Hello there! I'm new to this forum but seeing as I have two pups that prove slightly tricky at times, I thought this would be a good place to be. We have Lottie and Willow. Lottie is a black show line lab and Willow is yellow. They are full sisters from the same litter (I'm crazy I know) and are now 22 weeks old. We used to have an old lab, Muffin, but she died 13 months ago. We've made an effort right from the start to make sure we have 2 well mannered, controllable and friendly dogs. They've been crated separately overnight basically since we got them, and we train and walk separately when we can. They are pretty well behaved as lab pups go... I'm waiting for the teenage years!! I have one concern about their playing. When we got them, it was summer so they spent a lot of time outdoors, playing rough as puppies do. They still get garden time, but less so now its so wet and cold out. My issue is that they've brought the playing inside. I don't mind the mouthing/gentle wrestling/chewing games inside, but they charge around like loonies and this isn't ideal in a house! They crash into walls/ glass doors / tables etc and I don't really want them running like that in the house. They'll stop if I say " enough" for but only for a little while, or if I distract them with a toy or some training. I have had to crate them to calm them down a few times. They also are constantly "attacking" each other on walks, although this is improving. Is there a way of stopping the crazy running in the house?! I've taken them to socialise at a day care centre today so maybe that will help. They do get play time outside as I've now puppy proofed a section of the garden and they have a "drying off" shed. Otherwise they are sweet dogs with only minor recall problems with Willow! Jess
Re: I have 2 very playful pups! Hello and a warm welcome from me and my dogs , three year old black Lab Sam and our rescue girl Millie . Your pups sounds quite delightful , unfortunately this is a downside of having the two together, the lunatic sessions, indoors and out Have you tried them with kongs, filled with interesting things like peanut butter, tuna etc . ? These can provide a little respite from the madness , but I`m afraid its all very normal play . It sounds like the dog play at the centre might help to tire them out as well as helping them to interact with other dogs . It is so much easier in summer when they can play out most of the time and as yet they are too young to take on long walks , its a case of riding the storm . Are you doing any training with them as this can tire them out too , even simple retrieving of tennis balls in a hallway ? The rough play on walks will lessen as they mix more with other dogs .
Re: I have 2 very playful pups! We have a bit of that too only a year between our two added one is just a tiny Chihuahua we have to leap in ourselves to avoid things getting out of hand, not a bad bone in either of them but the shear speed can cause an accident. We try to stop play and get them redirected onto a toy or chew or a kong. Failing that I take one into the bedroom for a quiet spell while my husband has the other in the living room, oddly they only really have these mad moments in the evenings.
Re: I have 2 very playful pups! Welcome to you! I also have a Willow, she is thirteen weeks old and black. She was named after a beautiful willow tree at the breeder's house that she loved to play in. We have just made the decision to take on her brother, too (as yet unnamed other than his current name Jebs). He is a very pale yellow and will be with us next weekend. I feel like I'm prepared for the madness, but I know it will be a hundred times more than I ever imagined! I feel you and I will be having lots of conversations over the coming months. Phrases like "me too!" and "I can sympathise!", along with "AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHH!" may be quite common in our threads! There's a couple of others on here who have twins, so they may be able to give you some advice. Good luck!
Re: I have 2 very playful pups! Hello and welcome to the forum. Your pups sound great fun and I sympathise with the rough play in the house. I have 2 dogs only six months apart and the rough play in the house would still go on (they are 4 and 3.5 yo) if I let it. When they start a hoolie in the house they get a quick "outside with that" and are sent into the garden. Gentle games of face chewing or tuggy are allowed but any charging about is for the garden only. Just make sure you've got good fencing and a towel waiting for when they come back in and send them out in the dark, wind and rain to get on with it.
Re: I have 2 very playful pups! Welcome Jess...lovely to see you've found the forum x We have Dexter a yellow 2 year old and he's our first dog.....he can play fast and rough,i dread to think of the damage 2 of him could do to a house He regularly has a playmate with a spaniel friend,we live in Dubai so our summers are intolerably hot outside for dogs ( and humans ) if the play got too energetic inside ....they got told 'enough' and I'd split them up with a toy each and me sitting in the middle,they would have a kong each at some point which they eat in comapniable calmness ;D and sometimes I'd just split them up with the child gate and do some focus training with Dexter while his pal lamented my cruelty over the other side of the gate! Looking forward to hearing all about your dogs Best wishes Angela x
Re: I have 2 very playful pups! I have two labs who are brothers so I know what your going through. Mine are now three. I'm afraid rough play in or out is par for the course and unfortunately I haven't found a solution. They do however grow out of it as they get older. Racing and chasing like nutters now very rarely happens indoors. They will still sometimes have a bit of a scrap indoors, getting hold of each other etc and if it gets too rough they listen when told to stop but rarely do they hoolie around the house anymore. Outside is another matter. : Finding interesting things to distract them with when the wild mist descends helps. It does get easier though honest. ;D
Re: I have 2 very playful pups! A thought, do you have a safe room/hallway or something that you can teach them is OK for roughhousing in, but not anywhere else? I'm tempted to agree with Lochan, though. If mine get too rambunctious, I'll just chuck them outside to get on with it, wind, rain, snow, whatever
Re: I have 2 very playful pups! Welcome to you Jess ;D When you have had enough it's time to stop play - the dogs will be fine whatever stage of play that's at. I have taught mine the command 'enough' by using really tasty treats to separate them on command, and then normal treats and then nothing. They know just what it means and it works well Gypsy is younger, so needs putting on the lead sometimes if she's tired.
