Team Percy Pet Center

04/06/2025

Understanding Littermate Syndrome in Puppies

Bringing home two puppies from the same litter might seem like a great idea—they’ll have built-in companionship, right? However, many dog owners are unaware of the challenges that come with Littermate Syndrome, a behavioral condition that can develop when sibling puppies are raised together.

What is Littermate Syndrome?

Littermate Syndrome is a set of behavioral issues that arise when two puppies from the same litter (or even unrelated puppies of the same age) are raised together. These issues often stem from excessive bonding between the puppies, making it difficult for them to develop independence and proper social skills.

Signs of Littermate Syndrome:

Severe Separation Anxiety: Puppies become highly distressed when separated, making training and socialization more difficult.

Fearfulness: They may become overly reliant on each other, leading to increased anxiety in new situations or around unfamiliar dogs and people.

Difficulty in Training: Since they focus more on each other than their human, training sessions can become ineffective.

Inter-Puppy Aggression: As they grow, fights between littermates can become more intense, sometimes escalating into serious conflicts.

How to Prevent Littermate Syndrome

If you’re raising two puppies together, consider these steps to ensure they grow into well-adjusted, independent dogs:

Separate Training Sessions: Train each puppy individually to ensure they learn to focus on you rather than each other.

Encourage Independence: Allow them to spend time apart daily so they learn to be comfortable alone.

Socialization: Expose each puppy to different people, dogs, and environments separately.

Individual Bonding: Spend one-on-one time with each puppy to strengthen your personal relationship with them.

Should You Get Two Puppies?

While raising two puppies is possible, it requires significant effort and commitment. If you’re considering adopting littermates, be prepared to implement structured training and socialization strategies to prevent Littermate Syndrome.

By understanding and addressing Littermate Syndrome early, you can help your puppies grow into happy, confident, and independent dogs!

04/05/2025

04/05/2025

I am a 21st century dog….
-I'm a Malinois.
Overskilled among dogs, I excel in all disciplines and I'm always ready to work: I NEED to work.
But nowadays I get asked to chill on the couch all day everyday.

-I am an Akita Inu.
My ancestors were selected for fighting bears.
Today I get asked to be tolerant and I get scolded for my reactivity when another approaches me.

-I am a Beagle.
When I chase my prey, I raise my voice so the hunters could follow.
Today they put an electric collar on me to shut up, and you make me come back to you - no running - with a snap of your fingers.

-I am a Yorkshire Terrier.
I was a terrifying rat hunter in English mines.
Today they think I can't use my legs and they always hold me in their arms.

-I'm a Labrador Retriever.
My vision of happiness is a dive into a pond to bring back the duck he shot to my master.
Today you forget I'm a walking, running, swimming dog; as a result I'm fat, made to stay indoors, and to babysit.

-I am a Jack Russell.
I can take on a fox, a mean badger, and a rat bigger than me in his den.
Today I get scolded for my character and high energy, and forced to turn into a quiet living room dog.

-I am a Siberian Husky.
Experienced the great, wide open spaces of Northern Europe, where I could drag sleds for long distances at impressive speeds.
Today I only have the walls of the house or small garden as a horizon, and the holes I dig in the ground just to release energy and frustration, trying to stay sane.

-I am a border collie
I was made to work hours a day in partnershipwith my master, and I am an unmistakable artist of working with the herd.
Today they are mad at me because, for lack of sheep, I try to check bikes, cars, children in the house and everything in motion.
I am ...
I am a 21st century dog.

I'm pretty, I'm alert, I'm obedient, I stay in a bag...but I'm also an individual who, from centuries of training, needs to express my instincts, and I am *not* suited for the sedentary life you'd want me to lead.

Spending eight hours a day alone in the house or in the garden - with no work and no one to play or run with, seeing you for a short time in the evening when you get home, and only getting a small toilet walk will make me deeply unhappy.

I'll express it by barking all day, turning your yard into a minefield, doing my needs indoors, being unmanageable the rare times I'll find myself outside, and sometimes spending my days sunk, sad, lonely, and depressed, on my pillow.

You may think that I should be happy to be able to enjoy all this comfort while you go to work, but actually I’ll be exhausted and frustrated, because this is absolutely NOT what I'm meant to do, or what I need to be doing.
If you love me, if you've always dreamed of me, if my beautiful blue eyes or my athletic look make you want me, but you can't give me a real dog's life, a life that's really worth living according to my breed, and if you can't offer me the job that my genes are asking, DO NOT buy or adopt me!

If you like the way I look but aren't willing to accept my temperament, gifts, and traits derived from long genetic selection, and you think you can change them with only your good will, then DO NOT BUY OR ADOPT ME.

I’m a dog from the 21st century, yes, but deep inside me, the one who fought, the one who hunted, the one who pulled sleds, the one who guided and protected a herd still lives within.

So think **very** carefully before you choose your dog. And think about getting two, rather than one, so I won't be so very lonely waiting for you all day. Eight or ten hours is just a workday to you, but it's an eternity for me to be alone.

Written by *unknown*

03/28/2025

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03/26/2025

Delta/Dixon update!

The video is longer, I am wordy, I apologize, but it is the main update on the dogs. I like doing videos.

A couple of announcements.

1. I started a new job, as mentioned in the video, and am no longer taking any new clients. I am going to take a different direction personally and professionally and for that I needed a job.

2. I am not sure about the future of Team Percy. I love helping dogs, and I love working with clients but I have fought for 3 long years and I just don't feel that I can sustain it any longer. That is not to say I will not open back up in the future, but for now I am not going to be taking any new clients.

