Why This Client Got Two Puppies Twice—And Why You Should Too

Almost two years ago, Amy made a decision that many people struggle with. She decided to bring home not one, but two Maremma Sheepdog puppies.

Then last weekend, she did it again.

Let me tell you why Amy’s story matters, and why her decision to get two puppies—twice—demonstrates the kind of wisdom that sets families up for real, lasting success with livestock guardian dogs.

When Life Throws You a Curveball

Amy first contacted me nearly two years ago. She had two adult Great Pyrenees guarding her sheep and goats in Northern California, but she knew she needed to plan ahead. Her dogs were getting older, and Amy understood that responsible livestock protection means thinking years down the road.

We had several conversations. She visited the farm. We discussed her needs, her property, her goals. Everything was moving forward smoothly.

Then the unexpected happened—one of her adult dogs passed away suddenly. Amy was devastated, and her timeline got moved up considerably. Now she had just one aging female, Rosie, and she needed help quickly.

Here’s where Amy made her first wise decision: even though she’d just lost a dog and only had one left, she didn’t panic and grab just one puppy to fill the gap. She understood something crucial that many people miss.

Why Two Puppies Are Better Than One

When Amy lost her first dog, she could have taken the “logical” route that most people choose. Get one puppy. Raise it with the older dog. Wait a few years. Get another puppy. Repeat the cycle.

It sounds reasonable, doesn’t it?

But Amy knew better. She’d done her research. She understood that bringing home a single puppy to pair with an aging adult dog isn’t fair to anyone involved:

It’s not fair to the puppy, who needs another young dog to play with, to wrestle with, to burn off that incredible puppy energy that’s so natural and normal.

It’s not fair to the older dog, who doesn’t want to be a babysitter and shouldn’t have to tolerate constant puppy pestering when they’ve earned their rest.

And it’s not fair to the livestock, who become the inadvertent playmates when a bored, lonely puppy has no appropriate outlet for play.

So Amy made what I consider the gold standard decision: she brought home two puppies together. Brothers named Luke and Max.

Rosie could mentor them without being overwhelmed. The puppies had each other for play and companionship. The livestock had proper protection with dogs who weren’t treating them like chew toys. Everyone won.

A Critical Clarification: This Is About Working Dogs

Before I continue with Amy’s story, I need to be crystal clear about something: everything I’m discussing here applies specifically to working livestock guardian dogs who live outside full-time with livestock.

If you’re getting a companion Maremma who will live in your house, sleep in your bedroom, go on daily walks with you, and be part of your everyday family life—that’s a completely different situation. Companion dogs have you. They have your daily presence, your interaction, your companionship. Whether you have other house dogs or not, a companion Maremma isn’t facing the isolation that a working LGD faces.

But for working livestock guardian dogs? The ones living outside 24/7 with your sheep, goats, or chickens? That’s where everything I’m saying becomes critically important.

Here’s the reality check most people don’t want to hear: You will not spend enough time with that single working dog to make up for the lack of a canine companion.

I know, I know. You’re thinking, “But I’m different. I’ll go out multiple times a day. I’ll spend quality time. I’ll play with my dog.” And I believe you mean it when you say it. On my puppy application, I even have an option where people can acknowledge that while LGDs do best in pairs, they’re not able to have two at this time, so they commit to spending extra time with their single dog to keep them happy and well-adjusted.

Most people check that box. Very few people actually do it consistently.

It’s not because they’re bad people or irresponsible owners. It’s because life happens. You have a job. You have a family. You get busy. The weather is terrible. You’re tired. Days turn into weeks of good intentions that don’t quite materialise into the hours of daily interaction that the dog needs.

And unlike a companion dog who’s part of your daily household rhythm—who you see every morning, pet while watching TV, take on evening walks—that working LGD is out there. Alone. With only the livestock for companionship. Every single day and night.

No matter how much you love that dog, you simply cannot replicate what another dog provides: constant companionship, appropriate play, canine social interaction, and the security of having a partner.

So when I talk about Amy’s wise decision to get two puppies, I’m talking specifically about her working livestock guardian dogs. Dogs who live outside full-time. Dogs whose job is protecting livestock, not being house companions.

If you’re planning to have a companion Maremma, this intense emphasis on pairs doesn’t apply to you in the same way. But if you’re getting working LGDs? Everything I’m about to share in Amy’s story matters tremendously.

