New puppies! Dominance??

[DrmnOfMaui]

We brought home our two 10 week old boys yesterday and they are absolutely adorable! Potty training has started, and we have a loooonnng way to go, but we are doing OK. They even slept well last night.

I have a question about raising littermates... Dog 1 is very dominant over dog 2. To the point that play fighting seems pretty darn real to me with Dog 2 ending up crying and being dragged across the floor by dog 1.

Now that we have them I've done more research on raising sibling and have not found much positive information on the subject. Most sites have said that our choice was an absolute mistake.

Any positive ideas out there on littermates and training and long term living together??

I'm so new to all of this and a bit overwhelmed by the adorable little fluff balls!
Thanks,
Kim

[bellaratamalt]

Congrats on your new babies!!

Dont' stress too much if one is more aggressive. Puppies learn bite inhibition from their siblings, and 10 week old puppies can play ROUGH.

I have littermates right now that are 14 weeks old and I think the most important thing is making sure they can be independent of each other. That means not constantly eating and sleeping together. your pups are a little young so you've got some time to ease into that, which is good! I haven't separated my pups yet, but will probably do so in a few weeks.

Good luck with your babies!!

[DrmnOfMaui]

Thanks so much for the response. It's a lot of work, but they are so adorable. We had a really good first day and they didn't have a single accident! Today we keep taking them out and then 5 minutes later they pee on the floor... today was a rough one, but we'll try again tomorrow!

I am surprised at how rough they play! The dominant one will catch the other ones lip and bite and pull him across the floor... do I step in or let them work it out? Seems mean to me, but is it normal?

Thanks!

[bellaratamalt]

Thanks so much for the response. It's a lot of work, but they are so adorable. We had a really good first day and they didn't have a single accident! Today we keep taking them out and then 5 minutes later they pee on the floor... today was a rough one, but we'll try again tomorrow!

I am surprised at how rough they play! The dominant one will catch the other ones lip and bite and pull him across the floor... do I step in or let them work it out? Seems mean to me, but is it normal?

Thanks!

I let them duke it out but if the one seems in pain, I put a stop to it. It's usually my puppies mom that drags them across the floor (she plays ROUGH with them) so then I seperate them. One of my girls is definitely the 'boss' and her sis just lets her run roughshod over her.

Just make sure they get 'alone' time. They are still a bit young and I'm very impressed about the potty training!! Do you have pics?

[Morkie4]

Stacy is the "pro" among us and she is giving you some good advice. I agree that if the one pup that is being dominated and dragged across the floor and seems to be in pain, it would be fine to step in and just say play easy or play nice; but definitely separate them so the one is not injured. My two "big" girls (7 yrs and 4 years) get to playing and the one plays "hard" and sometimes I just have to step in and say play easy. Funny though, that the one that is taking the beating is the second in the pack as far as being the "boss." But they all know that I am top dog and respect that when I correct them, they listen.

Yours are still puppies and learning from each other and puppies play, play, play and eat eat eat and sleep sleep sleep!!! (OH and pee poo pee poo pee poo). But JMHO, I would not let the more dominate pup "hurt" the other one. Great job with the potty training. Sounds like you will have it worked out in no time at all!!!!

Last night my two smaller ones (a yorkie and a maltese) got into it over a toy soccer ball and it lasted all of four seconds and then they both walked away, neither of them with the ball so they settled it between themselves and I didn't step in. You will soon get the feel of when you need to step in and when not to............YOU are being trained too! LOL

Congrats on your new babies and we need pictures! :D :D We are picture freaks!!!!

[DrmnOfMaui]

Thank you so much! I've always raised Golden Retrievers, so the Maltese is all new to me. My daughter begged for a lap dog, and I have to say I'm finding these little guys much easier to fit on the lap than my 80 lb golden was! We lost her 11 years ago and I have just never been able to replace her. These guys - Kona & Tavo - are really fun.

We are off to the vet for the 2nd shots, but I had a moment to pop up a
pic! Sorry, I don't see how to put up the pic, but here is a link in the mean time! (I think I need a few more posts before I can do a pic...?)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/4206553394_be18248d23_m.jpg

[JesBred]

WELCOME TO MALTESE TALK!!

