[Bob Pr.]

On my street, "Labrador Lane" (unofficial name -- we have quite a few Labs in a row), some nearby neighbors have a Lab, Bucky, a YM.

Their DD & SIL were staying with them during some construction in their home. SIL didn't care for dogs -- until he met Bucky.

So he went out and bought 2 young YM Lab brothers, same litter. They were too young, from a BYB, but --- then he didn't ask me for advice.

I do recall some JL threads advising against getting littermates and mentioned this to the FIL of the young man. He asked what problems might be expected? I didn't recall, hence this thread --

So, what problems can be expected?

 

[justine]

Well I'm not sure about the fact that the two are brothers being a problem, I think it's just having 2 puppies to raise at once. Also the fact that they have literally been together since birth and will probably have some problems being separated from each other. Training will be really hard, too.

 

[zoesmom]

Bob, one of our co-workers got 2 brothers. Chocolate labs, as puppies (Spike & Bob)

Because the owners are at work most of the day, the puppies bonded to each other. They need to be trained separately.

They went to puppy kindergarten together, and Spike would circle another dog, while Bob goes straight to get into the other dog's face. I have seen this behavior when they came to meet Zoe.

They are having a difficult time in discipline.

I believe Laura will not sell 2 siblings to the same owners.

That said, I have seen people on this board that have siblings and had no issues.

 

[dweck]

We have a neighbor who got bro/sis Huskies.

They're not the most attentive owners in the world.

Loved to put the dogs out all day in their fenced backyard. They did not train. Did not walk.

Dogs got bored. The female was wicked smart, and it didn't take her long to figure out how to escape. And her brother -- a little less in the brains department -- would follow. But she was clever enough to get back in. And he... not so much.

They went on this way for years. We'd come home from work and find them sitting as pretty as they please in our driveway.

All turned tragic last Halloween. They both got out. And only she came back.

He was struck and killed.

And now. . .

She is the saddest dog I have ever laid eyes on. They were together since puppyhood, and she has never gotten over his loss. People wonder if dogs have emotions, well, I need only look at her, a shadow of her former self, to know that indeed they do.

She's still in the backyard. Alone now. On a tie-out that keeps her away from the fence.

This would be my only reservation about siblings..............

 

[labby]

http://home.att.net/~pvee/dbltrbl.html

 

[zoesmom]

http://home.att.net/~pvee/dbltrbl.html

yup, those are all the issues Spike & Bob and their owners are having.

They also are kept in the back yard during the day and both of them escape.

 

[Samson]

http://home.att.net/~pvee/dbltrbl.html

That's really constructive advice Laura !

 

[Dani]

who was the member that had brothers at one time and when they matured they fought visciously until they were neutered?

 

[jzgrlduff]

Dani, that was Amanda from Texas. Bo & Luke...

Dan, that is the saddest thing I've read in a long time.

 

[Belles mom]

I kept a brother and sister (Kodi and Hoss) and have made every effort possible to train and bond with them separately. There are no problems what so ever (unless you count that Kodi thinks the world belongs to her and everyone ought to bow to her superiority (and that includes her brother). Rarely are they ever left alone together, one is in an ex-pen and the other loose. I probably go to more effort to pay individual; attention to each when the other is not around (penned up) than most people are willing to go through though to prevent them bonding excessively with each other and to encourage more bonding with me.

Hoss and Red (littermates also) get along fairly well, although Red is the more dominate one.

 

[Gus and Zekes Mom]

Gus and Zeke are littermates. Originally, Zeke came to live with us and Gus belonged to my son. Almost as soon as the boys came home, my son got a job offer that was out of town and too good to decline. Gus came to stay with us until he was settled and the rest is history. Gus and I bonded immediately and he is my heart dog. Needless to say, when Travis came home for a weekend visit he could see immediately that Gus needed to stay with me.

Gus and Zeke have never had issues with each other. We made a special effort to give each separate training time when they were young and worked very hard to have them bond with us more than with each other. That requires a lot of time. You cannot just put them in a crate or in the yard, you have to spend lots of time with them-training, playing and cuddling.

It's interesting that neither is really the dominant dog. They each have something that they take the lead on and their personalities are distinct. Gus is by far the most intellingent dog that I have ever had. Zeke will retrieve as long as you will throw a ball.

I would never get littermates again, but Gus and Zeke have worked out very well for us. I can't imagine any better dogs. It can work out, but everyone in the household has to be on board with the time and energy it will require.