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Raising Labrador Siblings


iwannapuppy
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Don't.

Most responsible breeders won't sell two to the same home anyway.

Two pups is twice the training requirement. You'll have issues with getting the pups to focus on you rather than each other.

People here have tried it and most wouldn't do it again. Read the "things I wish I'd known before I got a dog" thread - there's at least one example there.

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Don't.

If you want two dogs, get one train it and when it's older (maybe 12-18 months for a Lab) get another.

Most breeders won't sell two to the same home unless the new owner is VERY experienced, which I'm guessing you're not or you wouldn't be asking?

Two pups = 20 x the destruction

They bond with each other instead of with you

You have to find twice the amount of time in your day to train them, walk them, just hang out with them SEPARATELY

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dont. they will form a pack of two and you will be forever trying to lead the pack and failing unless you are a very experienced dog owner who has had a multiple dog household before.

i agree that if the breeder is ok with you having two i would be looking for another breeder

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While i agree that 2 pups at the same time is generally not a good idea- there are plenty of ethical breeders who have sold siblings together, including the breeder that won the first MDBA award, who breeds labradors.

Why did you want to get two puppies at the same time?

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While i agree that 2 pups at the same time is generally not a good idea- there are plenty of ethical breeders who have sold siblings together, including the breeder that won the first MDBA award, who breeds labradors.

Why did you want to get two puppies at the same time?

but would they have sold them to someone who appeared to not know how to manage them?

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Being someone who has, through lack of knowledge, done this (not Labs) I would advise against it. It is not the end of the world as some Dolers would have you believe but it is a lot of hard work and can have its own negative aspects. There are few positives to having two pups as well, but I think the negatives outweight the positives.

Maybe think about getting a Pup now, then later on look at getting a friend for them from a rescue. This way you have the best of both worlds, the Puppy you want and you save a dog from the pound. This was along the lines of my original plan..............but they were so cute and I coudnt decide...........so I took both.

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Thanks everyone for your replys, the breeder i am buying from suggested i go on here and see if any one had any positive stories as she has previously sold two sets of siblings with no dramas but isn't pressuring me into buying two like i orignally wanted. But after reading many a horror story online we have decided to just go with the one pup and another sometime in the future. Thanks again for all your replys, :eek:

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I have taken pups from same litters and never really had any problems, but not Labs.

I was prepared for it though and had alot of experience rescuing and saving dumped dogs.

Most were rehomed within months but the last 2 RottyX girls I kept for years.

The first 2 girls GSDx I called Bo and Jangles. The last 2 Rottyx's I called Bo and Diddley..

I named all of them along those lines..apart from a girl Counternilly and boy MeatSafe..

I know it isn't recommended but I was in a position where I just didn't have any choice..

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While i agree that 2 pups at the same time is generally not a good idea- there are plenty of ethical breeders who have sold siblings together, including the breeder that won the first MDBA award, who breeds labradors.

Cripes, that'd be me, then :thumbsup:

Sandra777 Posted 16th Jan 2010 - 07:54 PM

QUOTE (Cosmolo @ 16th Jan 2010 - 06:51 PM)

including the breeder that won the first MDBA award, who breeds labradors.

sorry this is just wrong IMO

Jaxx'sBuddy Posted 16th Jan 2010 - 07:55 PM

but would they have sold them to someone who appeared to not know how to manage them?

Talk about an inquisition three years after the event :thumbsup: I give anybody that talks about wanting litter mates (or pups of the same age, not necessarily sibs) the exact same advise as most of you have stated on this thread, however I do not regret the two occasions that I have sold litter mates to the one family. In both cases upon meeting the prospective purchasers it didn't take me long to realise that these two families were the puppy purchasers that dreams are made of. The first pair (Jade and Amber, about twenty years ago) gave Lynda and Eric so much happiness and received so much love in return (actually I got a Christmas card again from them this year) and the two in question, Bella and Emily, are a match made in heaven for Jan and Stan. I finally discovered that Jan was the one who nominated me for the MDBA award, (thanks Jan - you bitch :o )

Horses for courses; no black and white, only grey; blah blah blah....

Sylvia

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including the breeder that won the first MDBA award, who breeds labradors.

:thumbsup: sorry this is just wrong IMO

While i agree that 2 pups at the same time is generally not a good idea- there are plenty of ethical breeders who have sold siblings together, including the breeder that won the first MDBA award, who breeds labradors.

