2 Cockers - same litter

[Benellimelody]

Hello all,

 

Looking for some advice before i find myself in a mess

 

I had a springer until he died last year so know a bit about basic training but am by no means an expert.

 

I have 2 cocker spaniel bitches from the same litter - not ideal i know, and wouldn't have prefferred it this this way. I dont want to go into the details why but want to give it a go and am now too attached to them both to part

 

The pups are 5 months old today and are kenneled outside. They seem to be comin on ok but i am takin them out together due to time constraints and it is often the case that when one is doing somethin right the other is doing the opposite. They do know their names quite well but sometimes i think i am giving them conflicting information when trying to praise one but growl at the other at the same time.

 

When it comes to later training i would definitely take them out seperately but thought i could teach the basics together - do you think i am askin too much/ is this possible? wish i had more time

 

At the minute one of the pups recalls really well but the other has a tendancy to sometimes range and hesitate to return on my call - would you suggest takin her out seperately and the use of a long lead (30ft)

 

I would be grateful of any tips for training these dogs

 

Thanks for looking

 

:o

 

 

Thanks for reading

[sako751sg]

They will be getting bad habits by taking them out together.Always start seperate,and later start taking them together.Try a half hour with each dog a day,and at 5 months there is no need to hurry.When together they will tend to "egg" each other on,and its not fair for the pups so quality individual time would be more productive.You say you wished you had more time,but an hour a day good training should result in a decent couple of dogs.

Edited November 26, 2009 by sako751sg

[Benellimelody]

Sako - thanks for the reply - i take them out 3 times a day for 20mins jus to give them exercise and chance to relieve themselves.

 

I wouldn't be able to take them out seperately every time so when they are together do you think i should jus keep them on the lead? say twice a day then give them a session each seperately for hunting and recall? hope this makes sense.

 

If i take them out is there anyway of giving them fun time with each other without spoiling training and teaching bad habits. they are 5 months and jus wanna have fun but i dont wanna ruin them and want them to be loyal to me and not each other

 

Thanks

[mayfly36]

I was gona say the same thing, bringing them out together just dosent work, having to work wit 1 pup while restraning and growling at the other because he wants to play etc. Time should be concentrated on 1 dog at a time. Bring both with you if time is a factor, but leave 1 in the car for 10 minutes and swap around that way neither dog can see whats going on and wont be left out. Just an idea.

[sako751sg]

If you manage 3 times a day,that is adequate.Take them 20 for a walk together,and let them have a wee play together as they are still pups,and let them toilet ect.For the other 2X20 mins,only take one dog at a time for a session.Far from being an expert here,but you end up confusing them together and they get mixed signals from the owner.Also,each dog has a different capacity to learn and have different attention spans.Get to know the pups,and before getting too hot up if things are not going right,have a break,and go back to it later on.The springer i have now,i can pinpoint faults in him and from when he picked them up,and they are down to me being too hasty.It usually takes many hours to learn a dog something,but 5 mins of bad work to set it back.

[Benellimelody]

Thanks for the replies - much appreciated :unsure:

 

I will defo concentrate on one dog at a time from now on.

 

I'll keep you posted how they come on over the coming months.

 

Thanks again

[jasper3]

I am training a cocker pup at the moment, when we go for our walks my misses takes our 13yr old springer and I have the pup...as soon as we are away from the springer and misses..the pup will start to concentrate.. and start doing as he is told...

 

10 minutes is long enough at this stage..or they start to get bored (6months) give plenty of praise when they do well..don't get to angry when they don't

 

they are still babies at this stage

 

jasp

[UKPoacher]

Apart from the issues raised here there are deeper psychological things to consider. As the dogs are litter sisters they will have a stronger bond than most pairs and you need to reduce that in order to ensure that both will comfortably operate independently. There is a chance of one dog relying on the other all the time and you need to be aware of this and address it.

 

By all means exercise them together regularly, but keep the training entirely separate until they are at least reliably working independently.

[langlands]

I park up near to where I'm training, let both dogs out to clean themselves (tidy up!) and then put one dog back in. I walk one spaniel out of sight and work on him for 10-15 mins (I also plant some dummies for the second dog)

I then switch them round and work the second dog for 15 mins, after this, return to get the dog from the car (kept on a lead) and send the second dog for her blind retrieves as he watches.

Obviously, you will need to modify your training regime as the dogs progress, but I find this system allows you to maximise the amount of time you have and still work on two dogs.