When Things Get Complicated

Shortly after the puppies came home, Luke suddenly and unexpectedly came up lame one day at feeding time. What we initially thought was a short-term, minor injury ended up requiring surgery by a specialist and a very long, careful recovery period.

Amy had wisely purchased comprehensive pet insurance through Figo for both puppies, which covered most of Luke’s surgery costs. But his recovery was going to be challenging—he needed flat, stable ground, warmth, dryness, and restricted movement for months. Amy’s property, with its steep hills and cold Northern California winters, wasn’t the ideal environment for that kind of healing.

So Amy asked if I could bring Luke back to my farm for his recovery, and of course, I said yes. I drove to Stockton the day after his surgery and brought him home to my farm.

Luke spent several months healing in my Puppy Parlor. Amy kept Max at home, where he now found himself effectively alone. Yes, he had Rosie, but Max was a young, energetic adolescent who desperately needed a playmate his own age. He started chewing on Rosie during play—not aggression, just boredom and lack of appropriate outlets. He started showing more interest in playing with the goats and sheep than he should have.

Max wasn’t becoming a bad dog. He was becoming a lonely dog.

The Right Decision Isn’t Always the Easy One

As Luke healed beautifully over those months, we all hoped he’d return to Amy’s farm. But after thoughtful consideration and consultation with my veterinarian about her property’s terrain, Amy made an incredibly difficult decision: she felt that Luke’s long-term quality of life would be better on flatter ground.

Amy chose to prioritize Luke’s future well-being, even though it meant starting over with her plan.

This is the kind of client I’m honored to work with—someone who makes decisions based on what’s best for the dog, not what’s most convenient.

Luke (now named Duke) ultimately went to Dave and Shoaron, other clients of mine who own a horse boarding stable 20 minutes from me. They’d recently lost one of their dogs and had the perfect situation for Luke – flat terrain and a low-impact job guarding horses, chickens, and sheep. He’s thriving there today, well-loved and living his absolute best life with Carina and Alice, two other Maremmas from my program.

Max Still Needed a Partner

But Amy still had Max at home, increasingly lonely and bored. Meanwhile, Rosie wasn’t getting any younger, and Amy knew she needed a replacement for Luke. And she had to wait—she needed a specific type of puppy from one of my studs, Sevro, whose genetics produce a smoother, more manageable coat. Amy’s property has terrible problems with foxtails, those awful invasive weeds with barbs that work into fur and cause abcesses and skin infections. She’d already dealt with multiple foxtail infections in Rosie and her previous LGD. She couldn’t risk it again.

So Amy waited. And waited. Through the next few litters that weren’t quite right because of the heavier coats. Through months of Max playing a bit too roughly with Rosie and showing too much zoominess with the livestock—all classic signs of a dog who needs a companion their own age to play with.

Finally, I had a litter in August with exactly the right genetics. Amy was going to get one male puppy to be Max’s partner.

The Decision That Changed Everything

Last weekend, Amy and her husband, Peter, drove 4 hours to pick up their new puppy, Henry. They were excited. They’d waited so long. They were ready to take Henry home to meet Max and Rosie.

And then Amy casually said something that caught me completely off guard: “Maybe I should get two puppies.”

At first, I thought she was just thinking out loud. But she was serious. And Peter jumped on board immediately—he didn’t want to make that long drive again, and more importantly, he could see the wisdom in Amy’s thinking.

Amy had watched Max struggle without Luke. She’d seen firsthand what happens when a young dog doesn’t have an age-appropriate companion. She’d dealt with the behavior issues, the livestock concerns, the stress on Rosie.

She wasn’t going to do that to Henry. Or to Max. Or to Rosie. Or to her sheep and goats.

So Amy made that wise decision for the second time: she brought home two puppies. Henry and Jack are now 13-week-old littermates learning about life on Amy’s farm together.

What Success Looks Like

Since going home last weekend, Amy has sent me photos and videos nearly every day. The puppies are thriving. They play together, sleep together, explore together. They’re not pestering Max or Rosie—they have each other for puppy games.

Amy is introducing them carefully to the adult dogs through fencing first. She’s taking her time, being smart and cautious. And because she has two puppies, she has flexibility. She can put all the dogs together or pair one puppy with each adult dog. She can give the adults breaks from the rambunctious puppies when needed. She can adjust based on everyone’s needs.