Cripes, that'd be me, then :thumbsup:

Sandra777 Posted 16th Jan 2010 - 07:54 PM

QUOTE (Cosmolo @ 16th Jan 2010 - 06:51 PM)

including the breeder that won the first MDBA award, who breeds labradors.

sorry this is just wrong IMO

Jaxx'sBuddy Posted 16th Jan 2010 - 07:55 PM

but would they have sold them to someone who appeared to not know how to manage them?

Talk about an inquisition three years after the event :thumbsup: I give anybody that talks about wanting litter mates (or pups of the same age, not necessarily sibs) the exact same advise as most of you have stated on this thread, however I do not regret the two occasions that I have sold litter mates to the one family. In both cases upon meeting the prospective purchasers it didn't take me long to realise that these two families were the puppy purchasers that dreams are made of. The first pair (Jade and Amber, about twenty years ago) gave Lynda and Eric so much happiness and received so much love in return (actually I got a Christmas card again from them this year) and the two in question, Bella and Emily, are a match made in heaven for Jan and Stan. I finally discovered that Jan was the one who nominated me for the MDBA award, (thanks Jan - you bitch :thumbsup: )

Horses for courses; no black and white, only grey; blah blah blah....

Sylvia

same here .not all pet owners are idiots :o

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Thats the thing- while its 'generally' not a good idea, i certainly would NOT write off a breeder that was willing to sell two pups together. I don't know Zenchel personally but i do know one of the puppy buyers very well and i have heard nothing but fabulous things about them, and they sold 2 pups together!

Edited by Cosmolo
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including the breeder that won the first MDBA award, who breeds labradors.

:rofl: sorry this is just wrong IMO

WHY?

Surprising as it may seem there are inteligent dog savvy people out there who can raise happy healthy well adjusted dogs 2 at a time, and Breeders who can pick these people.

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As an owner of one lab (now 9 months), many things to consider if you're getting one, let alone two. Of course, all puppies are work, but labs are alot of work. They respond wonderfully to training as they're very food driven, but without the right attention, they can be very challenging.

What is your personal /home situation in terms of raising two puppies ? (ie are you at home, or could you be at home in the early days )? Children ? other family members ?

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  • 2 weeks later...

We wanted 2 and decided against the same litter after considering all the points raised instead we now have two male labs who are 7 months apart. (same father). It was tough going the till the youngest was about 16 weeks old but now it is just amazing and we believe completely worth all the effort.

It was hard going monitoring the "play" and making sure the joints did not get too much of a work out in the early days.

Yes the youngest is more bonded with the older pup, but we have done all we can to ensure he is bonded with us too.

It is just so lovely to see them play and sleep together and I am so comfortable now leaving them at home with company.

The first two months of the 2 together where extemely hard and time consuming as they are with any pup just a little more so but the return is twice as much as well! We are very very happy with the age difference and glad we didnt go with litter mates.

Lisa

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I'm another who has sold 2 labrador siblings to the same family. They are very well behaved and a credit to the training and effort the new owners put in to them.

Would I do it again........yes.......but only if the right home came along.

I've raised 2 pups of the same age. One I bred and one from another breeder. I wouldnt even say they bonded to each other either......one has eyes only for my daughter, whereas the other adores my OH.

But it can be a lot of hard work and not something I would recommend to just anyone.

Everyones situation is different.

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I'm another who has sold 2 labrador siblings to the same family. They are very well behaved and a credit to the training and effort the new owners put in to them.

Would I do it again........yes.......but only if the right home came along.

I've raised 2 pups of the same age. One I bred and one from another breeder. I wouldnt even say they bonded to each other either......one has eyes only for my daughter, whereas the other adores my OH.

But it can be a lot of hard work and not something I would recommend to just anyone.

Me too.

I find two pups at the same time has advantages. Labs have no trouble bonding to people, so the bonding with dogs and not people problem isn't the crunch. I have two now . . . about three weeks apart in age . . . who are best friends and keep on another active and interested in all sorts of things. One is obedient. The other wants to do the right thing but I can't trust her cause discipline goes out the window when she senses rabbits or other game. The real concern, in my books, is that they will develop a crash and tumble play routine that ends out with skeletal damage. This can be prevented by intervention and training . . . but requires that someone take the time to police their behaviour. On the other hand, if my dogs can't come up with good hip and elbow scores despite natural vigorous play as pups, I'm ready to cull them from breeding programs.

I think dogs should be allowed normal dog behaviour . . . ideally, including play with siblings or pups of near the same age. It requires some care. But the alternative in a dog breeder establishment . . . seeing a young pup confined on its lonesome for long hours each day . . . isn't so nice either.

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