Should I get a second cavoodle? How will my first cavoodle react?

The question almost every cavoodle owner has asked themselves at one point in time, should I bring another cavoodle puppy into the family?

I definitely was on the fence about this for so long. Here is a bit of insight to my experience bringing in another cavoodle into my family and also some other experiences from other cavoodle owners.

My experience with Bambi & Daisy

When Bambi was a puppy, I didn’t always realise how much work and effort a new puppy would be so I was quite content on not getting another pup for the first few months. But when I saw how much fun she had at the dog park with her cavoodle friends, I felt a bit guilty that maybe she would be better off with a fur-sibling. 

The longer I waited the more I could see Bambi got more protective over me, (which meant we definitely created a strong bond together), however it occurred to me that maybe she would suffer from something called “only fur-child syndrome”, where she might not be so happy welcoming another pup into the family that would take my attention off her! 

Call it a fur-mum’s instinct but that's pretty much what happened when I first bought Daisy home. There was definitely an adjustment period where Bambi was wondering why the hell mum decided to bring another cavoodle puppy into our home (one that wasn’t her own - at the time Bambi had just had her own litter of pups who were about 6 weeks old when I bought Daisy home).  It’s funny how differently she treated Daisy to her own puppies, it could have been her natural motherly instincts trying to protect her puppies, and sometimes it definitely was, but other times it was just jealousy or showing her dominance. 

Fast forward two and a half months and they are best friends, they sleep on one another, play together, chase each other around the house all day and when one is missing they don’t know what to do without the other!

 

 

How long did it take for Bambi & Daisy to get along?

 

For the first week, Bambi would not have one bar of Daisy, she was very distant and constantly snapped at her when she got too close to me or near Bambis food bowls and favourite toys. I constantly had to supervise them if they were both together in the same room/space just to make sure they were both okay and it took about 2-3 weeks until I didn’t have to worry as much. 

 

I also gave Bambi her own space so put Daisy in a separate pen and tried to keep her routine as normal as possible, feeding them separately too for the first few weeks. Whatever I gave to Daisy I also gave to Bambi e.g. a treat, food or toy to make her realise she was on the same level as Daisy. 

 

I constantly was correcting Bambi’s behaviour as well, a big one was around food, she growled a lot and was showing signs of protectiveness and resource guarding so to get on top of that I supervised their meal times and sat in between them while they ate almost side by side each other and corrected daisy to her bowl not bambi’s. I also hand fed them in very close proximity to each other and used positive reinforcement to show that's the behaviour I expected. Now they can eat side by side with each other and we don’t have any issues. 

 

After a month they started to get along with each other and were able to move into the same pen to sleep in and now 2.5 months later you can feel the love between them, Bambi rarely snaps at her now (only if Daisy is really annoying her) and they have become best friends and inseparable. 

 

Was it harder or easier to train a new cavoodle puppy when you already had one at home?

 

It was a challenge trying to train Daisy when I first bought her home as I had 7 cavoodles running around the house. When the cavoodle puppies went to their forever homes I was able to focus more on Daisy’s training.

 

Bambi knows lots of tricks and has major FOMO (fear of missing out) so whenever I am teaching Daisy tricks, she’s always there listening and doing the tricks herself which has helped Daisy respond faster to cues, but it also allows her to get distracted sometimes too as she just wants to play fight with Bambi.

 

That’s why it's been important to give Daisy one on one time with training with few distractions around, for this reason I enrolled Daisy into puppy obedience school for her to have time away from Bambi to learn and get used to other dogs. But luckily Daisy is very food driven so she’s been an easy one to train, she's 5 months and knows her name, can sit, lie down, stay, come, walk pretty well on a lead and is toilet trained inside and out. 

 

Do you think gender played a role in any behavioural issues?

