Is it a Good Idea to Bring Home 2 Puppies from the Same Litter?

Let me start by saying that I do know people who have made this work.  I also know people who drive too fast and have never been in an accident. That doesn't make either of those things a good idea. 

I would advise against getting two puppies from the same litter.   Here are 10 reasons why:

1) Dogs are social animals. Young puppies form strong bonds with their siblings before they've meet you and your human family. Bringing your puppy home with its litter mate interferes with the bonding process which must occur between a dog and its human family. It's tough enough for a puppy to understand that you and your family are its new social group.   The presence of a littermate slows the process.  In fact, most litter mates exhibit a strong preference for the company of each other over the company of their human owners.

2) People tend to neglect socialization with other dogs when they have 2 puppies. Yet by the time the puppies are about 6 months old, the primary windows of socialization have closed. Two dogs who grow up together and are denied the experience of meeting lots of other friendly dogs of various ages, will only enjoy the company of one another. Many of them will become fearful or aggressive toward other dogs. 

3) Owning a puppy is a huge responsibility. It requires a lot of hard work to raise even ONE puppy properly. Raising 2 puppies is twice the work.  For starters, each puppy will require its own crate. Also, you will have  to find time for  2 training schedules, along with separate times for play, exercise and mental stimulation.

4) Housebreaking will take longer.  There will always be one puppy who starts to "get it" before the other one - then that one will regress when he or she smells indoor elimination by its litter mate. This cycle of regression can continue (and even switch from one puppy to the other) resulting in much more time needed for housebreaking. 

5) Learning each new obedience command requires a three phase process (instruction, correction, distraction). But when you have 2 puppies you're setting them up for failure by providing a huge distraction (each other) during training. As a result it takes a lot more time for each one to learn basic obedience commands and household manners.

6) The less confident puppy will "hide in the shadow" of the more confident puppy. Therefore the  less confident puppy will  grow up lacking in social skills and will often exhibit a variety of fear and confidence issues (for the entire life of the dog).

7) Most breeders are smart, dedicated and ethical. But there are some unscrupulous breeders out there who will tell a potential buyer that the last two members of the litter are "really attached to one another" and will lay a guilt trip on the buyer, sometimes even giving a discount to purchase them both together.  There is absolutely no merit in the idea that you're doing emotional harm to a puppy by separating it from its sibling. In fact, the opposite may be true.

8) In order for proper social development to occur, a puppy must LEARN TO BE ALONE.  This part of their training becomes extremely difficult when they always have a sibling nearby.

9) When the puppies reach adolescence, competition is intensified and fights can break out. Fights between litter mates are much more severe than fights between unrelated dogs.

10) In situations where the owner has  decided to re-home one of  their two puppies, each of the them began to form a much closer bond with its human owner, and made great strides in obedience training, confidence and sociability. This was most noticeable when the re-homing was done prior to 6 months of age, but I've seen it happen with older dogs and puppies as well.

In conclusion - there is no reason to bring home 2 puppies from the same litter and lots of reasons not to. But if you've already taken the plunge, follow the above tips (separate crates; separate time with each puppy for training and play; time for each puppy to meet and play with other dogs without the littermate present) in  order to increase your odds of success.  And be sure to provide appropriate control of resources and clear human leadership in the home to prevent fights as they get older.

One more suggestion: If you really have your heart set on owning two dogs from the same breeder, wait until the first dog reaches social maturity (about 18 months old for small and medium breeds, about 2 years old for large breeds, and 3 years old for giant breeds) then bring home a new 8 to 10 week old puppy (of a different sex).   It will still be important to provide everything I just mentioned for the proper development of the new puppy, but by waiting you'll be more likely to avoid "litter mate syndrome."

Grain-Free is Not Always Best

I feed my dogs a high quality all-natural dog food but it is NOT grain free.

The kibble is made with:
 
• High-quality protein from human grade chicken 
• Antioxidants including vitamins C & E
• Prebiotic fiber & probiotics
• A selection of nutritious vegetables
• Omega-3 fatty acids for healthy skin & a shiny coat
• Calcium & phosphorus for healthy teeth and strong bones
• Dietary fiber to help maintain a healthy digestive tract
• No artificial flavors or colors
• No corn, wheat or corn/wheat glutens

I have not yet embraced the grain-free dog food movement because a) I don't think that enough research has been done, and b) as an owner of large breed dogs I stick with the diet that my own puppies and dogs have done very well on over the years (avoiding large breed problems like bloat and panosteitis).

