What Are the Disadvantages of Getting Two Puppies at the Same Time?

A single puppy is a lot of work, but that amount of work can more than double with a second puppy. Though many people feel they are doing the dogs a favor by adopting two at the same time, thus giving them a companion, they may be doing the opposite: Two dogs, even two dogs who are not from the same litter, can create many disadvantages for each other and for the owner.

  1. Bonding

    • Puppies adopted together or at the same time, from separate litters, tend to bond to each other and not to the owner. This bonding can lead to difficulties such as separation anxiety or issues with training. And puppies bonding to each other become dependent upon each other and not the owner.

    Separation Anxiety

    • Puppies who are raised together and then separated, even for a short period of time, often begin to display signs of separation anxiety. Separation anxiety will cause the dog left behind to become severely stressed out, leading to destructive behaviors such as ripping at carpets or chewing on furniture. Affected dogs may also urinate, defecate and howl, whine or bark uncontrollably until the second dog returns.

    Inadequate Time for Training, Socialization

    • Caring for two puppies results in two puppies who receive half the attention they should have in every aspect of their lives. A single owner has to take the time allotted for the puppies and divide it into two, as it is not recommended to train the puppies together. Therefore, for potty training or obedience training, the dog receives half the time it probably requires. Furthermore, rarely does either dog receive adequate socialization, which only strengthens their bond to each other.

    Other Difficulties With Training

    • Training can be more difficult for other reasons aside from inadequate time. For example, during potty training, if one dog becomes successful but sees the other dog continuing to urinate in the home, the successful dog may return to urinating in the home. This undoes the hard work the owner has put in and can be a frustrating cycle until both pups are potty-trained.

    Cost

    • As expected, two puppies will cost twice as much as one --- if not more. This is especially true if the dogs are separate breeds (and the veterinarian charges accordingly). There will be twice the cost for veterinarian visits, twice as much food, twice as many toys, twice as many treats and, if necessary, twice as many trips to the groomer. Of course, there is also twice as much shedding.

    Loss of One Dog

    • All puppies will grow old; that's a fact of life. When they get to the end of their life span, should one dog die before the other (and it will inevitably occur), the remaining dog can become distraught. The loss of one dog can be extremely traumatic for the surviving dog; it could suffer serious separation anxiety or even stop eating, eventually passing away within days or weeks of the first dog. This situation can be enormously stressful for the owner as well.