Please help - one or two puppies??

[wvKIMwv]

I am supposed to be getting two puppies this weekend - one female and one male. I have not committed to buying both, although I have discussed my interest with the breeder. She did not mention anything about littermate syndrome. I thought I was doing a good thing by getting another puppy - the male is solid white - and I know about the 18 - 20% possibility that he could be deaf. That is what prompted me to think I should get him, too. That, and the fact that my daughter fell in love with him. I originally wanted a female, but here are the reasons I wanted both:
1. I thought it would be easier to train a deaf dog if I had another one at the same time
2. I'm so afraid that no one will choose the white one.
3. I thought the puppies would keep eachother company and play together when we were at work all day - thought it would be easier on them.

Now I'm reading so many negative stories and advice against it. I want what's best for my family, my 3-year-old daughter, and my new puppy(ies). The part about possible aggression is what's really concerning me. I want a puppy to bond with my daughter and my family. I am so disappointed because I thought I was doing a good thing...just to find out that it's not advised. PLEASE HELP!!!!!!

[Jan]

It would really be better to only get one. You should be able to tell if they are deaf or not by the time they come home at 8 weeks of age. Get the white boy!

[Caney Creek]

If the white puppy is not deaf now then he is not going to "go deaf" just because he is white. Deaf white puppies actually go deaf in the first few weeks of life, even before their ears are completely opened. If the pup is not deaf at that point then there is no possibility of it going deaf simply due to lack of pigment. When you saw the litter did you take the white pup away from his littermates to test his hearing? It's near impossible to tell if a pup is deaf when it is with its littermates, because one puppy will naturally follow the others.

Originally Posted by wvKIMwv

1. I thought it would be easier to train a deaf dog if I had another one at the same time

If you have another well-trained adult dog then yes that would make it easier to train a deaf puppy, or even a hearing puppy, because the trained dog will set a good example for the puppy to follow. An untrained puppy cannot set a good example for a second untrained puppy. Puppies have very short attention spans and really want nothing more than to play ALL THE TIME, which is what two puppies will likely do rather than listen to you.

If you have read about littermate syndrome then you know that two pups that are raised together tend to form a very strong bond with one another and end up bonding less with their owners. I would think that this is MUCH more likely to happen if one of the puppies is deaf, since deaf dogs tend to rely so much on the other dogs in their home anyways.

Originally Posted by wvKIMwv

2. I'm so afraid that no one will choose the white one.

Why wouldn't anyone choose him? And, why would that concern you? What will happen to him if no one buys him?

Originally Posted by wvKIMwv

3. I thought the puppies would keep eachother company and play together when we were at work all day - thought it would be easier on them.

Sure, that would be great if they could have a playmate while you are gone, but that is not a good reason to get two puppies at one time. Raising two pups is at least twice as much work as raising one. If you don't have the time or the patience to train TWO puppies separately then you will very quickly end up with two poorly behaved dogs who don't listen to you at all.

If you are simply concerned about one puppy being alone all day while you are at work, hire a pet-sitter to come by once a day, or take the pup to doggy daycare a few times a week. In fact doing it that way would make it easier for you to raise one pup since he/she will get some exercise and attention while you're away, and once you get home you will be able to focus your training on just one pup. And, the pup will focus on YOU form a stronger bond with its human family. Having a second puppy WILL most definitely keep the first pup entertained, but it most definitely WILL NOT make your life easier!

My advice... don't get two puppies if you aren't prepared for the extra responsibility that comes along with raising two pups at the same time. One puppy is a big commitment... two puppies is a HUGE commitment.

[wvKIMwv]

Thank you, both, for your wonderful advice. I ended up following my gut instinct and got only one puppy yesterday. I got the little flashy fawn female because she is the one I originally wanted...and was drawn to when I saw them for the first time. My little girl is loving her with no mention of the little white one that she wanted. I explained to her that he was too sad to leave his mommy - which she can totally relate to since she's 3! The breeder has already sold 4 of the 8 so I'm not as worried now that the white one won't sell. I'll post pictures on here soon. We've named her Lillie, and she is adorable!!!

[Caney Creek]

Originally Posted by wvKIMwv

Thank you, both, for your wonderful advice. I ended up following my gut instinct and got only one puppy yesterday. I got the little flashy fawn female because she is the one I originally wanted...and was drawn to when I saw them for the first time. My little girl is loving her with no mention of the little white one that she wanted. I explained to her that he was too sad to leave his mommy - which she can totally relate to since she's 3! The breeder has already sold 4 of the 8 so I'm not as worried now that the white one won't sell. I'll post pictures on here soon. We've named her Lillie, and she is adorable!!!

Wonderful Can't wait to see the pics!