CockersOnline Forum
Cocker Specific Discussion => General Cocker Spaniel Discussion => Topic started by: Jenny_930 on January 07, 2004, 12:36:07 PM
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My friend breeds cocker spaniels, yesterday she received an e-mail from a lady wanting 2 BOYS from her next planned litter, she also said she worked full time.
My friend replied saying that she does not allow her pups to go to homes where they work full time and that she certainly wouldn't let 2 boys from the same litter go together.
My question is, was she right in saying this as she had a quite abrupt replying from the lady in question, saying she had spoken to her vet who said it was fine to let dogs be left alone all day and that they need routine!
My friend said yes they do need routine, like being fed 4-5 times a day when 8 weeks old and being let out to do their business etc.....and leaving 2 cocker spaniels in all day alone, they would probably cause havoc! She also suggested trying the cocker rescue places for an older dog which had been used to being left alone.
What do you all think??
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Hi Jenney
I would have done the same thing if I was in your friends shoes!
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I think your friend probably made the right decision in the best interests of her pups. Taking on two pups at the same time is double the work, and probably a case of one step forward, two steps back in all aspects of training - but more importantly litter mates (indeed, pups of the same age, not only those from the same litter or even breed) brought up together in the same home are much more prone to develop an intense form of sibling rivalry that can result in fighting to the extent that one of the dogs has to be rehomed for both of their safety. We've had members on this board who have gone through this, and some who are experiencing it now :( Of course it doesnt always happen, but best to err on the side of caution by far. So your friend should rest easy it was the reputable thing to do :wink:
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Hi Jenney
Most certainly YES your friend did make the right decision and definately not letting 2 litter brothers going to the same household :!:
A friend of mine without speaking to me first bought 2 litter brother Basset Hounds and boy did she have problems with them, with fighting etc. She had to have one castrated in the end and I'm pleased to say that things have sorted themselves out now. But she wished that she had spoken to me first and only bought 1 and then waited a 18/24 months and then decided about getting another one.
Good on your friend for sticking to her guns.
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I have a friend who has 2 gorgeous male cockers. They are brothers from the same litter. Lovely as they are, they are very much a handful when left for long periods, getting up to mischief and being destructive. They were also extremely hard to toilet train and even though they are now 15 months old my friend can still come home to mess. So far she hasn't suffered the problem of fighting that can break out between littermates.
All the problems are due to her not being able to give them the time when they were younger to train them and to be consistent with it :?
Your friend has every right to refuse this lady and it's good that she is concerned for the welfare of her puppies :wink:
I was actually (rudely I felt) dismissed immediately by one breeder when I said that I could be out for a maximum of 4 hours. Before I could explain that I worked 100yards round the corner and could come home whenever I liked she had put the phone down on me :shock: I felt shocked and upset and then angry at her rudeness. Luckily, all the others I rang were more than helpful with the welfare of their puppies paramount.
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I know Paddy was a handful as a pup, I just couldn't imagine the mess 2 could make being left alone all day from 8 weeks of age!
My friend was very polite in her reply to the lady, she just explained that she wanted the best for her pups, but I think this lady didn't expect to be turned down!
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very much the right call imho - the prospective buyer was prob just trying to push it to put herself in the "right".
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Absolutely the right decision by your breeder friend - there is no way I would sell 2 litter brothers together, let alone to a home where the owners are out all day :roll: If you're a breeder, you get used to requests like this & no matter how politely you explain why this is not a good idea, you will always get the odd one who takes offence.
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Your breeder friend is absolutely right. Sorry, but who in their right mind would have two puppies when they work full-time - which presumably means being out of the house for at least 8 hours? How do they get toilet-trained, feed properly, etc., etc. Even if you have someone coming in during the day, you, as the owner, are missing out on crucial training and bonding with the pups.
My guess is that the would-be owner thought that having two dogs would be company for each other when left for a long time. This is true to an extent with older dogs, but does not work for puppies. The mind boggles as to the damage that could be done by two pups left alone for that period of time, and the damage done to them by leaving them for that amount of time.
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Thanks guys, I'll pass all your messages on to her, she'll be pleased to know you are all in agreement with her. She is a really good breeder, thinks only of her dogs, quite rightly so too! :D
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Yup she did the right thing unless your home all day and have lots and lots of exsp with cockers and know how they work its not a good idea , i think your freind did her a favour shed probably end up with no home left after they rip it apart. Im sure this lady will find her 2 cocker males if she really wants thou. puppy farms.or even send someone else in to buy number 2 pup . its not that hard unfortunate for the pups thou as they will probably be rehomed :cry: mabe thats a good idea with someone so rude. :?:
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I have just read the initial post and really can't believe that someone would actually want to get one pup and leave it all day long, let alone two! How on earth would they be able to toilet train and feed 4-5 times a day at first? Why would they want to own a dog when they obviously haven't got the time to spend with it?? :shock:
My Mum breeds and shows Shih Tzu's and if anyone approaches her for a pup she always asks if the pup will be left for long periods of time on it's own due to work commitments. If yes, then sorry but no pup.
I have my own business. I run a fireplace showroom and do work full time. However, my little Maggie is here with me all day, running riot!! :roll:
I dread to think what mess I would go home to if I left her alone.
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good for your friend,at least she cares about where the pups are going,,if more breeders where the same we would have less inmates in dogs homes,well done,,xx :wink:
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I was talking to my friend tonight as her Dad bought her mum two Yorkie pups from the same litter last year for her birthday, both male. Apparently they have been a nightmare and she has found it impossible to train them, and she is retired and at home all the time. She has had to resort to a behaviourist now, who told her that taking on two small pups at the same time is rarely a good idea.
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it,s a pity your friend did not get the right advice from the breeder just goes to show money is more important to some breeders than the happiness of both dog and owner,,hope things work out,and they both get on better with a little help,,ziggy ,xx
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has she tried training them away from each other?? the earlier you can train a dog the better .
I couldent belive how fast bella was at picking things up im still amazed . at 12 weeks old she was doing everything perfect , at the time she wasent food fussy and thats how i trained her , she learnt 8 tricks in 2 days of half hour training and remberd them , i think shes just a clever dog , she knows what foods are like chocolate ,ham and will go sit at the fridge if i say chicken .. or the cubord if i say frolics lol :roll:
just make sure theres you and the dog in a room no nose and a hand full of treats like chicken :)
just keep going over and over till he/she gets it right :) sit and stay and slowdown and wait are all very handy things to try to train . while your out , i also train cross for when its time to cross ,for that i would take them out on a walk seperate a few times and see how well behaved he/she is alone.
The only thing bells terrible at is recall . someone told me to go to a tennis court and practice , i should take some time to do it really .
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Trouble is with 2 littermates or puppies of same age is that they bond with each other and not their owner. It is so important with pups that they should bond with you so that they eventually learn and you can train them. If you can't bond with your dog then you haven't a cat in hells chance as they say in training them as they'd rather listen to each other.
Some do succeed in training 2 but most find it very difficult. I met a couple of golden cocker litter girls (now about 3) in the summer when I was socializing Wilf and their owner told me they were a complete nightmare.
I've heard that it is 5 times more hard work to train 2 littermates rather than twice which is what a lot seem to think. You have to spend a third of your time with each on their own and still try to keep them apart so they don't bond with each other, what sort of life is that for anyone—totally exhausting if you attempt to try or a nightmare if you don't.
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yes penny i have heard the same ,,i went to buy two dogs once and i was advised that just because they were brothers did,nt mean they would get on,,so i declined,,weird though isn,t it you would think the smell would make them know who they were,ziggy x