 

From my own personal experience I think gender did play a role in how Bambi first behaved towards Daisy. She has always been a little threatened by other female dogs whether they were cavoodles or not, she always tends to get along better with male dogs. She’s always had a very dominating personality and if I wasn’t in the breeding field and they were just full time companions I might have thought more about getting a male to suit Bambi’s personality. However I have always owned and loved female cavoodles and I knew deep down Bambi would eventually accept her, it would just take more patience and training. 

 

According to the AKC it is generally “easier and often safer to own dogs of the opposite sex as in some cases same-sex combinations can be tricky to manage as dogs work out their dominance or pack order”. 

 

I definitely agree with this statement if you have large dog breeds at home like staffies, border collies, kelpies, german shepherds or huskies, where the safety of the family and dogs could be in jeopardy due to their size, breed personality and genetic makeup. However any cavoodle owner knows that we can’t compare our smaller breed pups to these kinds of dogs. 

 

Never have I ever witnessed or heard of two cavoodles seriously injuring each other on purpose where one has ended up at the vet or in a life threatening condition. This is because cavoodles by nature and genetic make up are not aggressive dogs - the breed mix of a cavalier and poodle means that they get the gentleness of the cavalier and the smarts of the poodle. 

 

Therefore if you are thinking of bringing another cavoodle puppy into your home I wouldn’t worry too much whether your older one would physically hurt the new puppy it's more about will they accept the new puppy based on personality, dominance order and how attached they are to their current humans and will they feel more emotionally threatened by the decision of a female or male.

 

If you do feel like you’ve made the wrong choice at any point in time, I can assure you everyday it gets better, as long as you have the time and energy to put in the work and create an environment where both cavoodles feel loved and safe. 

 

For any reason where the situation becomes life-threatening or dangerous well then it would be best to speak to a dog behavioural specialist or look into re-homing. 

Was I happy with my choice to get the same breed again?

 

For me this is an easy one, a big YES! I don’t think I could ever own another breed, and if I did it would be in the toy poodle family anyway. Owning two cavoodles makes everything a lot easier from knowing how they need/like to be trained, what food they will and will not eat, what toys they like and what behaviour to expect. 

 

How long did I wait until I got Daisy, if I could go back would I have got her earlier or later?

 

Bambi was 2 years old and 1 month old when I bought Daisy home. I think for me it was the right timing as Bambi was at a more accepting point in her life after raising her own puppies, she was less dominant at this point in time and when the puppies left she never felt sad or alone as she had Daisy to play with. Plus because Bambi is toilet trained on pee pads indoors and with tricks it made training easier for Daisy as sometimes it is monkey see money do! In this case cavoodle see, cavoodle do!

 

However being 2 years old Bambi was quite set in her ways and routine, I think maybe getting her a fur-sibling a bit earlier would have helped her adjust a bit quicker. 

 

Billy & Gigi:

Feel free to follow @_billyandgigi & @_billybear on instagram. Billy bear is their Australian designer handmade accessories and apparel for your pooch.

 

 

How long did it take for Billy & Gigi to get along?

 

According to Brittany, Billy and Gigi’s mum, it took 3 weeks for her oldest cavoodle Billy to adjust to his new sister Gigi and act like his normal self again. He also suffered from only child syndrome and had to learn to share her attention. 

 

They are now inseparable and she said it just came down to persevering, she never forced anything and realised just like anything, good things take time and she’s so glad she got Gigi as her and billy now are besties.

 

Was it harder or easier to train a new cavoodle puppy when you already had one at home?

 

“I knew it would be hard the first couple of weeks, but I didn’t think it would be that hard!” Brittany mentioned that Billy did struggle the first couple weeks but it was easier for her to train Gigi as she copied billy and was very food driven which helped too! 

 

Do you think gender played a role in any behavioural issues?

 

In Brittany’s personal experience she found the gender thing indifferent to her situation. Personality was the biggest factor and when she was getting Gigi she told her breeder exactly what type of personality she was looking for to compliment Billy’s. The only thing she’s noticed is that Gigi is a bit more on the affectionate side. 