Here is an excellent post by Linda Arndt (The Great Dane Lady) on the topic of grain-free dog food:

Things to Ponder About Grain Free Diets by Linda Arndt

I get many emails asking my opinion of the new grain-free diets on the market.
The growing holistic pet food industry has much competition these days, so they are looking for ways to reinvent the wheel and here you have it, the new grain-free diets!

What the Public Wants

After all, if “the public wants grain-free diets, certainly they know what is best for their pets – right? Wrong”. Just because the public wants it, is not a good enough reason to manufacture it. Just because it is a grain-free diet, does not mean it is appropriate for your dog’s individual situation.

Propagation of Myths

Thanks to knee-jerk reactions and the propagation of nutritional myths on the internet, grains in pet foods have a bad reputation. Grains are carbohydrates and carbohydrates are not necessarily bad. Just because it is a grain-free diet does not mean there are no carbohydrates in the grain-free food. Instead they substitute potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams and tapioca, as other carb sources yet tapioca is a questionable ingredient for pets. More feed trials are needed on these foods.

So when people think they are using a grain-free diet, it still has carbohydrates in it and in many cases potato carbohydrates are worse for allergies, systemic yeast infections, diabetic and cancer diets – worse than quality whole ground grains used in the proper proportion.

Not a Black and White Issue

My point here is this, like most things in life, this grainless diet topic is not a black and white issue. There are many things we need to consider before using a grain-free diet for our pet’s current health situation.

More Research is Needed

Most grain-free diets have not been around long enough to see how they will do in 3-4 generations. And feed trials, if actually done, are very limited. 

No Grain-Free for Puppies

I do not recommend grain free diets for weaning or growth in any breed and especially for large and giant breeds. Actually, I do not recommend a grain free diet be fed as the “total diet” to any healthy breed. I even have reservations about them used totally as a cancer diet due to the high calcium levels. They are really meant for very specific uses and often for short term use – each animal’s situation would have to be considered before I could ever recommend a total grainless diet to my puppy buyers.

It is IMPOSSIBLE regulate growth patterns on raw or grain fee diets in order to avoid developmental orthopedic diseases such as; HOD, Knuckling Over/Bowing (Carpel Flexural Deformity) OCD, and Pano.

So Are Grains Good or Bad?

There is some notion out there in cyberspace that grains are bad, when in fact grains are only bad when they were used as the basis for commercial foods, in other words grain is listed first on the label - now that’s bad. In super premium and holistic lines, grains are used as carbohydrate components, not as protein and not as filler, and that is good thing. Plus the quality of grains used in holistic and super premium lines is grade#1 Human Grade or Organic. This means low gluten components in the grains.

• fractionated (not ground whole)
• when they are not human grade or organic
• when they are the basis for commercial dog foods (grain listed first instead of meat protein based).

Grain Bashing

The biggest grain bashing problem was started by a West Coast dog food company years ago, and it had to do with corn and allergies. The fact is Human Grade #1 corn is one of the best natural sources of coat and skin conditioners like Omega 6, and it is low in gluten. It has an overall digestibility is 90% and carbohydrate digestibility is 99%.

Research

In 2005 one of the most respected holistic dog food companies decided to pull the corn from their foods only because they had pressure from consumers to do so. This decision to remove the corn was not based in any kind of research, but just because they bowed to public pressure. They removed the corn and now had a “grain-less” holistic food which is what the public clamored for in a pet food.

Grain-Free is Not Always Best

After test feeding the diet over a long period of time they witnessed several changes in the dogs energy levels, coat and body weight. All were negative effects. The dogs had significant weight loss, it took much more food to maintain the dogs weight, coats became brittle and the dog’s energy levels plummeted, real working dogs were lacking in endurance. After seeing this results over many months of feed trial research, they decided to put the Grade 1# whole corn back into their holistic diet – as a carbohydrate source, and after thousands of bags were sold not one allergy was reported.

Diabetic Dogs and Grain-Free Food

I have found in dealing with dogs that are diabetic or have cancer, that when we totally remove the grain from the diet, their energy level plummets. So using a very high quality, high protein/fat diet with some component of whole grain is actual a good thing. Remember if it is ground whole, the fiber is intact – if there is natural fiber present, the grain does not convert to sugar in a flash, it burns slow and steady and sustains energy levels and appetites.

Quality Grains with a Protein Base

The key is the diet should NOT be grain based, but instead should be based in protein from quality meat sources.

Grain Can Help Brain Function and Athletic Performance Nature made all muscle and brain function (99%) using glucose and oxygen. Carbohydrates, such as grains, are stored in the liver as glycogen, this is then released as glucose in the blood as the body requires it.

