Is it a bad idea to have littermates as pet's?Have been told it is a no no can anyone give any aermate'sdvise on on keeping littermate's.
thanks

Much harder to train two dogs than one.  Takes more time and energy.   Littermates or any two puppies of similar age can develop more of a bond for eachother than owner.  They also both want to do everything 'first'.

Wendy

I am on my third lot of 2pups same age. They are not double the work they are 10 times more difficult than a single pup.. To be honest after they reach 12 weeks and become boistrous they need to be kept seperated a great deal of the time. A lot of damage to hips etc is caused by over boistrous puppies playing, fun at the time but a lifetime of regret. Toilet training can take much longer. Walks have to be done in triplicate, since each pup needs lead training individually and again together. As the pups reach the 9month stage you have 2 kevins for the next 9months app.  At some point you will have the status issue and if you have two strong willed dogs, that could be a problem.

Do you have the time to devote to two individual pups, bearing in mind that it does have to be individually. Can you accept toilet training may take 6 months instead of 6 weeks. Do you have the ability to keep them seperated without one or the other missing out. Do you have the time to take them out individually and together, remember that when you come back you have to settle one down before going out again, and then come back and take both, whatever the weather. Can you deal with a play for Alpha battle. And when they are playing together can you be with them at ALL times, rough play must not happen.?

I would never recommend anyone to get 2 pups same age, whether littermates or not. 

Edited.  When I say seperated,I dont mean pups in seperate rooms, the pups must still be with you together, but kept apart and solely concentrate on you.

Another factors against litter mates is that they can tend to be more alike, and this can results if battle royals as they try to determine their pack order as they mature.

KayC  I am just being nosey here but is there any particular reason why you have had three lots of same age pups?

Wendy

By mismanagment. 1st 2 were years ago and I vowed NEVER to go through that again. However, a year ago when I had paid my deposit on Tia, I had already been on the waiting list for a months for a particular mating and expected to wait another year, the breeder phoned me to say the mating had produced the pup I wanted, so arrived Bailey, the pups were 2days apart. (Bailey and Tia have only just turned one year old at the end of January.) I collected Bailey and left Tia with breeder for another 6 weeks so I could settle Bailey in 1st.  2nd two I have at the moment are just 7 weeks apart, one from my own litter and another from Tia's breeder, a little bitch that came from a mating that I just could not pass on. Again Summer's breeder kept her until she was 16 weeks so that I could toilet train my own litter and home them. Ollie was not ready to go to his new home until he was 18weeks so at that point I had 3 pups under the age of 6 months.  I am lucky though I have a large house, massive garden kids have left home, so ALL my time is devoted to my dogs.  I am able to give them the attention and training they need without having to consider other family members.  I would never recommend two pups for anyone and certainly never 2 from the same litterto be introduced to new home at the same time.   I have a good raport with both my breeders, one of which my foundation line was based on.

I also had puppies a month apart in age!! they were a nightmare but I wouldnt swap them for the world and now they are the best of friends!x

Quite a coincidence Kay. :)

I also live in Scotland and I also have two Labrador litter mates called Bailey & Tia and although they were a lot of work when they were younger we were experienced previous lab owners and had a good idea of what to expect when we got them. I would not advise anyone who is not a previous dog owner or who is not prepared to put  in a LOT of time and effort raising litter mates to ever consider this.

HOWEVER having said that, as I have said before on here I know now of several litter mates who happily live together and contrary to the popular belief that litter mates cannot live together and are harder to train I find they get on very well and I actually found it easier training two, it's amazing how rewarding one for good behaviour can create a similar response in the other. :)

They DO need lots of individual attention though and it is a good idea to take one for a walk while leaving the other now and again so that they get used to being separated and thus avoiding separation anxiety.

True also they will bond more with each other than with you but that can be a good thing sometimes and they always have someone to play with.

Two years down the line now and I would definitely have two litter mates again even knowing how much hard work they can be.

I decided that the best combination would be a male and female although I know of two males living happily together but I have heard that two females can be a problem sometimes.

My two live happily side by side with no squabbles lots of play and they keep us well exercised with walks etc ! :)

I would say if you are already experienced with dogs and are really prepared to devote a lot of time and effort then with the right breed go for it !

If anyone doubts this can work, check out the photos of my dogs in my profile . :)

How did you name them Fablab, My black is Tia (Tia Maria) and Bailey is yellow (Baileys Irish Cream) :D :D . I also have Emma, Penny, Ellie and Summer  (and choc boy who is doing great by the way, to all who know the story and pm'd me)

<<<<I would say if you are already experienced with dogs and are really prepared to devote a lot of time and effort then with the right breed go for it !>>>>

Experience, devotion, time and effort are the key words here, unfortunately a lot of people wanting 2 pups, believe that they will keep each other company when owners are out at work. A recipe for disaster.

Just curious, where in Scotland are you?

Thanks Kay for alleviating my curiosity.    I got two working English Springer pups - litter sisters - four years ago.   My reason for two was because they had to be in kennels at the bottom of my garden for the first 8 months and I did not think it fair for one to be on its own.

Wendy

Hi Kay,

I'm in Edinburgh and my two are Bailey (Rewari Bailey's Irish Cream) & Tia (Rewari Tia) Tia would have been registered Tia Maria but it was already taken. :)

Quite a lot of coincidences there really !

I know where you're coming from in advising against people taking two pups and the thought of any new owners doing so would be enough to put them off dogs for life but for the right people with the time inclination and experience I'd like to think they would get their chance to do so. I've enjoyed (nearly) every minute of it but then I had a good idea of what I was getting into ! :)

I already own two dogs but have been offered brother and sister pups they have been taken back to the breeder they were not homed together initially but seem to get on fine and they get on with my dogs too.Just thought i would ask other people's advice on the brother sister thing.I have plenty of time to spend and would be home all day.The pups are nearly four month old,both very different in character the male being very laid back while the female is very excitable

Hi shedog, I am not going to advise one way or the other, but you have the experience of owning two dogs and you are at home with time to devote to them. :D :D

Just out of curiousity, what reasons were the pups returned to the breeder? It is very unusual for 2 pups to be returned around the same time from 2 seperate homes

Hi one pup was staying with him but it is not working out how he planned and the little bitch was returned to him as the first owner realised they had taken on too much.They are husky's and so are mine thats why i am tempted to take them on.

I have kept a brother and sister litter mates and although from the training side it hasnt created a problem the bitch is neurotic when taking away from her brother.  I dont think I would ever do it again for that reason. 

I found exactly the same thing - my bitch fell apart if she didn't have her brother to follow (he was definitely the strionger character). They used to fight too - nothing serious- but it was like "can't live with him ... can't live without him!"