[woadiestyle]

I found two abandoned puppies in a bag at 6 weeks old out in the cold on a rainy day and decided to rescue them from this unfortunate situation. They are now 12 weeks old, and I have fallen in love and decided to keep them both. I found out today at the vet that they are a mix of Lab & Pit. They are super cute and are pretty smart. They learned to sit and lay at 7 weeks, and are doing really well on house training.

My main concern is their Pit background. I am worried about the aggressive nature that comes with pits. They act pretty independent and don't listen to their names or when I call them to come to me. Does anyone know anything about this breed and their temperament? Any good advice on raising two puppies at the same time? Any advice is very much appreciated! Thank you!

 

[pugmom]

what do you want to know? ....there are quite a few pit people on DF

Pits can be DA....but not all of them are...and they should not be HA at all

 

[RRM_Mom08]

Have you been seperating them for one on one training and playtime with you ?

 

[FourIsCompany]

Having raised 2 puppies together, I'd say that getting them separated for training and other quality time (as RRM mentioned) is probably the most important thing. You want them each to bond with YOU instead of with each other. This might be the reason they're not listening to you. Treat them as individuals, having their own crates and bowls, etc. Take them out at different times and spend as much time as you can with one at a time.

They are adorable! Thanks for taking them in and good luck! Raising 2 puppies can be a thrill!

 

[Mudra]

The puppies remind me of a young MAC and ROE. Raising one is hard, multiply it by two. BUT.. It is very rewarding. I raised two pups myself and will not have it any other way. Definitely the best time of my life, having to potty train two, train obedience, teach tricks.. etc.. It was awesome. THAT and I got really lucky having to raised two of the most submissive dogs I know. They get along so well that all the nightmares of raising littermates now sounds BS to me.

I would definitely recommend training obedience and practicing NILIF. Let them have seperate crates and have individual time with them. They will for sure like doing things together but it is good for them to have that one on one time with their human. It will make your bond with them stronger. GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[FourIsCompany]

They get along so well that all the nightmares of raising littermates now sounds BS to me.

Same here. I agree with everything you said. So much so, that my two other dogs are 1/2 siblings just 5 months apart. It's very rewarding!

 

[Laurelin]

I just have to say wow! They've changed a lot since you last posted. It's good to see them again.

 

[Thracian]

Glad you decided to keep them. The other posters have given you some good ideas. I've never raised two puppies at once, but I have to say these pups are beautiful.

 

[Corteo]

I've never raised two puppies at once. But they are super cute!!!

 

[woadiestyle]

Thank you for all the reply's. I have made an effort to separate the dogs through out the day for personal quality time after reading these posts. They seem to be warming up a little more. They answer very well to "good boy!" at a high pitched voice. Just realized that yesterday.

I guess another question I have is, can I train them without crates? My sig. other and I walk them every hour on the hour to teach them to go outside. This seems to be working, but when we are not home to walk them, they don't hold it too well. Will they eventually start holding it? How can I teach them to not destroy the house when Im out?

 

[pamperedpups]

Your pups need to be managed carefully so that they cannot rehearse behaviors that are undesirable to you. That's going to mean crating them, or keeping them in a puppy proofed room while you are away and providing them with something to do during that time (think: stuffed Kongs). If you are gone for many hours during the day, they are also going to need some way of going outside to eliminate appropriately, perhaps with the help of a dog walker. Your pups can earn more freedom gradually as they mature both mentally and physically. I suggest you read the free Training Textbook here: http://www.dogstardaily.com and also read the free positive training information provided here: http://www.clickertraining.com as well as on the Dog Forums Training Forum.

 

[StardustInVegas]

I guess another question I have is, can I train them without crates? My sig. other and I walk them every hour on the hour to teach them to go outside. This seems to be working, but when we are not home to walk them, they don't hold it too well. Will they eventually start holding it? How can I teach them to not destroy the house when Im out?

I don't have a lot of dog experience. I found crate training to be a very positive experience. If I didn't, Stardust would be peeing all over the house and doing things that I don't want her to do, even if I just confine her in one room. Eventually when she gets about a year old and fully housebroken, I probably will remove the crate, and have the little bathroom (thank goodness for 3/4 bathrooms!) to be her den.

Your puppies are still very young. They can't hold it for long. It has been stated here that every month of your puppy in age is how long they can hold it in hours. It's just a suggestion, not a complete fact.

I take my dog out every two hours to 3 hours, yet she can hold it for 7 hours in the crate.

So, if I were you, I would keep on doing the crate training and using the crate for a long while...it will be beneficial to you in the end. They will be more comfortable going in there, comfortable being confined if they had to go to a vets office (I've seen so many dogs go haywire in the kennel or cage because they're not used to it), boarding, etc etc.
I don't know Pits or Lab breeds, but they're notorious for destroying stuff around the house, no matter how sweet they are...so going in the crate is a good idea.

 

[zxckelly]

I don't have much to offer in the way of advice, but I just wanted to say they are adorable!!!