This week I was planning to bring home one yorkie poo after putting a deposit down last week. I wanted to make sure I had everything ready so I asked the woman to hold him for me for a few days. The day before I was supposed to pick him up and she called me and asked if I would take his brother. I told her I needed to think about it and I asked a few people and everyone recommended that I take both of them. I thought it was a great idea that they would have each other and everything. Now, they're both home and have been for two and a half days. They're great puppies. They're still learning the housebreaking rules, but they're only ten weeks.

Can anyone give me information or advise me where to go to get information about raising two puppies from the same litter? I'm taking them both to the vet today for the first time and I'm planning to ask him for some advice.

I am considering the same thing. I am looking into adopting 2 male Shih Tzu puppies. They are 12 weeks old. I have read that if you adopt 2 from the same litter that they don't bond with you and seem to keep to themselves. I would appreciate any advise on this subject. I have previous experience with Shih Tzus. I had one that recently passed away.

Some say that the pups bond with each other and not with you, yes.
I have not found this to be the case at all, [I breed Labradors], and this is why.
If the puppies have been correctly brought up and socialized, and are not leaving their mother and littermates before 8 weeks of age, they will be fully ready to bond with humans.
The best time for puppies to bond with humans is between the ages of 8 weeks and 16 weeks, and they are very impressionable at that age. I hope that the breeder of these puppies performed that role in the weeks between 8 and 10 before you came to fetch them. If it was a good breeder they would understand the developmental stages of a puppy's psychology and would have done it.
However, even if they did not, you still have time to do it yourself. The key at this stage is to spend as much time as possible with them, because if you don't, then obviously they will bond with each other more than they do with you, that's only natural isn't it? It is still better than having one little lonely baby on his own.
In my experience of dogs and puppies, as long as dogs receive a reasonable amount of your time and attention, and are not left as exclusively outside dogs with no human interaction, they will bond with you, regardless.
Don't worry too much, just relax and enjoy your puppies, the time passes so quickly.

Thanks for the reply. That putsd my mind at ease. Obviously the informatipn I got was incorrect. But, that should not surprise anyone.

[Kingsbridge Cav]

I'm not sure I would bring home two pups at the same time ever again! I did it once and I have had the toughest time house training them. I have house trained a lot of dogs and even done it for other people in my home. It helps to have one older dog who is trained and shows the pups the ropes.
In my case I had the older dog to show the pups the ropes, but they chose to learn from each other rather than the older dog. What I'm saying is essentially, "monkey see, monkey do do!"
I'm sure house training can be done effectively when you have more than one pup, but thought I'd share my experience so you would be aware of the possibilities!
Good luck!

While I agree that this could be an issue, housetraining is also the responsibility of the breeder, at least the majority of it is. [I am also a breeder]
In fact it is in the Code of Ethics the breeders here have to sign to become Accredited Breeders, that the puppies must be socialised with both other dogs and humans, and housetrained before they go to their new homes.
If puppies are raised in a suitable environment, that is, in an environment that has a clearly demarcated living area and 'outside' area, they will learn to go 'outside' from 4 weeks of age. The breeder in fact does not have to do anything at all by way of housetraining, just supply the correct facilities.
I have provided those facilities for my puppies, a kennel house under roof with a grassed run leading from it, so I speak from experience here.
My buyers regularly remark that they are amazed how few 'accidents' their puppies have in their new home.
It is also necessary to educate the buyer very clearly, and that is also the responsibility of the breeder.
No-one should expect a puppy to be able to differentiate between surfaces that are allowed and those that are not! For example, how would a puppy know that it is fine to poo and piddle on the grass, but not at all fine to do so on your favourite shaggy rug? The same goes for puppies that have been raised in a concrete run.
Dogs will not soil their living, sleeping and eating area by natural instinct, but do not expect more of them than you would of a human baby, please, it takes a little time and patience to show them what you expect from them, and a reward of a treat or a kind word and a pet when they do it correctly works wonders!

[wishbone]

For new dog owners, having two puppies is double of fun but they are double of work. For me I would not do that for I prefer to make my first dog fully trained and independent before getting him a buddy, besides there's a lot place and other dogs to socialize him. You should start with asking advices from a vet, also crate training can help on keeping them from chewing habit. Making schedule routine is a great help too, like having prompt time meal, potty break, play, walker & exercise.

[Popcorn]

having 2 puppies from the same litter can also cause problems as they grow older, and one of them will want to be top dog, and this very often results in fighting, and i've known others who have had 2 puppies or 2 dogs very similiar in ages who have had nothing but heart ache when this occurs and eventually they have to re home one for the safety of them both, becuase once they start fighting, they will continue to do so. which can result in serious injury or even death.

Having 2 together is also harder because you will have to take them out individually to learn them to walk to heel, recall and training etc, this can not be done 2 together. Have you the time to walk them seperately etc, it takes alot of time during a day.

It is better to have at least 2 years between your dog and a new arrival, this way the older dog will learn the new pup and also won't put up with to much nonsence before it put the pup in it's place. this way the pup learns respect from it's elders, by having 2 the same age they won't get this.

I wish you luck, but i can see problems ahead, i sincerely hope everything goes well for you

I would hire a good professional trainer. Crate them in different crates, in different rooms if possible, take them for walks alone (as well as together) and train them separately. This should eliminate the sibling dependence that dogs can get that can later lead to many problems. One of my clients had 2 young poodles and when one of then got hit by a car and died, the sister was lost without him and died soon after! Make sure to give them plenty of time apart as well as together and you should be fine.