Benny and Charlie are 12 week old boy littermates. Having brothers seemed like such a good idea. From the very beginning they played really rough, sometimes more rough than what seems appropriate. We let them work it out but sometimes it turns into a fight. So, we started separating them onto different floors of the house and they both became different dogs. One is chill and the other is rambunctious. Both seem content by themselves. They are amazing when separated, but seem stressed out together. They don't wag their tails when they are together or show each other any "affection". Is this a sign of two temperaments that don't mix well together? Three legitimate dog experts told me that it littermates are a bad idea. They fight and neither reaches their full potential. What do you think? Or is it that having 2 puppies at the same time is a bad idea? Or, is it that they are un-neutered males? We have an amazing home for one of them if we need to permanently separate them. I'm not giving up. I just want to do what's best for THEM.
Cheeky1020
Raising two puppies st the same time is a tall order for even a very experienced dog person. Raising littermates is even harder. In your case, it sounds like you don’t have that level of experience. Most breeders won’t even sell littermates to the same family for that reason. Many breeders will not place a puppy in a home with another puppy much under a year, unless the owner is VERY experienced. It’s just very hard.
It IS unusual that they are fighting, though, usually the problem is the opposite, that the puppies get too attached to each other, and it is hard to train them, and hard to get them to properly bond with family members. This level of fighting is unusual and worrisome. You were right to separate them, at least when it was happening. You MIGHT, in time, be able to teach them to respect each other’s space and style, but you may always be living with two animals who don’t really like each other.
Have you talked to the breeder? Most contracts with good breeders require you to return a dog or puppy to the breeder, and not place them elsewhere without the consent of the breeder. I would think your breeder would want to know what is going on. Considering the age of the puppies, my guess is she may have other people on a waiting list for puppies.
Oh, and it has NOTHING to do with them being unneutered males… at this age, they don’t have any hormones telling them that they ARE “males”… they are just baby puppies!
I DO think that you will be much happier, and have a much more pleasant, joyful experience raising one puppy, which ever one you like better, and rehoming the other. If, in a year or two, you decide to add another dog to your family, talk to the breeder about your dog’s personality, and have her help you choose a puppy whose disposition will be a good fit for your older dog!
It IS unusual that they are fighting, though, usually the problem is the opposite, that the puppies get too attached to each other, and it is hard to train them, and hard to get them to properly bond with family members. This level of fighting is unusual and worrisome. You were right to separate them, at least when it was happening. You MIGHT, in time, be able to teach them to respect each other’s space and style, but you may always be living with two animals who don’t really like each other.
Have you talked to the breeder? Most contracts with good breeders require you to return a dog or puppy to the breeder, and not place them elsewhere without the consent of the breeder. I would think your breeder would want to know what is going on. Considering the age of the puppies, my guess is she may have other people on a waiting list for puppies.
Oh, and it has NOTHING to do with them being unneutered males… at this age, they don’t have any hormones telling them that they ARE “males”… they are just baby puppies!
I DO think that you will be much happier, and have a much more pleasant, joyful experience raising one puppy, which ever one you like better, and rehoming the other. If, in a year or two, you decide to add another dog to your family, talk to the breeder about your dog’s personality, and have her help you choose a puppy whose disposition will be a good fit for your older dog!
Once again, Karen has saved me the trouble of posting. I agree with everything she said, and would have posted the same.
Fully train the first puppy, and it will help you raise the next one.
Fully train the first puppy, and it will help you raise the next one.
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