Dogs Need Exercise, Play and Mental Stimulation

Exercise means doing things with your dog, not just letting him run around alone in the yard. Dogs are social animals and require interactive play – they must play with you, their owner. Time spent alone running around in the yard will not solve your dog’s behavior problems. In fact, it may lead to more behavior problems, e.g. barking, digging, fence fighting.  It may actually increase, rather than decrease, a dog’s level of frustration.  An active, involved owner with a small back yard is a lot more fun for a dog than a detached, aloof owner who banishes the dog to “go play” in a big back yard. 

 

Steven Lindsay, in The Handbook of Applied Dog Training and Behavior concurs, “Putting a dog outside in a fenced yard is not enough to produce adequate exercise. The owner must become directly involved in the exercise activity, insuring that the exercise is done in a way that produces physiological and psychological benefit.” 

Dog parks and day care are not appropriate for every dog. But luckily, those are not the only ways to exercise your dog. Dogs enjoy fetch, jogging, long walks, swimming and playing games like tug-of-war and flirt pole.  

Tug-of-war is a great game to play with non-aggressive dogs, as long as you follow some basic rules. The owner should be the one to start and end the game, use only one object as the tug toy, put it away when you’re done and  teach the dog to drop the object on command.   

A flirt pole is simply a wooden pole with a length of rope and a toy tied to it.  Dogs with high prey drive love to chase and try to catch the toy. Dogs are not cats though, so be careful not to use the toy to make the dog jump up into the air, or your dog may be injured when he lands. Instead, make the toy “run” along the ground, simulating the movement of a running critter.  

Food games (like food puzzles or balls that dispense treats when hit a certain way by the dog) can be fun for dogs, providing much needed mental stimulation. While mental stimulation is not a substitute for exercise, don’t underestimate its impact on your dog’s overall well-being.  

Occupying your dog’s brain can sometimes be just as tiring as physical exercise. Take your dog with you wherever dogs are welcome.  Invest in a good obedience training program so that your dog will learn to be polite and well-mannered - then he will be welcome in more places. (Plus the training itself is another great way to occupy your dog’s mind.)

By the way, if you’re thinking about getting a second dog to keep the first one company, think again. You just might wind up with 2 bored dogs instead of one. There is no substitute for human attention, love, guidance and companionship.

Want to Become a Professional Dog Trainer?

If you want to know how to become a professional dog trainer, consider this: There are many schools for dog trainers in the U.S., graduating hundreds of new dog trainers each year. But dog trainer schools only teach how to train dogs – not how to earn a living training dogs. In contrast, the best dog training franchises teach people how to become a dog trainer and how to earn a full time living training dogs.  People who are serious about becoming a dog trainer should consider dog training franchise business opportunities instead of schools for dog trainers.

Why Choose A Dog Training Franchise Over A Dog Trainer School?

A recent study by PetMarketWatch.com found that owners of dog training franchisees can earn 3 to 5 times as much as their non-franchised counterparts (dog trainer school graduates and independent dog trainers).

There are many schools for dog trainers that offer good foundational knowledge, but if you’re looking for a small business startup opportunity as a dog trainer, you might want to consider the franchise model. Unlike dog trainer schools, dog training franchises follow a proven, step-by-step system that produces income right away.

There are a few companies who have begun selling dog training franchises regionally, and others have evolved a distribution model. Let’s first take a look at the difference between a  franchise and a distributorship:

• Franchising involves a contractual relationship whereby the franchisor permits a franchisee to use its trade name, marks and brands; exercises continuing control over business operations; provides training and assistance to a franchisee and requires initial and continuing payments to the franchisor.

• Distribution is when a manufacturer or a supplier of goods appoints an independent third party – the distributor – to market its goods.  The independent third party purchases the goods on his own account and trades under his own name as an authorized distributor.  His business name will usually have no connection with the name of the supplier of the goods nor will the supplier regulate the way in which the distributor operates his business other than, perhaps, to oblige the distributor to reach minimum turnover levels.

There are many ways in which a person who wants to become a dog trainer can achieve their goal including schools for dog trainers, franchises, distributorships and independent study. But the highest paid dog trainers with the most successful track records are  those who have chosen the dog training franchise model.  

Becoming A Dog Trainer: Economic Trends

The demand for dog trainers and dog training remains high, even in today’s economy. Since most dog owners consider their dog to be a part of the family, it would appear that spending money on man’s best friend will remain one of the most recession-resistant segments of consumer spending. 

Are Owners Of Dog Training Franchises Happy?

