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Getting 2 New Lab Pups and Need Some Crate Advice Please

7K views 22 replies 11 participants last post by  imported_MilesMom 
#1 ·
Hello Everyone. I just want to say that this forum is Excellent and SO INFORMATIVE!!!! I am so lucky to be a part of it now! YAY!
Well, my Mother and I are getting 2 brand new chocolate lab puppies in about 4 weeks. They are 4 weeks now. They came from a friend of ours' 2 chocolate labs. BOY are they GREAT Parents!!!
We wanted to get 2 so they can keep each other company when we are away from home. Mine is Bear and my Mom's is Brady (he is the runt of the litter...SO CUTE!!)
My first question is- Should we buy one crate for them with a divider? Or 2 seperate crates?
 
#2 ·
I would be inclined to say two seperate crates. Just being that they will grow and if you are going to crate down the road you will have to buy two anyway as you don't want a big lab x2 in one crate. They also need their own space.
JMO .
Good luck!
 
#3 ·
2 crates.

Now for some unsolicited advice: With two puppies at once you are REALLY going to have to be on your toes about training them seperately... one on one. It WILL take double the time, double the trouble, double the cost, double the toys. Two puppies can, if left together on their own too much, bond with eachother more than they bond with you.

I'm assuming this friend of yours had an "oops" litter and are not reputable breeders? (I'm assuming this because no reputable breeder would sell two puppies to the same home at once) Please encourage them to spay/neuter their pets and not contribute to the overpopulation of dogs that end up in shelters or rescue (or worse!).
 
#4 ·
I am wondering why is it that no reuptable breeder would sell 2 puppies to the same home at once? This is new news to me...I was under the assumption that it would be good for them to have each other when we are gone to work during the day??? I guess I'm wrong?
 
#7 ·
kk4389 said:
I am wondering why is it that no reuptable breeder would sell 2 puppies to the same home at once? This is new news to me...I was under the assumption that it would be good for them to have each other when we are gone to work during the day??? I guess I'm wrong?
It's a LOT of extra work. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&C=99&A=2043&S=1

But beyond that... lab puppies are a handful. There is chewing... there is a big body that grows quickly. The adolescent phase is TWO YEARS... most labs don't "settle" down until they are 2-3 years old.

I think only the more experience dog owners should ever attempt to raise two lab puppies at once. This is why a reputable breeder wouldn't sell two pups at once because the odds of the family being able to handle it are extremely low.

Please think about this and rethink getting two. You and your mom can spoil one to death... give it the love he/she deserves and attention and training. Then... in a year or two... you can get a second lab puppy and if you are lucky.. the first one's training will "rub off" a bit on the young one. :) (that's my plan... we are going to get our second lab next year when Ender is 1.5 years old)
 
#8 ·
Well I appreciate your insight. It definetly makes me rethink the situation. I can say this...I am getting one and my mom is going to have one...so we plan on training them seperatly, having them sleep seperatly and eat seperatly. We will take them separately to outings and for separate car rides. I have had labs in the past and do understand how much work they are. I am Extremely adamant about being strict with training...I have done a really good job in the past with training...and like I said, one is my responsibility and one is my mothers.
We are also keeping in mind that I will be moving out of my parents house in about a year or so, so the dogs WILL be separated then. I know that it will be an anxious time for them...but I will do it slowly and make sure they have plenty of play visits with each other.
Thanks for all of your insight and help!
 
#9 ·
When I got Max, it was very important to keep him and our other 2 year old lab Montana apart during the day. Training is always one-on-one because the dog has to bond to you. They will naturally bond to each other since they are from the same litter, and dogs naturally bond to a pack. I tethered Max during the evenings when I was at home and took him every where. He's my hunting dog so it's very important. With Montana our pet dog, I walk him first and let him burn off any excess energy.

If you train them separately, spend some time to bond with each dog individually, and once they are done training/bonding for the day you should be okay. Then let them play together as treat..

I would buy two crates. It's a lot of work, and even though Max is older I still have to make time for both dogs indvidually. You have a lot of work ahead of you, but it can work.

