tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810033429461791744.post4903473334337842026..comments2024-03-16T12:45:12.251-04:00Comments on Raised By Wolves: Christmas PuppyHeather Houlahanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13891198124130533198noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810033429461791744.post-63163117890443438082014-01-06T15:12:56.393-05:002014-01-06T15:12:56.393-05:00Love the happy dog face with the Santa hat! A goo...Love the happy dog face with the Santa hat! A good friend of mine wanted to get two livestock guardian puppies from the same litter- and these would be their first dogs...either in decades, or ever in their life. Luckily, the breeder of the puppies is a friend, and while at first she didn't think it would be a problem, I managed to convince her it would not be right for the circumstances, then convinced the puppy-buying friend that it wouldn't be right either. <br /><br />It was the information that I've read in past posts of yours that helped gel my previous thoughts on not keeping littermates, and helped me convince both parties that one puppy (for many reasons) would be plenty for the time being. Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05404312674626308999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810033429461791744.post-39540548292574502552013-12-27T22:24:58.425-05:002013-12-27T22:24:58.425-05:00Thanks for another great lesson in dog rearing.Thanks for another great lesson in dog rearing.Rod Westhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05950927633083685485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810033429461791744.post-57122627023477558022013-12-26T23:57:21.131-05:002013-12-26T23:57:21.131-05:00Ya know, she somehow reminds me of her grandma. I...Ya know, she somehow reminds me of her grandma. It'll be fun to hear of her exploits.Snipehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09691114613313099716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810033429461791744.post-34651310216749759042013-12-25T20:52:58.887-05:002013-12-25T20:52:58.887-05:00At 4 1/2 months we haven't done any damage -- ...At 4 1/2 months we haven't done any damage -- witness how quickly both puppies are accelerating into their own.<br /><br />But I cannot express How. Much. Work. it is after the age of 12 weeks to just keep them developmentally normal. There is *no way* to optimize. A pup I'm raising is optimized when she's spending *all* her time with me, less the necessary alone time (at least 3x a week for several hours, crated in the house while I'm away or out in a kennel) that a pup needs in order to learn not to be neurotic when alone.<br /><br />But to prevent littermate co-dependent feral stupid puppy syndrome, the pups must be separated at night and about half the day or more.<br /><br />So they can't both be with me all the time.<br /><br />Don't try to raise two pups to adulthood together.<br /><br />Just. Don't.<br /><br />Any breeder who tries to sell you two puppies, *do not buy one puppy from that person.*<br /><br />And if you are buying or adopting an older pup who has been with his littermates after the age of 12 weeks, better find out what the breeder or owner or foster person has been doing to insure he develops normally.<br /><br />Too many stories of five, six, ten-month-old pups, unsold, often "grown out" as show prospects and found lacking, and they have been rotting in a kennel or a barn all that time, learning nothing that will help them be pets or working partners, and plenty that will impede them from ever reaching that goal.Heather Houlahanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13891198124130533198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810033429461791744.post-49956572551897342402013-12-25T18:33:14.225-05:002013-12-25T18:33:14.225-05:00Well, durn. Ya mean even >you< CAN'T ra...Well, durn. Ya mean even >you< CAN'T raise two puppies simultaneously and have them develop fully into their genetic promise??<br /><br />Who knew? In the future, I will direct those **cautious** enough to ask me about the wisdom of two pups (especially littermates) right to this blog.<br /><br />Thank you, Heather. Thank you so very much.dianeatdogtrainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07808896512980767617noreply@blogger.com