The Franchise Business Review, a leading market research company, conducted a survey of franchisees in a prominent dog training franchise and found: 

• 93% of all franchisees rated the franchisor as an "above average" business opportunity.
• 93% of franchisees believe that there is "above average" communication and support between franchisees in the system.
• 100% of franchisees said they respected the franchisor as an organization.
• 99% of franchisees stated that their schedules are flexible enough to allow them time off as needed.
• 75% of franchisees joined because they were seeking more control over their finances and their future.

Dog Training Franchises vs. Schools for Dog Trainers: Key Considerations

There are a number of other factors to consider when investigating dog training franchise opportunities. The process of offering franchises for sale in the Unites States is regulated by the Federal Trade Commission.   The FTC provides advice for people considering the purchase of a franchise.  

A sound business model will include a proven system for consistent sales. However, as with any other business opportunity, a prospective dog training franchisee must consider factors such as demographics, competition and median household income within the franchisee territory in determining whether to invest in the business.

The information contained in the franchise disclosure documents should be helpful in this regard, as they will include a list of other franchisees, past and present who can share their opinions as to the effectiveness and viability of the business system, as well as the level of ongoing support provided by the franchisor.

A Quick Review of Some of the Many Available Options: 

Canine Dimensions is a U.S. based company with dog training franchises located throughout the United States. We've been in business since 1997, currently operate in 20 states, and offer franchising opportunities for around $50,000.00 We require financial disclosure and a background check. Not everyone will qualify. Also, the offer and sale of a franchise can only be made through delivery and receipt of a Franchise Disclosure Document (see disclaimer notice below). 

Chain stores train thousands of dogs each year, but work is based upon your ability to sell their training programs for commission (no sales = no pay). Generally, you must have prior sales experience. You will need to be 18 years of age and you will be required to work in other areas of the store as well. 

Fees to attend on-site  dog training schools vary greatly - a quick Google search found a range of roughly $10,000 to $20,000. They require several weeks away from home (necessary to give you the dog handling experience that you'll need to learn their system).  Some of them specialize in e-collar training, so make sure that you're ok with using shock collars to train dogs; a method that, despite advances in technology, remains controversial among some pet owners.

There are many distance learning options as well.  An "online dog training school" is an option that's heavy on theory but light on actual dog handling.  When you contact them you will speak with a "career counselor" - who is essentially a commissioned sales person very skilled at talking up their school's certification program. But not all "certifications" are equal - so check online reviews carefully before you invest.   

Notice: The information contained herein does not constitute the offer or sale of a franchise. There are certain states that require the registration of a Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) before the franchisor can advertise or offer the franchise in that state. This franchise may not be registered in all registration states and may not offer franchises to residents of those states or to persons wishing to locate a franchise in those states. The offer and sale of a franchise can only be made through the delivery and receipt of a Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).

6 Dangerous Games Dog Owners Must Know About

Dogs need exercise, play and mental stimulation. In previous posts I've written about safe, fun ways to keep our dogs active, happy and healthy, but in this post I'd like to warn about some games that we should NEVER play with our dogs:

1) Laser pens. Using a laser pointer to tease your dog might be amusing for you, but it's no fun for your dog. At best, it builds frustration, and at worst, it can create OCD behaviors like chasing reflections, lights and shadows. If your dog has a strong prey drive, teach him to play fetch, or teach him how to play the 2-ball game - not how to chase laser dots.

2) "Find the Food." This game involves  hiding food treats around the house and cheering your dog  on as he runs frantically around the house looking for the food - encouraging him to probe between cushions on the couch, crawl under furniture, root around in and under your kid's toys, etc. This game can teach some very bad habits - such as food stealing, tearing up your furniture, becoming possessive of your children's toys, etc. A better idea is to teach your dogs to earn his treats by working with you - learning useful obedience commands like sit, down, come, stay and drop-it.

3) The "muffin pan game" when played with more than 1 dog.  Get a muffin pan, put some kibble in some of the compartments, and cover them with balls. Puppy learns to remove the ball and find the treat. Pretty harmless when played by only one puppy, but when you allow MORE THAN ONE puppy to play the game, you're teaching them to compete over food while in a state of high arousal, in effect teaching them to become resource guarders against other dogs (and possibly even against humans) later on.

4) Flirt pole jumping. A flirt pole can be a great way to exercise your dog. But the right way to do it is to allow the toy to "run" across the ground, NOT to make your dog jump up in the air after it, risking serious leg injuries.