Totally agree with Carol.. Stacy is our puppy expert :wink5:

Kona and Tavo are SO CUTE!! And I love their names so unique!! :)

[DrmnOfMaui]

Here we are 6 1/2 month later and we've come a long way!! The boys are doing great. We've had a few bumps in the road, but they are such loves, that it is hard to get upset with them.

The first 2 months with these guys just about pushed me over the edge! I think that I handled them worse than I've handled anything in my life. My husband was so worried that I was losing it that he actually surprised me with a last minute trip to French Polynesia for 10 days to get me out of the house and relax. It worked!!

As for the dominance, there really is no sign of it any longer. The boys absolutely love each other, and are fairly reliant on each other, but they are OK separated and have started choosing to sleep apart during the day. At night we do put them in a larger pen together, and frequently see them choose to sleep in one bed together.

We took a training class, and the quit. I have never been made to feel so bad in anything else I've done. It is a local class and did seem more geared to bigger dogs. The first comment one of the trainers made to us was "You know getting littermates is a bad idea don't you? You are going to have to take one back". That didn't sit well to start. One of the dogs is innately very shy, scared of the world and socially inept. I don't think that he has it in him to really be a "normal" dog... Even the breeder said that his personality was going to be difficult. He is more dependent on his brother and is simply still scared of the world. He does well at home, but any other situation takes him a while to get going. He was slower at training than the other dogs and the trainers kept saying "See... we told you you shouldn't get two dogs from the same litter. You've made a big mistake and you will never be able to fix it." They also commented that they had never seen a dog so intimidated. Week after week of these constant negative comments began to wear on me. My son was literally scared to go to the class and my husband said that if they said any more negative and not helpful comments that he was "this" close to telling them just how he felt. I also felt very uncomfortable going. So we just quit... we have continued to work with the dogs at home and they have completed all the "assignments" that the class had us do... just a little later.

Potty training has really come along. I have to say they have been more difficult than the Goldens that I have had in the past, but we are close. They still do not have full roam of the house, but all marking has stopped, and we are down to an "accident" every 2 weeks or so. It is really only one of them, and he will choose to poop in the office on occasion... can't figure that one out, but that keeps him on restriction from the whole house.

They do love people! But they do NOT like other dogs in any way, shape or form. Over the last few months we have had a couple of incidents with larger dogs that scared the heck out of them, and one that scared me. I think that has definitely set us back in the dog socialization arena. That and the fact that I simply don't get them out enough. I have a friend who is working with me... she is understanding that my boys are not very well behaved with other dogs, and her dogs seems to get that they are just a little nuts. :) We are making progress all the time!

I think that they bark too much... but when I talk to other Maltese and small dog owners it seems that they are really doing very well! One is starting to bark at lots of noises around our house, but we are using the can with some coins in it and he really doesn't like that.

Overall, we wouldn't change a thing if we had it all to do over again. Actually, I would try to get them out more, I think that would be healthy for them, but time is just short. I would not hesitate to get tow of this breed of dog from the same litter. They love each other, keep each other company and play with each other every day. They never cry when I put them in their pen/crates, they love to be held, and they have provided endless hours of love for us!:hearter:

Thank you again for the advice you gave us months ago... this site was very helpful during those first, very difficult days and I wanted to give back a bit so as to maybe help someone else!

[Morkie4]

Well glad you came back to update us on the boys! I don't know where you took classes but that is one of the worse cases of ignorance I have ever heard about trainers and their comments. I am soooooooo glad you quit before they had you so upset ........ you certainly did the right thing quiting!!! You probably lasted longer than I would. :p :p

Sounds like the boys have finally settled in and the puppy issues are behind you. I haven't had a puppy in ages of time............since 1990 so it has been a long while. I have four fluffs but the girls were all older, at least over two years old. Toby was only six months but was a rehome and "he" is the one that need the classes for aggression...........we had a great trainer and I have no complaints about her except that she moved to another location. :( :( I was going to put Toby through agility but it just didn't work out!

I would not hestitate to adopt sisters of the same litter.......thanks for sharing your experience! :)

Oh and one last thing:21614

[CinttisLuke]

Hello!!!

Kona & Tavo are adorable!!! I'd like to see pictures of them at their 6 1/2 months!!:D

[DrmnOfMaui]

Hello!!!

Kona & Tavo are adorable!!! I'd like to see pictures of them at their 6 1/2 months!!:D

I can do that!! Sorry, I'm not totally sure how to insert pictures into the post, but here are some attachments!

