Should litter mates sleep together?

[HaileysBabies]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

Where those dogs fixed? What where there sexes?

They were all fixed, however the first two were make, the third one who came in was female. She is the one who became alpha and tired killing one of the males. They spent thousands trying to change her and ended up giving up the male because of the home she was going two. All were rescued at different times. They have the outed male to her sister who was looking for a puppy.

[Britster]

Originally Posted by HaileysBabies

I have litter mate sisters. I don't care the effects of the los of one causes, they are best friends and need each other when I'm not with them. I have a friend who 3 Yorkie's, all from different litters. One of them became dominate and tried killing another one. I fear this more then them morning the loss of another. I plan to get new puppies when one dies. This way hopefully the survivor can be happy until she passes. If not, I'll always be there for her.

Having littermates doesn't prevent fighting. In fact, sisters are often the worse together.

[HaileysBabies]

Originally Posted by Britster

Having littermates doesn't prevent fighting. In fact, sisters are often the worse together.

I can only hope not. I've not allowed them any control. When they fight, I watch them, they still when one crys. When one acts possessive of me, I pay attention to the other and bring her in and I make them share me. I've used treats and the non-dominate one to show the dominate one I'm boss and if you don't do as I say, no treats. If one turns on the other, I'll seperate them but I'm doing everything I can to make sure they are best friends. I hope spaying them helps. One is submissive to the other so I'm hoping that also helps. I've slept with them from day one, I'm mom and I hope they always love each other and see me as the dominate force.

[yorkietalkjilly]

In the wild littermates sleep together for life so why not in domestication. Dogs normally live in packs in the wild and are used to sleeping touching or very near the other members of their pack, and puppies often sleep in piles. Young dogs whine and cry out to call their pack back together during separation, especially at night as they instinctively know that sleeping in groups is safer for the pack. If separation has to occur at some point, a healthy dog can always be nurtured through the loss and back to happiness with life-enriching activities, love and patience.

[JadeD]

I am getting a puppy (for my daughter) in about 6 weeks. There is a boy puppy that I am absolutely in love with and I am considering bringing him home as well if he has not found a home at that time.

I would definitely let them sleep together at least at first because they will be only about 10 weeks old and I think it would be good for them. As they get to be 4-5 months old I will see how things are going with them.

My daughter will eventually have her little girl sleep in her bed so when that happens I might move the boy puppy into my bed with my older Yorkie (assuming that they are adjusted) or she might get 2 Yorkies in her bed. LOL. These will be watched and fixed as soon as able, especially if I get the boy puppy because I don't want any accidental sibling puppies.

This is all up in the air though as I have not claimed the boy puppy, but boy do I like him. I am just not sure about 3 little dogs in the house and an 80 lb english setter (he loves little dogs). I have never owned 4 dogs in my life, in fact 3 would be new for us. We would have 1 girl (who will be the boss) and 3 boys if we got that one, or 1 girl and 2 boys if we just get my daughter's. My 2 boys are both very submissive and I don't even know which one of them is dominant because neither one acts like it. The girl pup is going to come in and rule the roost! LOL

[ColesMommy01]

Originally Posted by JadeD

I am getting a puppy (for my daughter) in about 6 weeks. There is a boy puppy that I am absolutely in love with and I am considering bringing him home as well if he has not found a home at that time.

I would definitely let them sleep together at least at first because they will be only about 10 weeks old and I think it would be good for them. As they get to be 4-5 months old I will see how things are going with them.

My daughter will eventually have her little girl sleep in her bed so when that happens I might move the boy puppy into my bed with my older Yorkie (assuming that they are adjusted) or she might get 2 Yorkies in her bed. LOL. These will be watched and fixed as soon as able, especially if I get the boy puppy because I don't want any accidental sibling puppies.

