During my appointment with the family, we determined that the best course was to rehome one of the 12-week-old siblings. Dunbar agrees that it's often best to separate littermates, especially if symptoms appear early, so that each has a chance to develop normally as an individual.
The pups should sleep separately, in separate crates and eat from separate bowls, no trading allowed! They should attend separate training classes - or failing that, work on opposite sides of the room.
That doesn't sound so healthy. And we seem to be able to recognize and make an effort to prevent this in humans. But when it comes to puppies, it's almost as if people want their pups to grow up dependent on the other puppy. That's unfortunate because it's not a good idea for the puppies or the family they live with.
But there have been days when you might have wondered, “Why does my dog follow me everywhere?” The answer has to do with your dog's animal instinct and pack mentality. “If every time you are with your dog, he gets affection or treats, he's likely to [follow you around] more often,” Dr. Barrack says.
Research suggests that dogs are able to recognize their siblings and their parents later in life as long as they spent the first 16 weeks together. Intuitively, the less time dogs spend with their families as puppies, the less likely it is they'll be able to recognize a family member later on.
If the pups are very young, sleeping together may be fine for a while, as long as they are getting enough one-on-one time with you, but before long they should sleep in their own crates. It's certainly good for them to play together sometimes, but each one needs time playing with you, every day. Then switch pups.
MYTH: They'll already be sad having “lost” their mother; therefore, separating pups from each other is cruel and it's what causes them to cry the first few nights in the home. Dogs don't have the same emotional bond with their families that humans do. A dog can be perfectly happy raised away from his littermates.
Many believe that dogs cannot remember their mothers. They will point to the fact that a male dog will mate with the mother as evidence of the dogs having no recognition of one another. However, a dog does not have morality. When the pups were placed in the room, they found their mothers 84 percent of the time.
When a dog loses a companion, two- or four-legged, he grieves and reacts to the changes in his life. Dogs alter their behavior when they mourn much like people do: They may become depressed and listless. They may have a decreased appetite and decline to play.
How to housetrain your dog or puppy
- Take your puppy outside frequently—at least every two hours—and immediately after they wake up, during and after playing, and after eating or drinking.
- Pick a bathroom spot outside, and always take your puppy (on a leash) to that spot.
- Reward your puppy every time they eliminate outdoors.
What happens to female dogs if they get pregnant by their blood brother? To the best of my knowledge, there is no impact on the female dog. The impact would be to the offspring in that siblings would be more likely to both carry any recessive genetic defects.
Well, not usually. Most training professionals strongly recommend against adopting two pups at the same time. The biggest challenge of adopting two new puppies is their tendency to bond very closely with each other, often to the exclusion of a meaningful relationship with their humans. They can become inseparable.
Ask local shelters if they will allow you to adopt multiple dogs at once. Most shelters and rescue groups will not allow you to adopt multiple dogs at one time. Because adopting one dog can be difficult, most shelters will help you adopt a second dog once the first has successfully adjusted to your home and family.
You don't, by the way, need to take your dogs for separate walks every time. Even one solo walk or activity each week can provide your dog the chance to be his own dog for a while. You can also simply let your dogs spend time without one another by giving them access to different rooms of the house.
Puppies spend at least the first nine weeks of their lives with their littermates. So when they leave the litter for their new homes, it's a large adjustment. They don't understand why they're alone and they do miss their playmates, although they probably won't recognize them later in life.
Remember, you should never get in the middle of two fighting dogs and NEVER attempt to grab the collar or head of two fighting dogs as you will get bit even by your own pet. If you're alone, the physical-intervention method is not advised, as the other dog will typically go after the dog you're walking back (and you).
How to Discipline Dogs Which Are Fighting
- Interrupt the fight with an environmental distraction.
- Separate the animals right away.
- Take away whatever resource they seem to be fighting over.
- Discipline your dogs by instituting strict order in your household.
- Institute discipline in your distribution of treats and other high-value items.
Fear is another common cause of aggression between packmates. Dominant dogs – who may often be considerably older and not in quite as good condition as they once were – may see their status under threat. The logical step would be to literally nip that problem in the bud before it becomes one.
Serious Dog Fights Are Often QuietDuring a serious dog attack, the aggressor may be quiet while the victim dog screams. Some dogs may dart in and out, slashing at each other's legs and bellies; others latch on and grind down.
Just like people, some dogs really struggle with sibling rivalry. In fact, dogs that go home with their siblings often struggle with aggression issues more than dogs who are raised without a “sibling” – whether or not they're actually related.
Therefore, when there is fighting between dogs in a home, it is more likely to be caused by conflict over resources, fear, pain and irritability, redirected aggression, or sociopathic tendencies (in which one or more of the dogs have underdeveloped or insufficient social communication skills).
Sibling rivalry, or fighting amongst dogs inside the same household, usually stems from either normal competitiveness amongst dogs of similar age, sex and development, or adolescent dominance struggles, or both. Fights among siblings can sometimes seem severe with blood drawn, etc.
Tips for Averting Dog Fights in Your HomeCan dogs live together after fighting? The answer is, most of the time, YES. There are times when dogs may be like an incompatible couple and need to divorce, but in general, there are things you can do to help combative pups get along.
Pinned ears, an erect tail, growling, and showing teeth are all appropriate signs of communication that dogs can use during playtime. If both dogs are play bowing, bouncy, or seem to exaggerate their movements and vocalizations, it's likely a play session. Another good indication of play is sneezing.
For starters, Phifer tells WebMD that there are no set rules about good dog matches because all dogs - even within the same breed - are individuals. So it's not necessarily true that female dogs match well with male dogs, younger dogs or older dogs make better second dogs, or that two puppies always do well together.
Males sharing the territory are seen as competition, even if no females in heat are around. Neutering both dogs will lessen aggression, get rid of sexual frustration and do away with the need to show dominance over other male dogs.
Start with gradual periods of separation where each dog is doing something fun, yet independent of the other. For example, a walk, playtime or simple commands followed by treats. Feed dogs separately and gradually move their crates or sleeping places away from each other until they are eventually in different rooms.