Re: I have 2 very playful pups! Welcome Jess! I am a first time single dog owner and have no clues at all. Managed to get my black girl to 4 and a half without too many disasters (okay....lousy recall...but otherwise ok) Really looking forward to hearing more from you and your two. jacqui and Lilly the dog.
Re: I have 2 very playful pups! Thank you all for your lovely welcomes! I'm looking forward to chatting with you all. There's lots of things I'd like to ask (like do any of you do agility?) but I'll take it slow for now haha! [quote author=kateincornwall link=topic=8680.msg122774#msg122774 date=1415615072] Have you tried them with kongs, filled with interesting things like peanut butter, tuna etc . ? These can provide a little respite from the madness , but I`m afraid its all very normal play. [/quote] Hello Yes, they love their kongs and I usually freeze them to make them last longer! We tend to use them if we have to leave them for a bit and I only like giving them one a day as I don't want to upset their tummies. Usually a toy thrown their way or a training session helps too! [quote author=Boogie link=topic=8680.msg122827#msg122827 date=1415625528] I have taught mine the command 'enough' by using really tasty treats to separate them on command, and then normal treats and then nothing. [/quote] That's a good idea! I'm teaching mine slowly but I'll make more of an effort now I know its possible! [quote author=Jen link=topic=8680.msg122809#msg122809 date=1415623252] It does get easier though honest. ;D [/quote] Oh thank goodness! Our first dog seemed to skip the puppy phase, she never liked toys or playing with other dogs - cuddles were her preference. So it seems to be never ending at the moment. [quote author=snowbunny link=topic=8680.msg122791#msg122791 date=1415617947] I feel you and I will be having lots of conversations over the coming months. Phrases like "me too!" and "I can sympathise!", along with "AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHH!" may be quite common in our threads! There's a couple of others on here who have twins, so they may be able to give you some advice. Good luck! [/quote] I can easily see this happening! I think ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! may be the most common haha [quote author=Lochan link=topic=8680.msg122794#msg122794 date=1415618979] When they start a hoolie in the house they get a quick "outside with that" and are sent into the garden. Gentle games of face chewing or tuggy are allowed but any charging about is for the garden only. Just make sure you've got good fencing and a towel waiting for when they come back in and send them out in the dark, wind and rain to get on with it. [/quote] I think this may be the way we have to do it. They usually get like it in the evenings so I'll try it out! Thanks again for the welcome everyone. I'm still getting used to how to use this forum so hope this message makes sense! I don't know if I've missed answering anyone!? Jess ps how do I post a picture?
Re: I have 2 very playful pups! Hi and welcome from me and Harley (15 month old red fox lab). She is my first ever dog so I am learning all the time
Re: I have 2 very playful pups! Hi and welcome, from me and my two black lab boys, 25 week old brothers Jack & Barney. We don't crate the boys separately, they have a huge crate which they share and they live snuggling up to sleep together in. They also live garden time, and luckily we have a very big long garden with a shed and summer house at the bottom, which they chase each other round and round whenever they get chance. We have also started letting them out there in the dark and rain as they still love it. The kitchen floor yesterday was a sea of muddy paw prints!! They do have mad periods in the house, wall of death across the back of the sofa and such like.... But I stop them and make them lie down, one either side of me and entice them with a nylabone or rawhide chew. I am trying to teach them 'settle', so they come and sit, then down and then staying down in 'settle' (for treats obviously ;D) If they are just too mental they have 5 mins time out, but that's not often nowadays. We also have a nightmare walking them together so have gone back to separate Walks now until they are more calm. I train them together, and it's working really well. We are off to puppy school tonight which they love and did v well at last week. Look forward to seeing pics of your girls, there's not much difference in age to my boys. Lou x
Re: I have 2 very playful pups! There's a guide on posting pictures in the technical section, but basically you need to use an image hosting site like Flickr, Imgur etc and upload them to there, then use "BBCode" to insert them here. On Imgur, there's a link on the right once you've uploaded which allows you top copy the code and then you just paste it in here. HTH x
Re: I have 2 very playful pups! [img width=200 height=200]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5606/15784656442_dc072878c2_s.jpg[/img]IMG-20140804-WA0003 by jessltaylor3, on Flickr Did that work? That's Willow at 8 weeks! She was one tubby pup when we got her. Here are the two of them now [img width=200 height=200]https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7490/15597603708_51a1f15086_s.jpg[/img]IMG-20141107-WA0008 by jessltaylor3, on Flickr EDIT: UncleBob: I've made the images a little bigger but any more than this and I think the quality will suffer too much ...
Re: I have 2 very playful pups! Well that worked! Just need to work out how to make it bigger. Will get my better camera out tomorrow and try and get some nice pics, they grow up to fast!!
Re: I have 2 very playful pups! Hi there and belated welcome from me and Simba, 2 yr old LabX. I can't imagine two puppies at once, good on you is what I say!! Good luck, looking forward to hearing more about your girls.
