AgileGSD
Posted : 8/17/2010 11:53:34 PM
Since you choose to bring littermates home, you have your work cut out for you to ensure they develop into normal, well socialized adult dogs. Be aware that since you brought home same sex littermates, there is a chance that after they mature they will become aggressive to each other. What you are seeing with one puppy being bolder (I hesitate to ever use the word "dominant" especially describing baby puppies) and one puppy being more fearful is the beginnings for what trainers often call "littermate syndrome".IME some breeds are much more prone to developing full blown littermate syndrome and the herding breeds seem to be among the most "at risk" for it.
Dogs generally mentally develop much differently when raised with littermates, especially same sex littermates than when raised as only puppies. This is because the situation triggers more pack oriented or "wild" behaviors behaviors as they mature. In a pack of two, one would naturally become bolder, more pushy and quicker to explore and one would naturally take the role of being more cautious and easily frightened.
This may not seem like a big deal if you don't feel that one puppy developing into a fearful dog (even when they didn't have to be that way) is a problem. But as they mature, the addition of other pack oriented or "wild" behaviors mean that the bold dog may start to become aggressive towards people or animals which frighten the more fearful dog. That is probably one of the most common issues I have seen as a trainer with herding breed dogs being raised with littermates.
Another issue is that the littermate dogs will often bond closer to each other than to the humans. Or because they are so focused on each other, their owners have a hard time training them. Who needs humans when you have another puppy to play with all the time?
All of that said, there are things you can do to prevent your puppies from developing littermate syndrome. The first step is that you need to rethink how you feel about raising littermates. The vast majority of people want their littermate dogs to hang out together all the time, go everywhere together and do everything together. They want two puppies so they can "keep each other busy". Unfortunately, that is the worst thing one can do from a behavior standpoint.
To properly raise littermates, the puppies need to be separated as much as possible. They need to be crated separately in separate parts of the house. They need to be taken out separately, socialized separately, fed separately, exercised separately and go to separate training classes. They can play together but should not be left together alone for extended periods of time. Their play should also involve training on a regular basis - calling puppies from play for treats, then letting them go back. They need to develop a strong bond to their owner and develop as individual dogs instead of as "one of two".
The other main training issue with littermates is the issue of the time and effort it takes to properly raise two puppies. For most people, taking in two puppies means that each puppy will only get half the time and attention that one puppy would get when it comes to training/socialization.You may have an advantage here, since you said one puppy is your dad's and one is your's. IME for owners willing to properly raise their littermates, this seems to be the best scenario. You do everything with your pup and your dad does everything with his, separately :)
I do hope that you will reconsider bringing him to work with you - that is a great way to help him develop apart from his brother, ensure he bonds to you and offer socialization opportunities. I wouldn't take him until after he's had his second parvo/distemper shot but puppies absolutely need early socialization, prior to being "fully vaccinated". They should meet hundreds of people by time they are 6 or so months old and be exposed to all sorts of situations. Herding breed puppies most especially need this early socialization and even more so, herding breed puppies already displaying shyness or fearfulness at a young age.
Check out American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior's position statement on puppy socialization: http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:DTx7zXWnN1oJ:www.avsabonline.org/avsabonline/images/stories/Position_Statements/puppy%2520socialization.pdf+avsa+puppy+socialization+position+statement&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgYVeqtDENXfm4hOaV7dUeDK3MM9jJhh1o78ZaXsanuO6j7tK2c1tYnthRnLbGwDYfOK7ZfJr1D4XF6jdcF_BY-pxkmluuVdF0B05F-JQy18CEBPm8A9j7N8HCurKbFgS7igDLO&sig=AHIEtbRXVhptQ0yruiwszv4yIKEuNqbmwg
And info about raising littermates:
http://www.caninedevelopment.com/Sibling.htm
http://www.diamondsintheruff.com/livingwlittermates.html
http://www.poochprofessor.com/A_TwoNotFun.html
http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:D5mkEGR1yQoJ:www.petworksco.com/Littermates.pdf+raising+littermate+puppies&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESiuIjOuC9lvLcCV-UhZqjrB4_Nj61T5YBHVOsDUB9-DEdwG3fk15_gCvGf2tYW45tmuT4B5TkPXrPkHZPcA_t-m9KlhYf0Aq4Q3kjnDzd0FJtugoBq0eabX8CNV5e2r8FaQB3-0&sig=AHIEtbShgw07llVj10fy5ZUvYq_qDY9Vaw
http://dog-care.suite101.com/article.cfm/why_raising_two_puppies_together_is_not_a_good_i
http://buddyschance.typepad.com/positive_dog_training_blo/2007/04/adopting_litter.html
(I found this really interesting: "In fact, according to Steven Lindsay (author of Handbook of Applied Dog
Behavior and Training), one Guide Dog organization reported problems
when a mother and child pair was fostered together and when littermates
are fostered together. Quoting a representative of the organization: "I
cannot remember a single dog who was raised with her mother to
adulthood who could be successfully trained for a Guide Dog. Where two
litter mates are raised together in the same home we have had the same
results. . . . one becomes a successful candidate for Guide Dog work and
one fails, even if their aptitude tests were equal." (Lindsay, 2000, p.
50).";)
I wish you luck with the puppies. If you are willing to raise the puppies separately and meet the early socialization/training needs of both of them you can have success with this. However, if you don't feel confident that you or your dad will put this sort of effort into raising these puppies, it is in everyone's best interest to rehome one of the puppies now. This requires a family discussion and an honest look at what you are willing to do and what you can do to ensure these puppies are both properly and individually socialized. If you have any questions about raising littermates, feel free to PM me. I have worked with quite a few littermates over the years and raised a group of three puppies until they were 6 months old. Littermate issues have sort of been a special interest of mine for years :)