[Mer4ever]

My babies are litter mates and having them both is AMAZING! I can't imagine life without both of them. We adopted them at 10.5 months old, so they were already very, very bonded.

We had originally thought of adopting only one, but seeing them together, we could not separate them. Our trainer agrees that they would have had a very hard time without each other, having bonded so much during their first 10.5 months.

My little girl is an hour older than her brother, and at 14 months, she weighs a pound more than him! Despite their size difference, they play hard. I agree that you have to understand the difference between play fighting and real fighting. These two can get pretty savage in their play, but they never hurt each other and the tails are always wagging, even when really wild sounds are coming out of their tiny bodies.

The first month or so with them was not the easiest, as they had not been altered. He was actively trying to mate with her on a regular basis. She was not in heat yet, but we had to get them spayed/neutered within about 10 days of bringing them home. Not ideal when you are trying to bond with and train your new puppy! They also had not been potty trained, were not socialized, and had never been walked on a leash. So we had a lot of work to do in that first month, but don't regret it for a second.

They are the most wonderful dogs and incredible company for each other. I will say that separating them is pretty much a "no go" situation. A few weeks ago my little girl had some tummy troubles and I still brought her brother with us when we went to the vet. I think that he would have been traumatized staying at home without her. But together they do wonderfully while we are at work. We have them pee pad trained and have them in our large kitchen (behind a doggy gate) with a super comfy bed and lots of chew toys. They sleep curled up next to each other, play together, and generally keep each other company when we are not around.

We have not had any issues with them not bonding with us, due to their strong sibling bond. They are always ready for a snuggle and to have us play with them. They are both incredibly affectionate with us and just generally filled with love. It took our little girl a bit longer to relax into her new life with us, and I think her brother helped her a lot in this regard. She has a more guarded, complex personality and he is just a big, energetic love without a lot of hang-ups. This being said, in many ways, she is the alpha and I think that he would have been lost without her strong personality.

So I think it is amazing and based on my experience, was surprised to read that having a brother and sister could be a problem. I had no idea about this and am sure it could happen, but in my case, it has been an incredible gift!