 

Were you happy with your choice to get the same breed again?

 

Brittany says she’ll never not own a cavoodle again, hand down they are the best breed as long as you understand and are prepared to regularly get them groomed they are the best dogs temperament wise and suit any lifestyle!

 

How long did you wait until you got Gigi, if you could go back would you have got her earlier or later?

 

Brittany says she waited 18 months to get Gigi, this was because Billy was a very high energy puppy and needed a lot of attention himself and training ready for a sibling. She mentioned she wouldn’t have waited any longer either though as she thinks he may have become less tolerant to a new addition down the track. 

 

Ollie & Winky:

Follow them on instagram at @itswoofs or read some of their amazing content at https://www.itswoofs.com/

 

 

How long did it take for Ollie & Winky to get along?

 

According to Iromi, Ollie was a very patient dog and they wanted them to get along from the start but Ollie wanted his own independence. Winky loved him from the get go but ear nipping was a bit too much for Ollie at times so the playpen and crate really helped.

 

Was it harder or easier to train a new cavoodle puppy when you already had one at home?

 

Winky has been easier to train as we’ve already been through the process and she tended to copy Ollie (the good and the bad). It also helped Winky was very food motivated so training wasn’t an issue at all. 

 

Do you think gender played a role in any behavioural issues?

 

Not sure whether it’s due to the gender or dogs having different personalities but Winky was definitely more cheekier than Ollie. The only gender related issue we found was that she tended to do excited puppy pees when she was a bit excited but went away after a while. 

 

Were you happy with my choice to get the same breed again?

 

Yes we’ll always have oodles since we deal with allergies and honestly wouldn’t have it any other way, they are great dogs!

 

How long did you wait until you got Winky, if i could go back would I have got her earlier or later?

 

We waited till Ollie was 2+ years old. I don’t think I’ll change that, there was a lot for us to learn and wanted to wait till specifically Ollie was ready.

 

Buddy & Belle:

Feel free to follow buddy and belle at @buddy.the.toycavoodle

 

 

How long did it take for Buddy & Belle to get along?

 

According to Aneta, Buddy was a complete mess and hated Belle for over a month when they first bought her home which she mentioned was really stressful. 

 

He would shake and whimper when she was around, didn’t like being anywhere near her, if she touched him he would jump and run away. 

 

However now they are obsessed with each other and can’t even go for walkies without each other!

 

Was it harder or easier to train a new cavoodle puppy when you already had one at home?

 

Aneta said as soon as Belle came home she started toilet training her, she was trained in under 2 weeks and still hasn’t made any mistakes till this day. However while training Belle, Buddy made 2-3 mistakes, she thinks it comes down to the well if she can do it, so can I mentality.

 

Do you think gender played a role in any behavioural issues?

 

Buddy is the calmest, sweetest boy ever. But after having Belle she is just amazing in every way, even though we love buddy so much “if” i knew I would have got 2 females. Buddy tends to be a very fussy eater and has bad separation anxiety, whereas Belle is a really good eater, sleeper and can stay in a pen all day if need be. 

 

Were you happy with my choice to get the same breed again?

 

I’m so happy with the same breed; they are perfect together!

 

How long did you wait until you got Belle, if i could go back would I have got her earlier or later?

 

If I could go back I would try to get them both around the same time instead of 10 months later. 

 

A few things we didn’t touch on that you might need to think about is the pros and cons of getting 2 cavoodle puppies from the same litter or at the same time:

 

Pros:

• Bonding: Raising two puppies together can provide them with a strong bond and a lifelong friendship, which can be comforting and enriching for both cavoodles.

• Socialisation: Puppies that are raised together are more likely to be well-socialised with other dogs and animals.

• Playtime: Raising two cavoodle puppies together provides opportunities for play, which is essential for their physical and mental development.

• Companionship: Having two puppies can provide each other with comfort and companionship, especially when you're not always home or when at work.

