Raising Two Puppies At Once

[Jumabaar]

I remember putting icky tasting substances on collars and leads to discourage helping each other out with them. I only have collars on when supervised because no deterrent is is going to be completely reliable when pulling on collars is great fun!

Hot chilly was highly desirable though rather than icky and created mass diarrhoea so that is not a suggested substance :laugh:

I didn't allow them to pull around a lead and went straight onto a long line so they didn't learn to pull. Instead learnt that I was just going to walk off and they had to keep an eye on me because there would be random jackpots and treats and games and general fun stuff. Plus getting to go new places. On the few occasions there was pulling I stopped so they didn't get to go anywhere until they checked in and we could play some chasies.

[Sheridan]

I'm bemused by the assumption that people automatically have dog runs. They've played madly outside for hours and both did wees when they came inside, Roo in his crate. He wasn't have Ng a sleep or anything or having a time out. I put something in the bedroom and he went in his crate and wee/ed.

[Jumabaar]

Yup outside is for having fun and forgot about full bladders until they came inside and relaxed then remembered they had to go.

You have to stop the play before coming inside so they remember their bladders before coming back inside. Also watch out for the double wee'er- I had one that would get rid of some of the pressure then try to go back to playing. I had to be the meanie and remove her play mate until she finished off the rest of it, otherwise there were accidents.

Oh the joys of puppies.

Mine were Kelpies so I did teach them to sleep separately and did separate them some of the time but there were days where I was lazy and we all just hung out. If they looked over tired I would pop them in their crate so they could crash. Mine are house dogs who are currently curled up asleep on the bed. Teaching them to chill out around each other is important as well as chilling out away from each other.

Edited June 12, 2015 by Jumabaar

[Sheridan]

I've been trying to get Roo out first and get him to double wee then poo. Then separately bring out Bunny. Trouble is when he pitches a hissy then goes inside.

They've just had a time out in their crates so I could do some stuff, now it's outside time again.

[Sheridan]

Well, two very tired puppies. They ran around like mad things most of the day because i wanted to get the yard clean up underway. My BIL came over and cut down a bush that they decided to chew on. It was directly under the clothes line and had been annoying me for ages so I'm glad to see the back of it. There's a bucket over the stump and I'm wondering whether to make it a wee post of sorts.

We also had our first vomit. Bunny threw up. Looked like part of her brekkie and a combination of dirt and leaves, etc. The people who designed the yard used small pebbles instead of dirt and mulch and they're everywhere. I'm forever taking things out of their mouths. No dinner tonight.

She also crashed into Roo and was limping a little. She is fine now but we'll be visiting the vet tomorrow as a just in case.

[Sheridan]

here, putting collars ON is a signal for food in the early days .

first weeks on leash is a nice strong fine link chain leash - once or twice it may get mouthed ..but no habit can be formed , as it is unpleasant :)

I also walk pup where it wants to go - to food bowl /outside / inside for the first few walks ...

I've started with a small necklace chain with Roo. He's okay with it hanging form the collar so far.

[Sheridan]

I don't think it matters if they are co dependent. All my dogs hate being on their own or seperate from the others apart from the stud boy who mixes well with them all outside but pees on their beds & around the living areas inside so he has the computer room as his space & doesn't mark his territory in there & is happy with that.

Its cold at night & I can't see any harm in sleeping them together. They will have to sort out who is boss, one of them has to be, so as long as you split them up if it gets too rough or can make them stop with vocal commands expect some scrapping, its natural.

You will have to seperate for lead training but I would feed a few feet apart & watch & order each back to their own dish. I feed 5 adults without seperation & they know to only eat their own.

Often had 2 pups similar in age & find they copy & learn from each other. I never seperated them at all, only from the adults when small & introduced under supervision. 2 pups won't kill each other & will quickly make friends. They will miss their litter mates being so young & be glad of each others company.

Actually, I'm not sure if they're friends or not. They play together, often quite roughly and it usually ends with one humping the other. They're sleeping together at my feet at the moment, which is very cute. One of my concerns about them sleeping together is that they will be entire for some time as I intend to show them. If I establish separate sleeping conditions now, isn't that better?

