Sibling Rivalry

Sibling Rivalry can occur when two dogs compete for dominance, where the two are so equally match neither one can dominate the other without a fight occurring, if neither one will passively submit the fight for dominance will escalate.
Sibling rivalry occurs around the time of the dogs sexual maturity (the equivalent to our teenage years). As the urge to dominate grows stronger the fights become worse and more frequent the damage may worsen every time as the want to be alpha (pack leader or however you like to label it) intensifies. A wild pair of dogs would fight for dominance over the pack until one submits or is severely injured.
Joanna and myself always discourage people from getting two dogs from the same litter to avoid the possibility of sibling rivalry. If you are experiencing the problems associated with sibling rivalry the issues can be resolved with professional help.
I am not saying do not have more than one dog. I am however saying before you acquire your second dog make sure the dog you already have is trained and behaves exactly how you want it to. If it does not you will only be doubling your problems by introducing a second dog to the household.
When buying a dog or another dog ask yourself are they the right breed for me? What dogs will be compatible? Will these dogs work with my life style? When choosing a dog or any number of dogs, think, best of all seek professional advice. If done correctly a pack of dogs is a joy if done incorrectly a pack of dogs can be a nightmare that can turn into a blood bath.

Marley & Me

When Marley and me came out Jo said to me "book mark in the diary for six months and we will be FLOODED with labs" best thing was she was right but its hit us quicker than we realised. We have a full puppy class of lab pups already. Maybe due to coincidence who knows. Yet i find myself guilty of the same thing watch the film Beethoven, Marley and me and homeward bound saying to myself "ohh how cute I WANT ONE" so i do understand how people fall in love with certain breeds due to the brilliant acting done by the dog in the film. every time i watch beethoven i fall in love with the St Bernard all over again, yet as iv been told numerouse amounts of time by Jo "if we got EVERY breed of dog you loved we would have to buy battersea" maybe its true? But thats just me and i know what breeds would be suitible for me and my lifestyle. I may be a sucker for puppy dog eyes but i care about the dogs and for the dogs sake i would never get a dog which did not suit my lifestyle. I believe that all potential dog owners should take into considefration if the dogbreed is right for them and their family e, if you love the breed yet it is not suitible DO NOT GET IT if you care! Personaly Joanna and myself discourage people to stay away from working lines UNLESS he or she is going to work. Hence the lable WORKING LINE. Any way i have already preached on this subject once before. Back to Marley and Me all i can say is heart breaking. What a brilliant film, the best thing was they show the bad side of having a dog just as much as the good unlike most dog films sugar coating what ownership is REALLY like, the mess, the possible distruction, the howling at two in the morning and of course the heart ache that goes along with the loss of your dog because unfortunatly our four legged friends do not have the same longevity of life as us.