• Training: Raising two puppies together can make training easier as they can learn from each other and motivate each other during training sessions.

• Convenience: Raising two puppies at the same time can be more convenient for owners, as they only have to go through the puppy stage once and can provide mutual support for each other during the training process.

 

It's important to note that while there are potential benefits to raising two cavoodle puppies from the same litter, it can also come with its own set of challenges and requires a significant time commitment and investment from you to ensure both puppies receive proper socialisation, training, and individual attention.

 

Cons:

• Increased Expenses: Raising two cavoodle puppies at the same time can be more expensive, as you will need to provide double the amount of food, toys, supplies, vet bills and insurance bills.

• Increased Time Commitment: Raising two cavoodle puppies together can be more time-consuming as they will need double the attention, socialisation, and training.

• Difficulty in Training: Raising two puppies at the same time can make training more difficult, as they may reinforce each other's bad behaviours.

• Difficulty in Differentiating Between Puppies: It can be challenging to differentiate between two puppies of the same litter if they look too alike, which can make it more difficult to address individual behaviour issues.

• Inadequate Attention to each pup: It's important for each puppy to receive individual attention, and with two puppies, it can be harder to provide each with the necessary individual attention they need to thrive. 

• Littermate Syndrome: Are behavioural and emotional issues that can arise when two puppies from the same litter are adopted and raised together. This can include separation anxiety, resource guarding, and dominance issues.

 

It's important to carefully consider these potential drawbacks before adopting two puppies from the same litter. Adopting two puppies can be a rewarding experience, but it also requires a significant time commitment and investment to ensure they receive proper socialisation, training, and individual attention.

 

Most pet professionals recommend you only get one puppy at a time to help them grow as independent, confident individuals. While it isn't impossible to successfully raise two well-adjusted cavoodles simultaneously, it's a lot harder, and you'll have to be careful to avoid something called “littermate syndrome”.

 

More about what is littermate syndrome?

 

Littermate syndrome refers to the behavioural and emotional issues that can arise when two cavoodle puppies from the same litter are raised together. When cavoodle littermates are raised in close proximity, they may become overly bonded to each other, which can lead to separation anxiety and other problems when they are separated. Additionally, littermates may compete for resources, including attention, toys, and food, which can lead to aggression and dominance issues.

 

It's important to note that littermate syndrome is not always a problem. However, it can be more likely to occur if the puppies are not properly socialised and trained, or if owners do not take steps to prevent the development of these issues. 

 

To help prevent littermate syndrome in your cavoodle puppies, it's recommended to raise littermates as individuals, provide each with their own space and resources, and ensure that each receives adequate socialisation and training.

 

Good tips from the AKC about bringing in a new cavoodle puppy in your home and what to do during the “adjustment” period:

 

Supervise: ALWAYS keep your eyes on both dogs at all times, whenever they are together, until the adjustment period is over. Give each dog separate food and water bowls, and don’t leave food bowls out after mealtime. Don’t give the dogs bones or toys until they prove they get along as this can result in dominant behaviour. 

 

Understand: The new cavoodle puppy was your idea, not your dog’s. In time, with help from the humans in the house, your dog will adjust. Until then, remember to shower the older dog with attention and love too so they don’t feel like they are being neglected. 

 

Pens: Crates, pens, and baby gates will be a sanity saver for you and the dogs. Everyone, including dogs, need alone time. Also, make sure each dog gets time alone with you to bond every day.

 

Expect: Your older dog may correct your puppy with a growl or snap from time to time. This is how adult dogs teach puppies social skills. Your job is to supervise, so that things don’t get out of hand.

 

Reinforce: Reward your older cavoodle when they show tolerance for the puppy. If your dog doesn’t move away, growl, or snap when the puppy lies down next to him, say “Yes” and reward with a treat.

 

Like any training process, introducing, training, and socialising a new dog takes time. Remember to be patient, and if the relationship is consistently rocky, pursue professional dog-training advice.