved and shy. He waits for her lead.
They are going to be large dogs. They are a mix between a Husky and a German Shepard. IT is amazing they look just like Austrialian Shepards! Bandit has a blue eye and brown eye and he is a blue merel color. Sassy, looks like a german shepard with ice blue eyes. People at the vets could not believe they were from the same litter. As for the food, I think I will try the Purina One. They are full of worms!!!!!!! They have 3 different type...yuck! We are treating that problem also. They are severely pot-bellied...poor babbies. Bandit is looking better but Sassy is just as big as she was...I called my vet today and she said I could up her med. another 2/10ths. Well, thanks for all the encouragement. I do have my hands full but this is something I feel really strong about. I can do it some how!!! lol I am sure of it especially since I have found this message board full of advice.
Stacy