Cheers,
Loren
 
#10 ·
Yes I think if you and your mom each take responsibility for one puppy that is certainly a different situation from one primary owner and two dogs. It WILL be more difficult as the trouble that the first one DOESN'T get into will be the trouble that the other one does. :)

Please remember that until we get to know you as a regular poster on the forum, we think of the best interests of the puppy first. Many people on this forum work with rescue and deal with owners giving up their dogs because they didn't take into consideration just how much effort it would take to raise a puppy. In fact, in Lab Chat Dani has a post right now about a rescued puppy being returned because "our five year old was scared of the puppy"... even though the family knew that jumping and mouthiness of a lab puppy was to be expected.

Please stick around and post pictures of those adorable chocolate babies... we would love to see them and hear of their adventures. :)
 
#11 ·
I sent you a private message. ;)
I have 2 lab pups right now and yes, it is a lot of work.
It's also great for the dogs in my own opinion. They really do love each other.
Be patient, some days are tough, but well worth it.
It can be done. Successfully.
I am loving (almost) every minute of it.

 
#18 ·
I am raising 2 labs from the same litter. We have known our breeder for over 16 years and he wasn't hesitant to give us both pups.Only because he knows my wife and I. Originally we had only planned on one, but someone returned one of the pups back to the breeder because it peed in the house! Not Kidding!

We do train them individually and together. You really have to train them seperately, otherwise there is huge confusion with commands and praise. There is definitely challenges to having littermates. Yes they do bond with each other.However everything comes from us, food,shelter,love. Once the pups are aware that nothing in their lives is free, they bond to their humans foremost.This is just as true for one lab.

Raising littermates does not require twice the time, its more like 3 times as much.We are also fortunate because our 21 year old daughter lives with us and abides by our training methods and helps out considerably. If you have any doubts to the amount of time ,money and patience you will need ,than I would suggest a puppy now and another one after a year or so. I have always had two labs and if you have a pretty busy social life then getting the dogs at least a year apart is a better solution.

We don't have a very busy social life and our labbies are our what we enjoy most. The exercising and the training fits our lifestyle,we do things that involve the dogs like,hiking,swimming, camping,etc.
 
#19 ·
Thanks Labs4Life for your information and insight! I really appreciate it!
Myself and My Family too don't have a busy social life...we aslo revolve our time and activities around the dogs and include them in all we do. I am a HUGE outdoors person...I love camping, swimming, walking and especially taking the dogs to the "doggy park" to play with friends!
I have NO DOUBT that we will be able to make this work....there are 5 of us in the family and 3 additional spouses/significant others...so we will all combine efforts. To us...they are SO WORTH the hard time and effort!

The rewards are MUCH greater than the time put in to train.

Thanks AGAIN!!!

Take Care!
 
#21 ·
Enjoy your new puppies. Cute photo. I think as long as you go into this with your eyes wide open, you will be fine. You have gotten good advice...the reasons for not getting 2 puppies is true. Most breeders (usually those who actively show and compete) don't sell 2 unless they know you very very well. But 2 can be raised successfully.

I would recommend doing some searches on the internet and reading up more on raising 2 and then just getting some general puppy raising books in 4 weeks when the pups are ready to come home, you'll have a better idea of what to do.
 
#23 ·
Oh gosh!! I remember posting here when Miles was 4 weeks old and I was anxiously awaiting his arrival! The wait is so hard.

Well, 2 pups will definitely be challenging. The hardest thing will be potty training at first because you have waltch them like a hawk. You might have to tether one to you and one to mom. The other issue you'll have to manage is getting them to bond with you (one to bond with mom) instead of each other. Definitely separate crates and separate training where they can't see or hear each other. In our class, we have a family that have German Shephard pups (4 mos) who are littermates. I notice that when the husband tries to do something with "his" pup, "his" pup is constantly looking at his sister and not the husband. That will be something to watch for.

Certainly they must have playtime together!

Good luck and have fun!!
 
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