This is all up in the air though as I have not claimed the boy puppy, but boy do I like him. I am just not sure about 3 little dogs in the house and an 80 lb english setter (he loves little dogs). I have never owned 4 dogs in my life, in fact 3 would be new for us. We would have 1 girl (who will be the boss) and 3 boys if we got that one, or 1 girl and 2 boys if we just get my daughter's. My 2 boys are both very submissive and I don't even know which one of them is dominant because neither one acts like it. The girl pup is going to come in and rule the roost! LOL

I've seen about 3/4 posts under your name regarding this male puppy, always in the post about your daughter's puppy. Sooooo what are you naming him and where are the pics? . I currently have 3 dogs, 2 smaller breed and 1 larger and honestly the yorkies are a breeze compared to the larger breed. If I could(i will )talk my husband into another yorkie I'd do it. The "hardest" thing so far is taking them in for vet checks all on the same day . But I'll probably make my husband take his dog in on his off days to lessen my load.

[JadeD]

I am working on my husband about that male puppy. Right now the set up is that if when we pick up my daughter's puppy the male puppy does not have a home lined up then he will go home with us.

My husband will not let me make a commitment to the puppy though right now.

I have not named him because once you name them you get attached to them!

I will post some pics of him under the puppies are here thread in the Yorkie Pictures.

[MzLynnC]

You mentioned in your post about the PTPA - how did it work for you? Thinking about getting two for our pups - five months old.

[bgibbs]

The PTPA's have worked out well-we are still using them at 9 months although we have closed off the potty area most of the time. If the weather is so bad that we can't take them out, we will open up the potty area. We can't use the potty pads any longer because they enjoy shreading them too much. There is a plastic tray that slides into the bottom of the PTPA and it's better to have it catch the pee and poo than to have it all over the floor. They no longer sleep together but we have them right next to each other and the first thing they do when they wake up in the morning is lick each other through the wire, or they try to bite each other!

Raider is definitely the dominant one and he always gets his way with Addie, unless they are outside. Then she will hold her own. She is much faster and will run over Raider full speed and he will go tumbling. Then she gets him on his back and will hold him down with her muzzle around his neck. They will play like that until they are exhausted.

[JadeD]

My litter mates are almost 8 months old. They sleep in different bedrooms. Over the summer my daughter was gone a lot as she kept house sitting for my mother and took her puppy with her. This gave my puppy and my older Yorkie a chance to bond as they both sleep in my bed and it has been awesome. The girl puppy sleeps with my daughter and the boy puppy and older male sleep with me. I had the puppies fixed at 6 months old so no accidental breeding. The puppies are separated fairly often and since Raksha just adores being fawned on and loved on by my daughter she is fine without her brother there. Rowan on the other hand just hangs out with Teek (older Yorkie) when Raksha is not around.

It has worked well, but during the day all 3 Yorkies are with me and if I have to leave I crate the 2 puppies together in a HUGE crate. It is actually 2 crates. A smaller crate that has a pee pad in it and then that is zip tied to a larger crate that has food water and bedding. That set up works great. It was an accident that it happened because I had their food in the larger crate and our big dog kept eating all the puppy food so he was not eating his dog food and just their food. I put the smaller crate in front of the larger one so the puppies could walk through it and then we decided to zip tie them together so the small one they walk through can have a pee pad on the rare occasions I have to leave them during the day. If I am gone for about 20 mins I don't crate them, but over that and I do and they are rarely crated. They seem to do well crated together, if I ever feel they are fighting I will put them in separate crates as I have 3 crates for the 2 puppies. One is the older Yorkies, but he doesn't use it as he is never crated at home.

I love having sibling puppies! It is the best and they do have a special bond. They do sleep together a lot. Bed time I go to bed and take all 3 Yorkies with me. When my daughter goes to bed she comes and gets her dog from my room and her dog loves that play time on my bed with her brother. It is a special bond, but when my daughter comes in the room both puppies run to the edge of the bed to see her and she pets mine and picks her up and mine comes right back to me and lays down to sleep.