We have the boys after a fully day at the spa in their "portrait" shot! I was so proud of them, I told them to stay, and it was almost like they posed for me. that's Kona on top, Tavo lying down. Then we have an action shot. Another posed of Kona, and then my daughter Olivia holding Tavo!

We are really enjoying these guys. They definitely add more to life. :hearter:

My husband suggested that I add this link to my review of our French Polynesian cruise! This is the one he surprised me with in February when I was struggling with dog issues...I have to say, I think those first few months with these guys were tougher than when I had my babies!! :blush:

I don't know if anyone is interested, but we had the trip of a lifetime and I thought we'd add it just in case anyone wanted to take a peek!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1152411

[Morkie4]

OH MY GOODNESS...........they are super duper adorable. What a fabulous picture of the boys. I love that first shot..........made my heart go pitter patter! Toooooo cute!!!

Thanks so much for sharing.............I know I will be looking for more and more pictures of your two!! :hearter::hearter: I can only imagine how much happiness they have brought to you and your family!!!

[CinttisLuke]

They are ADORABLES :hearter::hearter::hearter::hearter:!!!!!!! LOVE all the pictures!! they seem with so much energy!! Thank you so much for sharing!!!!

[CinttisLuke]

I've looked at your link. I loved those pictures!!!!! they were so beautiful!!!:hearter:

[JesBred]

OMG they are TOOOOOOOOOOOOO cute!! :hearter::hearter: Love the photo of them posing for you :) You have got to post photos more often :wink5:

[DrmnOfMaui]

Thanks everyone!! You all absolutely made my day!

We are truly enjoying them. Yes... they do have energy! One of these days I need to video them running after each other. It is a hoot! They run for about 10 minutes, then they are absolutely exhausted... whew... time for a nap. :)

[Zanadu'sMom]

:hearter::hearter: They are absolutely gorgeous. Thanks so much for sharing their pictures :D

[Morkie4]

Thanks everyone!! You all absolutely made my day!

We are truly enjoying them. Yes... they do have energy! One of these days I need to video them running after each other. It is a hoot! They run for about 10 minutes, then they are absolutely exhausted... whew... time for a nap. :)

Sounds just like a maltese or two.......they will keep you in stitches and I look forward to the video of them ruuning after each other.......you certainly captured great pictures of the two of them. Nothing better than two maltese, except maybe three or four. :p :p :p

Speaking of pictures.......those pictures of your trip were super fantastic! You really took some fantastic shots!!!! I loved them all but the one that stood out to me was the one of the water with the dark blue and light blue.......JUST STUNNING!!!!!!!

Oh and I loved the one of the rainbow.......it was almost like you could reach out and touch it! Thanks so much for sharing the link to those pics.......it was like taking the trip myself.

If anyone has not taken the time to click on her link to the pictures of her trip, you are really missing out on some "GREAT" pictures of maybe a place you will never visit but she has captured it sooooo beautifully, you will think you were THERE!!!!

[pixiedust]

Your boys give me puppy fever- what beautiful boys!!: They look like they're a lot of fun and little sweethearts!!

I think those trainers weren't so good to tell you things like that about the boys, so you were probably better off not going back there.

[Punky]

They are adorable! I would have a few words to that "trainer" let's just go with she is full of it.. If someone is a negative person like that instead of looking for solutions to things best to just move on as you did.

We have always had two German Shepard's from same litter, Oh wait that was a bad idea for last 30 years @@ maybe next time I won't title them either :lol2::lol2:

Anyways lovely trip and they look like love bugs!

[DrmnOfMaui]

Morkie, thank you so much for your kind words!! We did have a wonderful vacation... it was one of those where you basically remember why you married the person that you did! :hearter: I am a bit of a photo bug, and love to share the pictures. The colors there were indeed stunning...I'm really happy that you enjoyed them!

We (they boys and I!) have been up for about an hour and they are currently running from the family room, out the open door, around the patio table and furniture and back into the family room. They stop for about 10 seconds, look at each other, give one bark and then run off again!! Their little pink tongues are sticking out and they are panting. A good morning work out before the mid morning nap!

