• Many households have more than one dog and enjoy every minute of it. Maybe you're tempted to do the same. Should you? If you do, how? First, do your homework.
  
• Why do you want a second pup? If you're thinking a second dog will take your place to entertain the first dog, forget it. You're the one they want. Dogs are social animals, and a sociable second dog will add play and joy to the day, but this is no substitute for your attention and love. 
  
• The most important thing to consider when thinking about acquiring a second dog is how sociable your current dog is. Take your dog to locations with other dogs and see how he interacts with these dogs. Ask a friend to bring a dog to your house and see how your dog reacts to having another dog in your home. Once you have established that your dog is sociable and will benefit from having another dog in your household, you can then carefully consider the right type of dog for you and your current dog.
  
• Choose complementary breeds and personalities. For example, a tiny toy puppy may not be the ideal companion for a big, rambunctious dog. The toy dog could easily be injured, even if no injury was intended. Matching an older dog experiencing the aches and pains of age with a hard-playing youngster may not be ideal either. Your resident dog does not get to choose his new life-mate, so be thoughtful on his behalf.
  
• In general, choosing the other gender is your safest bet. Have a male? Pick a female and vice versa. Select a younger dog, as dogs close in age are more likely to have disagreements. Bringing in a dog older than your resident dog can create tension.
  
• Train your resident dog first before you think about the addition of a second dog. Then, your resident dog can actually help with the training of your new dog! Because dogs are social animals by nature, it is natural for them to pick up routines from their companions.
  
• Realize the costs. Double everything.
  
• Consider the joy. Double it, too, then add a bit more.

Adopting Two Littermates
Taking two puppies from the same litter sounds great - in theory. But a good theory doesn't always mean an idea is good in practice.

Here are some of the common problems that can occur when raising siblings:

• Puppies bond to each other and not so strongly with you. This can be countered by lots of individual time with each dog alone, but this is time intensive for the first few months. Skip this important step however, and you might have dogs that have problems when separated.
  
• One bored puppy can be naughty; two can be downright inspired! This is one situation where 1 + 1 = a LOT more mischief.
  
• Housetraining two pups is more than twice as difficult as they will be more active, leading to more need for bathroom breaks. And note that getting two pups in and out smoothly can be a challenge.
  
• Command training is harder with two as one dog needs to be put away while the other is learning, and the confined dog may bark throughout.
  
• A serious consideration is that, as the pups mature, aggression can develop. Does it develop every time? No, but if it does, it can be hard to manage and may lead to serious issues.
  
• Consider getting one dog, then adding another when the first is over a year old. By then, the first dog should be well trained and solidly bonded to you, which will make life easier when you bring in the new addition.