I knew this would be a challenge going in and it wasn't my intent. Story goes I owned dogs growing up, lived in city, moved to burbs and got the bug again. My sister is sharing an apt with me the next year and when I mentioned I was getting a lab in the next few months she 100% wanted one as well. She works fulltime w/ an hr commute so I knew going in the early months would fall on me anyway but I assumed we'd get diff pups. A week of her aggressively pursuing rescues and we found a litter born locally and met the parents. Great dogs but I just started reading about sibling issues that day and ... it's all true and it's not. We adopted Arya and Piper on sept 21st, they were 4 mo old that day and fully vaccinated so we didn't have to fuss much with vet visits besides the last rabies booster. But once they got settled we quickly realized they didn't seem to need us around besides cleanup and food. My sister was getting anxiety about not bonding w/ her dog and that they seemed totally uninterested in treats, snuggling, toys, etc. Just eachother. Early on they were wild beasts together and made horrendous blood curdling cries apart the first few nights. We live in an apt building and I found myself sleeping on the floor, with my head in the crate on a pillow at first to constant low mewling noises and panting. The foot falls from playing inside upset the neighbors so i've been going to our apt's dog park at 6 am and 5pm for 40 mins - 1 hr. This was a game changer, the dogs before and after this are different animals. They get to sort out all their pack shit off leash, learn to respect each others body language and take play breaks. I take 1 out if another dog comes in and swap them a few times before they can both play. If they both go in at the start they just playfight eachother till one bows out for 5-10. Getting them isolated after exercise for training was how we made headway with all the obedience. At one month I'm confident in them doing sit/stay/down in a variety of environments and situations. They're restraining the jumping outside of loud encouraging ppl. It feels like a miracle after day 1. Come is almost all the way there, and then we'll try off leash in some low pressure situations this month. We plan to seperate them around 1.5 years old when they're exiting adolesence so there isn't a lifelong struggle for dominance. Til then just a lot of 1 on 1 attention and training. They are worth it.
Hi @Ryan Murphy I'm impressed. You've taken on a huge undertaking. You mention that some of the stories about sibling bitches have not borne true. Care to expand on that point?
I heard the dominance battle could be viscious/dangerous, and expected some hoarding/territorial behaviours but we haven't seen much. They seem a pretty even match physically but Piper is the leader atm. She has been from the start, goes thru doors first head high etc. Aryais pretty submissive behaviorally but hasn't quite quit trying to go first tho she always darts back. Maybe we just lucked out getting two that had clear roles.
I will say 2 days in I was reading all the horror stories and was asking myself if I should immediately rehome Arya when we saw Piper bossing her around early but it has turned into a very good relationship cause piper has been ahead in obedience training and Arya is taking a lot of queue's as well as gaining confidence herself in the world.
Thanks @Ryan Murphy for the reply. You might need to read about the modern way terms like dominant and submissive are now used. The meaning has changed from the days when dog trainers thought they were training domestic "wolves". Why do I mention it? The research might alter your perspective towards the two dogs. Here's a brief outline. https://www.animalhealthfoundation.net/blog/2017/10/the-myth-of-the-alpha-dog/
I mostly just mean how they have adjusted. 1 always eats first no matter how the bowls go down. doors, best laying spots, toys, choice bones. Even with equal things presented Piper gets pick. Every time my sister diverts or tries to force letting arya go first a fight erupts in playtime where arya runs to a corner in the end.
I'm aware of the arguments against the older school of training. I've read Zak George's book and thats mostly how i'm training them though i'm aware of the pack stuff and they seem to have that dynamic.