I do have a couple of questions... do your Maltese get hot easily? Luckily we live in a very temperate climate. Currently it's in the mid 60's and we are stuck in what we call the June Gloom (gray, marine layer ALL day! :(). They are very happy with this weather! We haven't really gotten hot yet, but on the few warm days that we have had, high 70's, they really seem to get hot easily. I had them cut in a fairly close puppy cut, so their hair is not really long, but the heat just didn't seem to set right with them. Do you all have the same issue, or are they just not adapted to it yet?

Also, they really seem to like being up high! Do yours do that too? When I hold them they want to be up on the shoulder. When the are on the couch (all Maltese have couch privileges, right?), they prefer to be up on the back of the couch. I remember that their mom seemed to like that too.

I'll have to try to work on that video! It's one of those things that I keep meaning to do, just haven't done it... you have motivated me!!

Thanks again everyone for all the compliments! Today is bath day. Not the full spa, just bath at home. Maybe we can shoot a few more cute shots!

[CinttisLuke]

Hello again! :D I'll be waiting to see more pictures!!:hearter:


I think that they get hot like you said!! I live in CA so it has been hotter this days! I've my baby in a puppy cut for this summer. So I try to have his water in a place where it would be fresh. He drinks all day long I think 'cause he feels hot. Hope that help! Im not have that much of experience. Lucas is my first baby! And I been learning a lot here :D:tongue:.

[Punky]

I let Max up on well umm anything :blush::blush: He loves to sit on the back of he sofa and look outside or just nap. Also loves to be carried around up on shoulder's alot. I think maybe he just gets to see more maybe?

Mine get's warm easy also, he is still young (Just a year) he will run full steam in a circles chasing his big brother then flop froggy style on the floor and snooze. He really does not like being warm at all and loves chewing on ice.

[Morkie4]

I do have a couple of questions... do your Maltese get hot easily? Luckily we live in a very temperate climate. Currently it's in the mid 60's and we are stuck in what we call the June Gloom (gray, marine layer ALL day! :(). They are very happy with this weather! We haven't really gotten hot yet, but on the few warm days that we have had, high 70's, they really seem to get hot easily. I had them cut in a fairly close puppy cut, so their hair is not really long, but the heat just didn't seem to set right with them. Do you all have the same issue, or are they just not adapted to it yet?
Also, they really seem to like being up high! Do yours do that too? When I hold them they want to be up on the shoulder. When the are on the couch (all Maltese have couch privileges, right?), they prefer to be up on the back of the couch. I remember that their mom seemed to like that too.

Question #1:
Well all of my fluffs are in full coat and Florida is "HOT" and "HUMID" so I really don't let mine outside to play too long as I am sure they would suffer from heat stroke in no time. But when they do go out, it only takes a short tiem before they are panting.......all of them except Buffy. Maybe because she is the smallest of all of them but she loves loves loves to lay in the grass in the sun......you would think she was trying to improve her tan:lol2::lol2::lol2: But we do a lot of inside activity of fetching, chasing and playing to keep them active.

Question #2:
All of my fluffs are allowed on "ANY" piece of furniture.......we are simply sharing the house and who am I to tell them they can't be on the furniture. :p :p Two of my fluffs like it up high and will jump on the back of the loveseat to sleep and watch out the window (Kallie & Toby). One of the fluffs is just too tiny to get up on the furniture so she needs a helping hand to get up on the furniture but she has to be touching you at all times (Buffy). Toby will sometimes get up on the back of the loveseat with Kallie on rare occasions. Brandy will not jump up on the back of the couch because it is quite the jump.......I think she is aware of her LP .......... she is always cautious but I will say the supplements for the joints have helped her and kallie tremendously. :)

But NONE of mine are comfy on our shoulders........they just love to be held though.

[DrmnOfMaui]

Bath day was a couple of days ago and the boys had us in stitches as the tore through the back yard afterwards. They ran full speed for about 10 minutes and I caught a couple of new pics!

[Punky]

Thanks for sharing what awesome pictures!!!!!!!!!!

[CinttisLuke]

How CUTE they look!!!! I bet they have so much fun together!!:D

[Morkie4]

Bath day was a couple of days ago and the boys had us in stitches as the tore through the back yard afterwards. They ran full speed for about 10 minutes and I caught a couple of new pics!

FANTASTIC PICTURES!!! Ya just gotta love them!!! They look so happy and like they are having the time of their life. Great shots of them playing and enjoying life to the full!!! Thanks so much for sharing. :)