@ pups or 1 pup

now looking back i am sure i want to have two pups. Take two.Double fun,double trouble.

You might want to have a look at http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/showthread.php?t=65284

I would stick with one puppy. Puppies are alot of work with potty training, training in general and vet bills with all the shots. They are alot of fun too. It sounds like it has been a long time since your last puppy, so get ready for the bumpy ride. I hadnt had a puppy for 10 years when I got Bama and I forgot how much work it was.

I am so sorry for the loss of your golden. It is good that you are letting another golden into your heart.

Definitely just go with one for now. Having 2 puppies at the same time, epsecially littermates, is a HUGE amount of work. They both will need time separate from each other for training and interaction with you. Training together is extremely difficult and sometimes impossible because they will most likely be more interested in each other than they are in paying attention to you. You can also run into dominace issue with littermates. Our breeder, along with many others, refuse to sell more than one puppy from a litter to the same person because of all of those issues. I personally think that it is kind of irresponsible of any breeder to send more than one puppy home with a family. I would just get one puppy now and then wait until that pup is at least a year old and out of the puppy stage before thinking about getting a new puppy. That way, the one pup will have a chance to become 100% bonded to you and not more bonded with the littermate than with you.

I think each person knows what they can and cannot handle. If you go into it with open eyes, it can be done. If you have the time and love to share with 2 dogs, I'd say go for it. We have 2 goldens, one is 3 months old and the other is 6 months old. It's alot of work, but I love having them. Calling it "irresponsible" on the breeders behalf, I think is alittle harsh. People have twins, tripets and so on....and thats alot of work too, but they manage. Is litermate rivalry and different than multiple dog rivalry? Is getting a young dog when you already have an older dog sometimes difficult...yes, but people manage all the time.

Maybe I'm just too optimistic....

All I know is when Hank's brother (and littermate) is here visiting it's total chaos!

OMG - just get one! Trust me! Think about another in 6 months to a year!

Our 2 are littermate sisters and we've never had a problem. However, we're empty nesters and work from home. We each took a pup to classes and trained separately. They had separate crates, etc. We were also vigilant in spending one on one time with each daily. They've never had so much as a snarl at one another... are good together or apart. They're my sweet babies..... who just turned 6!!
I would say, take a good, honest look at what you feel comfortable with and the time committment involved. But, yes, it is possible and can be a wonderful experience.

BeauShel said:

I would stick with one puppy. Puppies are alot of work with potty training, training in general and vet bills with all the shots. They are alot of fun too. It sounds like it has been a long time since your last puppy, so get ready for the bumpy ride. I hadnt had a puppy for 10 years when I got Bama and I forgot how much work it was.

I am so sorry for the loss of your golden. It is good that you are letting another golden into your heart.

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I agree 100%. After losing Carmella I thought I was so ready for a puppy, and while I definitely survived puppyhood and am very glad that I have Flora, OMG I cannot imagine what it would have been like with 2 puppies. You forget how much different a young dog is compared to an elderly dog. They are like night and day.

I'm sorry about your loss.

As someone who breeds occasionally I can tell you having two pups from the same litter is really really difficult and usually not fun. It is much harder to establish a good bond with them as their bond to each other is far too strong. I go as far as separating pups that I keep out of the same litter, one going to my girlfriends and the other staying with me. Helps them become so much more confident and easier to train!!