[richyrich]

Hi all

New here, with a deposit placed on 2 pups who'll be 8 weeks at the end of April.

Some books, forums on general dogs etc., all recommend that raising 2 pups from the same litter is such hard work that it isn't recommended. However, I work all day, my other half works for a few hours each day, and I don't want a basset howling out of loneliness while we're both gone - solved with a friend.

What do you think? Can it be done or to be avoided?

Thanks
Rich

 

[BrenIrishBassets]

Hi Rich
Bren here in Dublin Ireland. We have just taken ownership of a dog and bitch from same litter so i would be interested in the answer to. We were told that it was a great idea by breeder and best way to do it. Stops seperation anxiety in dogs and also allows for easy integration into new home. Breeder said its because not everything is changed. Hey stay intouch and i will tell you how our first month goes.
Good Luck
Bren

 

[SophieB]

I have had two litter sisters from when they were nine weeks old and they will be two years old at the end of this month and these two bundles of mischief are just THE BEST FUN EVER!!! If you have the time, energy and the patience I would recommend everyone gets two pups together.... and hopefully if they stay well, it shouldn't cost two much at the vets. Double the toilet training but they often wee at the same time and probably copy each other too when it comes to learning!

The thing I would say about two at the same time, is that our two are just totally inseparable and love to do everything together, and if one is having a nap, they both have a nap... as soon as one gets out of their bed, the other is out. They share 'tuggy' toys and run around hanging on to the same stick or sock that they take from the washing machine.... they really are so much fun.

They play together so well and right from day one, we have never had a peep out of them because they had spent nine weeks together with their mum and other five siblings and it's not like when one gets taken away and will maybe whine at night for a few days, our two never whined at all. Bassets are pack animals and love the company of other Bassets and people and as we've always had two or three together (rehomed older ones too) at different ages apart from our current two, I can thoroughly recommend two Bassets together and they are also company for one another (and our soft Cocker Spaniel) if I have to leave them for an hour or two or when I go to pop concerts they are fine for three or four hours and generally sleep most of the evening.

Here's a few of the many hundreds of pics where you can see what they are like and how snuggly they look in their bed. They also are very mischievous together and love my knitting wool, which they sometimes sneak out from behind the sofa when I'm not watching them!!!

If you click on the pics you see a bigger view!

Here's my lovely old lady we lost almost two years ago.

Here's our soft Cocker Spaniel who lives with the Bassets and hates having his picture taken unlike the Bassets who LOVE it!!!

 

[songlibah]

If the past 24 hours have been a good preview....

Then I wholly recommend it!

We came home with two half-sisters, whelped one day apart. Same sire, different dams (although the dams are full sisters).

All I can say is "One is fun...but two are a RIOT!!" They have had us laughing all day! They wrestle, tussle over toys, talk back and forth and are a hoot to watch

Marie

 

[SophieB]

Songlibah, I fully agree with you... two Bassets are just a complete riot and such fun and great company for us owners and for each other!

Everyone should have two (or more) don't you think? Your two look a bit similar to mine!!!!

 

[richyrich]

Thanks for all the replies. So far we haven't chicken'ed out so still have the two arriving in two and a half weeks now. They go for their first jabs this week.

Bren: any updates on how your two are getting on?

Do any of you guys work all day, or are you lucky enough to be able to give the pups some attention during the day?

 

[hig4s]

Bassets are more social than many other dogs, so will probably get along fine.. I hope so as we pick up two this weekend. Not from the same litter but from the same breeder and were born two days apart.

I've been told, if possible, to pick two pups in person by picking the one you like the personality of the most then watch to see which other pup it seems closest to. But be careful if one seems very passive and the other very dominant even if they seem close, as the dominant one may bully the passive one later. In this case, you should find the pup in the litter that your favorite seems second closest to. This may take 30 minutes to an hour of watching them play.

Personally I did not have a chance to do this with the two pups we are about to pick up as the breeder was far enough away and our schedules did not coincide when the pups were younger, so I had to pick from pictures. But they look sweet to me. In the next few weeks I'll let everyone know how good or bad my instincts were. The girl on the left is Mercedes, and the boy on the right is Zatarra.

 

[richyrich]

Higs: very very cute. Similar colour (color) scheme to the two we'll have live with use - one tan-white, one black-tan-white. I'm becoming increasingly nervous and excited at the same time, while I wait for their release-from-mummy date.

My photos of them aren't great, taken on a phone camera. I'll put some up when they arrive, and I can get better pics.

 

[SophieB]

Thanks for all the replies. So far we haven't chicken'ed out so still have the two arriving in two and a half weeks now. They go for their first jabs this week.

Bren: any updates on how your two are getting on?

Do any of you guys work all day, or are you lucky enough to be able to give the pups some attention during the day?

I'm home almost all the time... I occasionally work three hours twice a week and sometimes not at all so loads of time with my dogs.

 

[MiloBaxter]

We have two bassets from the same litter (Milo and Baxter) that will be a year on April 15th 2010. They are both males and are the best of friends. We both work full time and had concerns about house training when they were young...it is a feat when you're trying to get one out the door for a pee and you have to get the other out before he pees on the floor. My mother would come over at lunch every day and our neighbours were really good to let them out as well once or twice a day. With your work schedule it shouldn't be a problem.
When they were about 5 months old we got a dog door to the fenced in pen in the back yard and things became so much easier for us....no longer monitoring two dogs in the house...whenever they had to "go" they just up and let themselves out. We used a gate that allowed us to block them in the back hall where the dog door is and that is their "pen". They sleep together, groom each other and genuinely are a treat to have around. They amuse themselves and have had no problem bonding with us as well (if you're worried about that). Their personalities are totally different!
Good luck to you! If you're getting siblings of opposite genders, watch for potential matings as they come close to sexual maturity!...much easier with siblings of same sex...not that they don't hump each other every chance they get!

 

[mad deranged basset owner]

congrats on your 2 new puppys
hope they make you very happy

 

[hig4s]

we got our babies home.. http://www.facebook.com/v/111444405552799"%20type="application/x-shockwave-flash"%20allowscriptaccess="always"%20allowfullscreen="true"%20width="400"%20height="300"

We are also in the process of adding a screen room on the back of our house. Unfortunately, Mercedes (the red and white) loves to run and roll in the dirt around where they just poured the new cement.

 

[Yogi's Mom]

I wish I could see your video but I don't have a facebook account. Is there a way you could post it for all of us to see?

 

[hig4s]

I wish I could see your video but I don't have a facebook account. Is there a way you could post it for all of us to see?

I'm at work right now and can't from here, if I get time at home tomorrow I will try.

But here are a couple of pics.

 

[Basset Momma]

They are adorable!

 

[Yogi's Mom]

Oh, they are so cute!

 

[FloppyToby]

i want another so bad! if i would have been able to afford it i would have taken one of tobys sisters too

 

[hig4s]

I uploaded the video to youtube

 

[SophieB]

Bringing up two Bassets together is just the best thing.... for us and for them and they love to romp around together playing and here's my two at ten weeks, which was the second week with us as we got them at nine weeks and they have just been the most delightful sisters and will be two years old next week. I have loads of clips of them at different ages.

Here they are at ten weeks happily playing in the garden.