Day 1 with two pups, feeling a little overwhelmed

Hey! I got two pups at once too. One was my brother's but I took care of her since he works full time. It feels like a lot. There is nothing but doom and gloom when you research. But it will be okay! I thought I'd made a huge mistake by supporting my brother in getting his. But there's actually a lot of perks to two, imo.

Don't worry too much about current dynamics between the pair. Initially, my puppy (a larger boy) bullied my brother's (a smaller girl). Or so we thought. After a while together, we realised he would back off instantly when she rolled over and would give her a turn to play. He learnt his manners with her. Just watch to see when they need separating. If one puppy is crying and the other isn't backing off, gently move them apart and distract. If one is frequently rolling over but not getting a turn to be the dominant one, gently move them apart and focus on the submissive puppy. Let them win games with you and help them feel more confident. Don't ignore your other puppy though. If they're both bouncing off the walls, separate them and let them calm. It's likely they both want to sleep but they're winding each other up.

Introduce other dogs to them together, preferably also while they're at home. Let the older dogs tell them off when they need to be. They need to learn adult dog manners along with how to get along with each other. Let them have time apart and socialise them both together and apart. 

Overall I think having two is insanely difficult but also great! Seeing their individual little personalities despite being raised together is lovely. Plus they keep each other entertained a lot and learn from each other. Honestly I haven't seen them pick up bad habits from each other, just good ones, but keep an eye on that. And try to remember that it'll work out. You're a good owner. You'll raise good pups.

/r/puppy101 Thread