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I have purchased two 16 week old tiny maltese female puppies from a reputable breeder. They are sisters. One is quite calm, stares into my eyes when held and just collapses in cuddles when picked up. The other one is "wired." She gets so excited that she shakes. When they play, the "wired" plays very roughly. She bites and pulls on her more docile sister's tail. The quieter sister likes to play vigorously as well; however, she does squeel in pain frequently.My question: Will the more rambuncious pup quiet down or will she always be "wired? I am contemplating returning the wild one to the breeder for a quieter pup. My husband and I are in our mid-late 50's and do not want 15+ years with a wild, intense, dog. Please advise as to if we should try to get a quieter dog or hang in there. Time is of the essense. This is our 3rd and 4th maltese dogs. We have not had two dogs at once before. We thought having two would help them be happier if we are out for the day. This is a big decision.

Submitted: 1019 days and 22 hours ago.

Category: Dog

Value: $15

Status: AWAITING CUSTOMER ACTION

Answer

I would not take another pup from the same litter. This is usually a very bad idea as what you have now is a really dominant sounding puppy and a submissive one. I can't think of any reputable breeder that would sell littermates to the same home at the same time.
I would make sure the calm one though is not calm because she has a health issue. Your 'wild' pup actually sounds a lot more normal.
A full vet check of the pups if you haven't had it done would be a good idea.
You can read about the reality of raising two puppies at once here
http://www.caninedevelopment.com/Sibling.htm
and here
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&C=99&A=2043&S=1
If you do get a different second puppy I'd suggest an opposite sex (and plan on spay neuter) rather than a same sex pup.
I would expect the sibling females to continue with their relationship as it is now being formed. This may not be what you want.
The ideal would be for you to work on raising one pup and then in 6 months or a year get a second dog to raise which will be lots easier on you and the pups.
Hope this helps you!

Edited by Nancy Holmes on 2/7/2007 at 11:57 PM

Accepts:
Expert:	NancyH
Pos. Feedback:	99.5 %
Answered:	2/7/2007

Dog Expert:Rescue, Train,Breed,Care

30+ yrs dog home vet care & nursing, rescue, behavior&training, responsible show breeding, genetics

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