fighting

[overbeylc]

ok. the pups are now 10 weeks old. they are litter mates and they are fighting all the time not roughplaying i mean fighting. is this normal and will work itself out or should i be doing something else. most the time i separate them and put them in their crates for awhile. but when i let them out they go at it again. they are both females any suggestions

[.sarah]

It's usually going to happen with littermates. It's normal sibling rivalry. When they do this you may want to try a dominance exercise. Roll them over on their backs and hold their feet so they can't get up. Don't let them up until they are quiet and still. If you let them up when they are wiggly they have "won". After that seperate them but don't put them in the crate! A crate shouldn't be used as punishment. If you MUST put them in the crate give them a toy and a treat.

[overbeylc]

yeah their crate is the only place i can really separate them. until they are fully potty trained the living room and kitchen is the only places their allowed. i take one and hold her till she is settled down then i praise her for settling down then place her in the crate with some toys then i repeat with the other.

[.sarah]

I think the main problem is that they are littermates! You will just have to try seperating them each time, but this will probably go on their entire lives. I have known many people who buy two dogs from the same litter and they fight a lot. I have also know people who buy two dogs from different litters around the same age and they have NO problems.

You also have two females, and they don't call them b*tches for no reason!

[pitc9]

You also have two females, and they don't call them b*tches for no reason!
AMEN!!!!!

I have a friend that has two male Malamute litter mates and they are always getting into BAD fights!! (they are both neutered) One thing they said they wish they would have done when they were still young was to let them fight it out and figure out on their own who is dominant over who between the two of them. They used to break up there little fights when they were young. But they are kicking themselves for it now because now one is 130 lbs and the other is 105 and the fights are very bad!!!

[Pit Chick]

What kind of puppies are they?

[Jadapit]

What kind of puppies are they?

I'm not the owner or the one asking the question. ;) But I saw in another thread that her puppies are Shih tzu's.

[AllAmericanPUP]

since they are still little puppies i would definately let them fight it out unless of course it got to the point where their lives were at risk

i guess i'm lucky, i have 2 boys who are littermates and they have never fought