Crate the dogs separately at night: Crate training helps with safety, damage control, house training, and traveling. Your new puppies should be crated separately and kept close enough for you to hear them at night if they need you.
Make sure each puppy has their own crate to sleep in and even their own puppy toys. Don't get used to putting them in the same crate. Let them sleep separately in their own area. You can start by putting their crate or bed close to each other, but gradually move them apart so they get more comfortable being apart.
Puppies under 6 months of age shouldn't stay in a crate for more than three or four hours at a time. They can't control their bladders or bowels for that long. The same goes for adult dogs being housetrained. Crate your dog until they are able to be alone in the house without accidents or destructive habits.
A good way to determine the correct size is to measure your dog's height when standing (top of the dog's head to the floor) and length (tip of the dog's nose to the base of its tail). Then, add 4 inches to the dog's measurements to determine the best dog crate size.
A: You could easily connect two together. The bars that support the tarp make the kennel more stable.
DO stay mindful of the amount of time you leave your dog in her crate. Puppies and younger dogs don't have as much bladder control, so the maximum time for an 8- to 10-week old puppy is 30–60 minutes.
There shouldn't be too much additional space in the crate. Dogs prefer a small space that feels secure and safe. Using a puppy divider can help ensure that your dog's crate is the appropriate size as your dog grows.
It's a common mistake that some owners make to just leave their puppy in their bed or crate to 'cry it out'. Even if they seem to settle down, this could actually be having the opposite effect to what you want and making them more anxious to be alone, causing them more stress.
How long is it okay to leave a dog in a crate? Adult dogs shouldn't be left in crates for more than 6-8 hours. Puppies of 17 weeks and older can handle up to 4 or 5 hours in a crate at a time. Leaving a dog home alone in a crate longer than this can hurt their mental and physical health.
According to the American Kennel Club, puppies younger than 10 weeks cannot be left alone for more than an hour. From 3-6 months, they should not be left longer than their age in months (for example, 3-month-old puppies cannot be alone for longer than 3 hours).
Dogs are social animals and usually happier around other dogs, but a second dog will never be a substitute for inattentive, absent or too busy owners.
What exactly is “littermate syndrome” and is it real? Littermate syndrome can occur when two puppies adopted from the same litter grow up together in the same home. In some cases, these sibling puppies form such a deep bond with each other that they fail to properly socialize with people and other dogs.
Many people are hesitant to adopt a second dog because they assume it will be twice the work and twice the money. But the truth is, owning two dogs doesn't have to be more work – in fact, it can often be easier. And as for the cost, it will cost more money than one but not twice the amount.
To find the right crate length, measure your dog from the tip of their nose to the end of their tail. Add four inches to this measurement to give your dog some extra wiggle room to ensure comfort.
If your dog feels overly confined in a kennel or crate that is not big enough, he or she may develop anxious or destructive behavior such as whining, barking, scratching the door, or chewing the sides of the kennel.
The dog should be able to stand up in the crate and turn around, but they should not have much more room than this. Remember we are trying to give the dog a small, safe place to relax that resembles a den, not a play pen.
Considering most puppies are purchased at this age, it will take some time to establish a routine and therefore your puppy might not settle completely through the night until up to the age of 12 to 16 weeks.
Put your pads in easy reach of your puppy's bed or crate at nighttime. Going to the toilet in the house, or their crate, can cause significant distress if they know it's not what you want them to do, so ensure they have the option of a 'safe' place to pee, and your puppy will sleep much better.
First, it's important that dogs each have their own food bowl. It's okay to have a community water bowl, but each dog should get their own helping in a separate bowl. Ideally, each dog gets their meal at the same time and finishes at the same time.
From when you bring your puppy home at eight weeks until they are four months old, it's best to feed them four meals a day. At four months, reduce this to three meals a day and when they turn six months, reduce to two meals. Continue a morning and evening meal for your pup's life.