My husband and I just bought 2 2-month old cocker spaniels, litter mates. A lot of people advice against buying 2 at the same time, other say it shouldn't be a problem, so long you know what you are doing.
We started having them in crates next to each other and having playtime together. They are getting way too rough with each other though and are distracted from bonding with us / focusing on us to learn we are the alpha's... Today I separated the crates, and they are howling and barking quite excessively. We are trying to ignore it. My husband thought it might help if he takes one of them to the office during the week... is this a good idea? We also heard that they have to be raised basically all separate, until they are about 2 and a half years old.. separate walks, play time etc. Does it really take that long? Anything else we can do that might help? They are really having separation anxiety right now big time, especially the female... she gets all shaky and scared in her crate.
Answers:
No, they do not have to be raised separately but they do each need alone time with each of you.
Fantastic idea for your husband to take one of them to the office during the week. Rotate which one. Take them each to separate puppy kindergarten classes.
You can do things together with them, just be insistant that not ALL time is puppy playmate time. Let them play together for a bit and then have some worktime (training) either alone or together. I have littermates and another puppy that is a month older right now (yes, I am insane... 3 pups who are 7-8 mos old!) I let them have some runtime in the morning, then do a few minutes of group sits and downs, then set 2 out to play and work with the third for 5-10 min and rotate them.. THEN they get breakfast. So.. they are darn hungry and willing to pay attention to me to earn cookies (Innova Evo) while training.
the problem with them being together is that they will reinforce each others bad behavior. i never have seperated two dogs to get them oriented the way i wanted them. just spend time with them. and talk to your dogs everyday all the time. if you must, keep them seperated until they get the hang of the way things are run in your home. then get 'em together as soon as possible and enjoy!
I would continue your proccess and give eachone the same amount of seperate attention. I am not sure on how long this may take, just give it a try for awhile and see how things go. Just be sure to give them both extra attention!!
Your hubby is going to be really distracted at the office if he brings the dog with them. I think they should be fine sleeping in their crates next to each other. I have had littermates and I always allowed them to be together while they are growing up. You and your husband could each take one for a walk at the same time and go in different directions and you could each work on training one in seperate rooms. I don't think they need to be separated as much as you are doing!
I know that the playing looks rough to you, but those puppies will not purposely hurt each other, and if you watch them you'll see that they take turns on who gets to win, its the fairest playing around.
When it comes to training time, you take one and have your husband take one. But otherwise don't seperate them because you think they play rough now, seperate them for a day and then watch them, its worse. Trust me, I bought two lab pups together. Let them play, they will be fine.
Let them play what's may seem as rough play for you is gentle play for them.
Try playing with them to. Throw toys and stuff.
Don't worry the time will come, to teach them that your alpha.
P.S : Their can only be one alpha so you and your husband have to deside who it's gonna be.
What? Where did you hear this from? They are pups and pups play and they need play time and they need to establish "alpha" and if you keep them apart at 2 months old imagine what it will be like at 2 yrs old when you let them do all this. Why seperate the creates? Again never heard of this. Let those dogs out to play, play with them get down on the floor/ground and play. If you bought male/female have her fixed as soon as possible some vets will even do it as early as 3-4 months.
I remember with my lab and brittany spaniel it looked rough to us watching but they will NOT hurt one another if one should yelp or get injured the other will back off and sniff to make sure its okay.. Let them be pups dont seperate them
Get a proffesionals help or as i would reccomend Ceaser Millman DOG WHISPER
I think you can leave them together, but when you try to train them, do it separately. I have a 7 yr old German Shepherd who is my other dog's dog. He was a puppy when we got him, we had 3 other dogs, and he bonded with our lab. He does what she says to do, not what the humans tell us to do. I don't know about 2 puppies together. But my shepherd didn't bond with us humans.
They don't need to be RAISED separately, but it is good for them to spend time apart so that they don't get too dependent on each other. So sometimes one should be left alone while the other one gets to go out. If you do obedience classes, try one session with them in separate classes, so they learn to do without each other, and another session in the same class so that they learn to behave even if the other one is there. Same with training, do it together (you and hubby) and separately. Car rides together, car rides separate. You get the picture.
This is handy in case one of them ever has to, for example, stay at the vet's for overnight or several days. This way they won't have to deal with additional stress from being separated.
And as for the "too rough" thing, that's just how puppies play. They'll sort each other out.
Hi 8 months ago i got 2 puppies (brother and sister) we trained them together, let them sleep together, took the for walks together, everything together, so they have a friend when we have to leave them at home. I heard stories of them not having good relationships with my family as much as they would with each other, but i dont find that to be at all true. To tell you the truth, looking back on how we trained our dogs, it was better to always have both of them. also it may look like they are fighting really rough but unless one is squeeling or bleeding its all fun to them. growling is their way of talking to each other. also when one does somthing bad and we get mad at it the other one will get mad to and help us train him. It really works. in the end 2 together is better the 2 alone. hope i could help.
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