Soon, Amy will have the most impressive livestock guardian dog team: Rosie, the wise matriarch at nine years old. Max, her capable second-in-command at 16 months. And Henry and Jack, the eager students learning from the best.

The Truth About “Too Much Work”

I hear it all the time: “I can’t get two puppies. That’s too much work.”

And yes, Amy admitted it herself—two puppies are more work than one. In the beginning.

But you know what’s actually more work? Dealing with a bored, lonely, destructive puppy who’s pestering your older dog (if you have an older dog) and harassing your livestock because he has no appropriate playmate. Spending months or years addressing behavior problems that stem directly from isolation. Replacing that single dog when it gets older and starting the whole difficult cycle again.

On my puppy application, I ask people to acknowledge that they understand LGDs do best in pairs. Many check the box saying they’ll spend extra time with their single working dog to make up for the lack of a canine companion. They genuinely mean it.

But here’s what I’ve learned after years of placements: almost no one actually does it consistently enough to matter. Not because they’re bad owners, but because they’re human. They’re busy. They have jobs, families, obligations. And a working dog living outside full-time doesn’t naturally fold into your daily routine the way a house dog does.

You can’t replicate what another dog provides. You can’t play the way another puppy plays. You can’t be there 24/7 providing companionship and security. You can’t teach canine social skills the way another dog can.

(Now, if you’re getting a companion Maremma who lives in your house? Different story. That dog has you, your family, and your daily presence. The isolation factor is completely different.)

But for working LGDs living outside with livestock? Two puppies actually make your life easier. They entertain each other. They wear each other out. They learn appropriate dog social skills. They develop confidence together. They protect your livestock as a team instead of trying to play with them.

The math isn’t complicated: a little extra work at the beginning saves you years of problems down the road.

What I Want You to Understand

I respect every client’s decision about how many dogs to get. I’ll support you regardless of your choice—that’s my commitment. If you truly feel that a single puppy is right for your situation, I won’t refuse to sell to you.

But I also won’t tell you it’s the ideal choice, because I know it’s not.

Amy made the wise decision twice. She could have taken what some people feel is the easier path both times. She could have said, “One puppy is enough.” She could have prioritized short-term convenience over long-term success.

Instead, she chose what was best for her puppies, her adult dogs, and her livestock. Even when it meant extra expense. Even when it meant extra work. Even when it meant confronting a challenging situation head-on instead of hoping for an easier solution.

That’s the kind of commitment that creates success stories.

Right now, I have one male and one female available from our August litter—littermates to Amy’s Henry and Jack. They’re 13 weeks old, and they’re at the absolute perfect age. Well-socialized, health-tested parents, raised with our goats, learning from our adult dogs.

These puppies won’t be available forever. And the families who contact me, saying they “just want to start with one” and will “come back later for another”? Most of them don’t come back. Life happens. Circumstances change. Years pass.

Meanwhile, their single dog lives a lonelier life than necessary. Their older dog (if they have one) gets pestered more than they should. Their livestock faces more risk than they would with a proper LGD team.

The Real Question

The question isn’t whether you can afford two puppies or whether two puppies are too much work.

The question is: Are you getting working livestock guardian dogs who will live outside full-time?

If yes, then the next question is: Are you willing to make the wise decision even if it seems harder? Are you committed to setting up your dogs for real success instead of checking a box on an application saying you’ll “spend extra time” with a single dog—time that realistically won’t happen consistently enough to matter?

Amy answered that question twice. Both times, she chose wisdom over convenience. Both times, she acknowledged the reality: she’s a busy person with a farm to run. She knew she couldn’t be out there enough to replace what another dog provides. Ultimately, she chose her dogs’ needs over her own. 

If you’re ready to make that same wise choice for your working LGDs, reach out to me. Let’s talk about your situation, your goals, and whether now is the right time to bring home the pair of LGDs that will set you up for years of successful livestock protection.

And if you’re considering a companion Maremma instead? That’s a different conversation, and I’m happy to talk about that too. Different roles require different approaches.

Because the right decision isn’t always the easy one—but it’s always worth it.

Have questions about getting two puppies together? Contact me to discuss your specific situation and whether a pair is right for you.