[tdierikx]

I'd be working on making sure they both cope fine with being separated as early as possible - do you have room in your bedroom for 2 night sleeping crates?

They aren't too young for you to establish a routine of them only being together when you are supervising either...

T.

[Sheridan]

I'd be working on making sure they both cope fine with being separated as early as possible - do you have room in your bedroom for 2 night sleeping crates?

They aren't too young for you to establish a routine of them only being together when you are supervising either...

T.

They have separate crates in the bedroom and a playpen with a crate in it in the lounge room.

[Sheridan]

Hmm, interesting development. Bunny, aside from now being able to jump up on the couch, is now having complete hysterics at being crated.

[tdierikx]

Pups are so much fun, aren't they?

Some pups will try pretty much anything to get their own way... you have to be strong and try to ignore her - unless she starts self harming of course... but that's not a normal progression in a normal pup, so it most likely won't come to that, OK?

Some pups can keep up the screaming for what seems like hours, but they usually will give up when it's not working.

I found giving them a bucket bed and a large teddy bear to snuggle with seemed to work quite effectively.

T.

Edited June 14, 2015 by tdierikx

[Sheridan]

Pups are so much fun, aren't they?

Some pups will try pretty much anything to get their own way... you have to be strong and try to ignore her - unless she starts self harming of course... but that's not a normal progression in a normal pup, so it most likely won't come to that, OK?

Some pups can keep up the screaming for what seems like hours, but they usually will give up when it's not working.

I found giving them a bucket bed and a large teddy bear to snuggle with seemed to work quite effectively.

T.

They both have several cuddle toys and big blankets to snuggle in. I'm wondering if I should swap them over crate wise? Or put the crates together? The latter is more difficult as I'd have to shift the bed. He looks for food in the crate and she now looks for food in his crate. If I make them closer together or put her in his crate?

[tdierikx]

I used to keep the night crates separate for my fosters - they had to get used to being on their own for when they went to new homes.

Some pups did better being able to see me on the bed, or the door to the room... played switchy-swaps to find which suited each pup best.

Sometimes a pig's ear was required to keep the little buggers quiet for long enough to realise that they weren't getting 100% attention from the humans... can't do it every night though, unless you like diarrhoea... errr! Sheep's ears are probably better... but don't last as long.

If they settle fine in side-by-side crates at night, then that may be an option, but getting them used to what YOU want is better, yes?

If I had litters of pups, I'd rotate who was in the bedroom crates overnight - just to get them used to being on their own away from littermates.

T.

[Sheridan]

Miss Bunny can now get up on the couch. Kerry blues like being up high and I've found that sitting next to me calms her down a bit. Roo prefers sitting on my feet. Both can now get up on my bed, ratbags.Bunny is doing reasonably well with lead training, though we're at the stage where she's watching my hand all the time. Roo is doing less well with lead training but admittedly, I've been concentrating on Bunny a bit more because she's more of a live wire. She can sit a bit. He can't sit at all but again, small steps.Bunny settled down very quickly last night. I was surprised. She didn't have hysterics until around 5 am when we went back to bed after a trip outside.They've also discovered rain and typical kerry and wheaten, it's all, 'You want me to go out in that?'

[raineth]

Photos

[Boronia]

Photos

This ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

[The Spotted Devil]

Yup :D

So funny, my ESS litter LOVE the mud and rain at the moment! Means we go through a lot of towels.

[Sheridan]

Will try this afternoon. :)

[Boronia]

[Sheridan]

Will post pictures in exchange for toilet training help. Training two at once is an issue. I take out Bunny, Roo does a wee/poo in the house and visa versa. I take both out at once, it's playtime. If I take one out the other has hysterics inside which is a distraction. I have taken Bunny out in lead. She stands there and stares at me. I have tried training them to go in one spot, in a small pen, worked twice.They sit there or fight to get out, one at a time. I have tried newspaper, something with wee already on it, no go. How long do I give them outside at a time to do something because the length of time can be half an hour sometimes with nothing happening then inside, wee. Help.