Citizen K9

08/10/2023

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12/07/2023

04/11/2022

28/10/2022

03/10/2022

LITTER MATE SYNDROME / HOUSEMATE SYNDROME

I know there is a lot of controversy going around saying that litter mate syndrome hasn't been proven, but I just want to tell you what I have experienced personally teaching lots of siblings and why we no longer allow dogs who live together to attend group classes together.

I have seen that when someone gets two puppies together, or two pups within a short time period, less than a year apart, these pups form an extremely unhealthy bond. This is what I have noticed:

1. They are extremely attached to each other. Since dogs are social animals it is natural for them to seek out companionship whether it be with other animals or humans. It is also naturally easier for dogs to bond with other dogs from a young age because they are dogs. When two puppies are bought together, they immediately connect with each other and quickly become inseparable. They usually have separation anxiety and lack confidence when separated.

2. When we have two littermates together, you see that one is often more subdued and the other one is often a bully. This heightens when they are placed in social situations. One puppy will cope well, the other one will crumble and it takes ages to build their confidence as an individual.

3. We find that they are generally harder to train. Raising one puppy takes a lot of effort, two puppies is even more. A lot of people get two puppies at once so that they can 'keep each other busy' not realizing that it usually means double the potty accidents, double the destruction and double the reactivity. Dogs are social learners as well, so when they see a dog doing something, they usually join.

4. There is an increased risk for inter dog aggression with litter mates. We see that a lot of siblings start fighting with each other especially when adolescence hits.

What I have found now that we no longer pups who live together to join the same class together is:
1. The humans become so much more bonded with the pups as individuals.
2. The humans realize that each pup has completely different needs and a personality. One pup might need a lot more attention on confidence building and socialization where the other pup needs to work on play biting and being calm.
3. The humans realize how much the pups have bonded and how hard they need to work at separation anxiety from each other.
4. Over the course/s we see the pups flourish separately. Before I had this rule I have never been able to confidently say that litter mates have flourished in my class. I can see that they struggled being placed opposite sides of the class and I can see them become protective of each other during play group or I will see the subdued pup never fully become confident. Now that we have separated the pups I have seen so much more improvement in the development and confidence of these pups.

Tips for raising two pups together:
1. Enroll them in a force free puppy class asap. Do not wait until they are four months old, start NOW with a school who is strict with vaccinations being up to date.
2. Keep them apart often. Be strict with doing training, feeding, walking and enrichment separate and build their confidence as individual dogs.
3. Work on separation anxiety soon. Just like we need them to feel okay being separated from us, they also need to be able to be okay being alone and without the other pup. There will be times where one of the pups might need to go to the vet, and your other pup has to be okay.
4. Make sure you treat them equally, but acknowledge their differences. Make sure you spend enough alone time with them that you know what issues they need to work on.

22/09/2022

Cake of the day! Yes it's a cake!

09/09/2022

The indomitable Camberley Kate, aka Kate Ward, and her stray dogs in England in 1962.
Camberley Kate was born in Middlesbrough on June 13, 1895. Orphaned before the age of ten, she was brought up by an aunt in a strict religious atmosphere. As a young girl she went into the ministry and eventually found her way to Camberley. In later years, she once claimed to have been a chef in the RMC at the time of the Battle of the Somme, although she would have been only 21 years old.
She also mentioned that she knew what it was like to be homeless.
In 1943, Kate bought a cottage in Yorktown and soon took in her first stray, a dog that was about to be euthanized for lameness.
Over time, the number of dogs in her home grew - some tied to her door, others left in carrier bags, still others brought to her by police or other authorities. By the end of her life, she estimated that she had cared for more than 600 dogs.
Kate and her olive green handcart painted "STRAY DOGS" were a familiar sight in the area as she pushed it from Yorktown to Camberley every day.
She died on August 4, 1979.

08/09/2022

A totally customized box of themed toys and treats for your pup - every month

30/08/2022