5) Playing tug the wrong way.  Tug of war can be a great game. But there are rules! Playing it the right way builds a strong bond and provides plenty of exercise and mental stimulation. Playing it the wrong way creates bad habits. Here's a video showing the right way to play tug:

6) Allowing play among unfamiliar dogs at dog parks. Dog parks can be fun if you know the other dogs and if you supervise the activity. But I do not recommend allowing dogs to play with unfamiliar dogs at dog parks. (In a previous post I warned about the risks involved. Since then, I came across an excellent DVD by Sue Sternberg that I highly recommend if you go to dog parks regularly: "Dog-Dog Engagements Between Unfamiliar Dogs - Why It's So Risky.")

Wolfdogs (Wolf Hybrids) Are Not For Everyone

Courtesy of our friends at Howling Woods Farm. Visit them at www.howlingwoods.org

High content wolfdogs are very strong and difficult to train, require large secure outdoor pens, have special diets, and require a great deal of attention. They are very intelligent and get bored easily. While in some ways the behavior of wolfdogs is not much different than that of the typical canine family pet, certain traits are greatly magnified. For example, wolfdogs:

• react poorly to standard dog training
  
• may dig large holes in their pens or the backyard, especially if bored or tied down
  
• can jump or climb a six-foot high fence
  
• are smart and learn commands easily, but often decide to ignore them
  
• require an enclosure large enough for exercise and play.
  
• will roll over and over again in the most obnoxious smelling substance known to the human nose.
  
• do not respond to discipline the way most dogs do. Training a wolf dog is about as 'easy' as training a house cat.
  
• do not like to be alone (they need a canine or human companion). Providing a companion often negates undesirable behaviors discussed in this section. Remember, wolves are highly developed social animals that normally live in groups; it's not in their nature to be alone. A lone wolf is not a happy wolf.
  
• require a very high protein diet. Most commercial dog foods are difficult for wolf dogs to digest due to their high vegetable/low protein content.
  
• may be very fearful of people outside of the family. Taking them to public places may cause high anxiety and stress.
  
• Require a very high amount of socialization, often and repeatedly, from a very young age through adulthood, if you expect to ever take them to public places (or even for a walk).
  
• are not good off leash; they may run off in pursuit of something interesting and are difficult to call back; or they may find that obnoxious smelly stuff discussed above.
  
• bark very little, but boy do they howl.

Lastly, they bond strongly; should you ever give them up, they could languish. At best, they would not bond as easily with their next human companions as they did with you. A decision to bring a wolfdog into your home is a major lifetime commitment. Giving one up, no matter how good a reason, would likely result in its death; it would most likely never make it out of the shelter.

Wolf dogs are poor watchdogs!

They don't bark and tend to be fearful of strangers.  

How to Teach Your Dog to Take Treats Gently, Without Biting Your Fingers

Here's a method you can use to cure "Hard Mouth." Hard mouth refers to a dog who snatches treats fast and hard from your fingers, accidentally making contact.

Hard mouth usually begins in puppyhood, when owners (especially children) pull their hands away at the moment a treat is offered, to avoid contact with the puppy's teeth. This teaches the puppy that he has to lunge forward quickly to get the treat. This bad habit often continues into adulthood, and his bite gets harder and harder.

The following method will train a puppy, and can also be used to retrain an adult dog, to take treats gently:

1) Get some small food treats about the size of popcorn. Have the dog sit. Offer the treat to your dog in a closed fist, start with your hand at your side and slowly swoop your fist up just below his chin.  When the dog gives your fist a gentle nudge with his nose, open your hand, palm up, and let the dog eat the treat from your flat hand.  

2) While the dog remains seated, repeat the presentation of the treats exactly as described above. Do this several times. (If he stands up, tell him to sit again.) When the dog has calmly and gently eaten the food from the palm of your hand several times in a row, move to the next step.

3) Move the hand with the food treat toward the dog exactly the same way (swooping up from your side to just under his chin) except now, instead of holding it in your closed fist, you should be holding it under your thumb, completely hidden under the thumb. Thumb on top, all four fingers together on the bottom. When the dog touches his nose to your fingers, move your thumb out of the way revealing the treat. Do this several times. When the dog has calmly and gently eaten the food from your fingers several times in a row, move to the next step.

4) Continue offering the food as in step 3, only now you can begin to hold the food slightly exposed. Be sure to slowly swoop the hand up under the dog's chin the exact same way as before.
Congratulations, your dog is now taking treats without snapping!

Over the next few days, every time you give your dog a treat, start with step 1 and work toward step 4. Eventually it will take fewer repetitions between steps to achieve the desired result. With practice, the bad habit of snapping at your fingers will completely disappear.

Be careful not to pull your hand away while giving treats, or the bad habit may return.