# need advice, separating 2yr old brothers



## MyGoldenCharlie (Dec 4, 2007)

I just brought home 2 foster dogs,( pictures soon) they are 2 yrs old, in tact males that have been side by side since birth.
They have no manners, no training. I am taking them to be neutered on Thursday.

I was told these dogs are inseparable but I feel they need to be separated, they are too energetic together, too hard to get them to focus on me. 
When I take one outside, the other barks, cries, paws at the kennel and carries on like crazy.

I have them in a 5 X 10 kennel downstairs with a divider separating them right now. I don't know if they have ever been in a crate, but was thinking of trying crates tomorrow in separate rooms. 


What is they best way for me to separate them? Slowly or just do it? Do I handle this like I would puppies & ignore the fussing or do I correct it?


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## mainegirl (May 2, 2005)

i have no clue or experience with this, but you do have my prayers and good thoughts. i could never foster, that's why i do everything but foster......

beth, moose and angel


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## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

If you feel they need to be seperated then do it! I would treat them as 8 week old pups and ignore most the protesting. I would just do it instead of slowly. They need to learn to individuals - thats JMO. Best of luck to you.


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

I agree with Ash. It might be hard but will make it so much easier to be adopted. Good luck and I cant wait to see pictures of them.


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## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

It might be easier to handle too if you totally separate them into different homes, so they're not seeing/smelling each other and then do lots of bonding work with them to 'fill the gap'. 

Good luck!

Lana


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## MyGoldenCharlie (Dec 4, 2007)

These guys are a handful! Jumping and barking, they will sit on command about 50% of the time. 
I have a full day of work today so I'm keeping them in the big kennel, mainly for their safety, They are big boys and don't want to take a chance of them getting hurt trying to get out of a crate.

Our rescue is really short on foster homes right now, we won't be able to put them in separate homes.

Wish me luck!!


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

I assume they'll go through a separation period and then rebond to new owners and other dogs, assuming things are done gently, slowly, and appropriately. It's probably wise to split them.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

It may help if they are individually spending some time with different dogs too.


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Can you trade one dog out with another foster family?


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## Noey (Feb 26, 2009)

See I'm total opposite on this. I know they are easier to adopt out seperate...but dogs are pack animals and your seperating him from his pack because it's hard on the human. Sure dogs adjust, but I would have a hard time seperating them. Training one on one is different, letting them adjust to things as indiviuals different. Sometimes hard is well worth the outcome in the end. (And this coming from someone who does not foster, knows it's hard, and even harder to adopt two) I know some people would adopt two, it's just a harder sell. 

Being around Noah for a year and seeing how quickly he has bounded to us, and to my parents dog...I would not be able to seperate them. I'd make it a goal to train and adopt out as a pair. For two years they have had each other, why take that away when they live such short lives anyway. I'm going to go cry now. This makes me sad on so many levels...I must be in a mood today. 

And don't get me wrong...I know your doing great things and doing good by finding homes for them and the objective is to get them into homes. And it's a hard job...I would not be able to seperate them, seperate for training yes...not from each other. 

just my sad probably wrong opinion.


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

We do it slowly, we crate them side by side and after a few days we move one to another room.. for the most part they do fine. The ones that are more difficult are the ones that have been together 4 plus years


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

I hate when our rescue has had to separate a "bonded" pair. Most of the times though, it turns out that they actually weren't a bonded pair, but what the owners thought were. It bothers me because I give human emotions to the dogs and feel so badly, but I will say that not one of the "bonded" dogs we have had has had any problems adjusting to living separately from their other half. Actually, a lot of times they have ended up being happier.

If you can't send one to another foster home, then maybe you can keep them kenneled separately, but do it gradually. The crying and whining may be because one thinks the other is getting something and they aren't, rather than the separation from each other.


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## MyGoldenCharlie (Dec 4, 2007)

I have them in their own crates in the same room. The first night, Rocky barked & barked, now, there is some fussing, but so far so good. 
From what I understand these guys have been kept in the same crate together since 8 weeks old.
After they have healed from the neuter surgery, I will put them in separate rooms and see how that goes.

They are starting to calm down a bit and are really great dogs, just don't want to be apart from each other.


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