3. I have decided to keep Dixon! He has turned out to be an amazing guy. I have used him as a distraction during lessons and he has done amazing!

4. All ventures that were for Dixon and Delta (i.e. the dog food co-op, retail store, etc) have been discontinued.

I also want to talk a bit about Delta for a second.

I love her, she is amazing, she is young, and she is very willing to work and please.

I am hoping to work on some tracking with her this summer, and possibly do some herding with her as well.

With that said, it was never my intention to keep her long term.

If you have seen her and are interested in her please let me know, she will need her obedience training finished, and she will need continued work by her new owner, but overall she has come along very nicely!

Thats all for today, I am hoping to be able to do updates more often!

03/06/2025

Gauging interest in some new classes for the spring/summer!

I plan on doing some rally and obedience classes this spring/summer.

They would run for 6 weeks and cover novice rally and beginner obedience to begin, I would consider doing more advanced classes depending on interest. I would have them either during the week in the evenings, or on Saturday afternoons.

If you are interested in either of these, please let me know and what schedule would work best for you!

I am also considering doing some one-time classes/clinics focused on specific subjects like:

Safety around dogs (children and adults)
Responsible breeding practices (for when you are looking for a new puppy or are considering breeding)
Managing intact dogs in the same household
etc

If you are interested in any of these please let me know!

As always, please let me know if you are looking for something specific.

03/06/2025

Update on Dixon and Delta!

Dixon:

This guy is doing amazing! He hasn't had any accidents in his kennel for over a month. His training has gone amazing, he knows commands in English and French, he responds to the slightest pressure. I used him during a lesson last week for a distraction and he was focused on me the whole time, completely ignored the other dog even when she was barking at him, and laid on place and fell asleep for 45 minutes when my client and I were talking.

He loves being outside, except when it is cold, and has played with the other dogs almost every day.

He is also gaining weight like a champ and his ribs are no longer visible, his hips and backbone are still visible but I am hoping with more activity and continuing his current food intake he will fill out there as well.

Delta:

This girl is a handful!

I have been trying to make sure I work with her every day for at least a few minutes (anything is better than nothing), and I have been making sure she is almost always in command when I take her outside so she doesn't rush the door or completely ignore me outside.

She is showing some fear to new people but it is completely normal for her breed, I will be taking her out into public once the weather straightens up and working her in new environments and around people.

I may also take her down to a fellow trainer in Rockford that works specifically with dogs of her caliber and breed and get her evaluated for scent detection, tracking, or something of that nature.

I haven't taken any photos of her lately so I will have to post those later.

02/25/2025

Dixons DNA results are in!

The Terrier breeds are surprising, even though they make up a very small peecentage of his DNA finding those particular breeds is interesting.

02/05/2025

Dixon update!

There are a few things that we have to celebrate.

First, he has not had an accident overnight since the 29th! I have been exercising him on the treadmill every day for 2 30 minute sessions and it is making a huge impact.

Second, I have a DNA test for him! I am going to mail it back tomorrow and will find out what his mix is in a couple of weeks. I am very excited!

What do you think his breed is? I'd love to know what you think!

It is still very challenging to get him to gain weight, but I am thinking it could be breed related, some breeds tend to be slimmer than others so it will be very interesting finding out what he is for that reason as well. I am also very hopeful that through conditioning his body condition will improve.

02/02/2025

I forgot to post these yesterday!

Just in time for Valentines Day I have these heart shaped snuffle mats available.

Snuffle mats are wonderful enrichment tools, especially during the winter months.

These are on the smaller end so would work best for dogs under 50 lbs or with a slimmer snout but can work for most breeds.

These are to be used under direct supervision as they can be ripped up if your dog gets a mind to.

Please contact me if you are interested!

01/30/2025

Maisie/Dixon update!

Dixon:

This boy is doing great!

We are back to having daily accidents in the crate butwe are working on that, I think it could be that he is just the kind of dog that needs a job and he needs extensive daily physical and mental stimulation.

We have been doing daily treadmill work, 30 minute runs twice daily is what I am currently doing with him, I will see how he does on that and adjust from there.

I am also teaching him to climb a ladder because, well, he can and it gives him wonderful physical stimulation. So I am doing that for 15-20 minutes per day as well.

I am going to be training him tracking/trailing, shed hunt, and possibly some other scent related activities.

I am also going to be getting him a DNA test next month! I will post the results as soon as I have them!

Maisie:

I have decided to rename her Delta, she actually responds really well to it which I find amusing.

She is honestly doing very well, she is on an herbal detox blend currently and some different food that is fish based, hopefully that will help her body heal and regulate itself.

Her training is coming along nicely. She knows sit, down, and place, I have also introduced loose leash walking.

She also never sits still so pictures were a challenge, and all Dixon wanted to do was stand on the treadmill so I did what I could with that 😂

01/24/2025

Dixon training video!

PSA: Maisie had just been out doing constructive play for 10-15 minutes, the whining is just a GSD thing 😂

Ok, so I think this is everything I have taught Dixon. I haven't been able to work him since Sunday, I think. He is doing super well, but he definitely does better overnight after being worked with extensively during the day, which is nit sustainable for me because of my schedule, but alas, we try our best.

Here is what I want to mention for consideration.

At this point in time Dixon would be available for FOSTER to approved homes, he is not available for adoption at thus time simply because he does still have issues in his crate and I am still unsure of the cause, I am starting to think it is possibly a habit he developed/he spent an insanely extended time in a crate and he is no longer deterred by messes. With that said, he may be able to overcome this if he is monitored throughout the night and his routine is interrupted and redirected, because of my set-up, that is impossible for me at this time. Dogs also do much better in homes than in kennel settings, and while my kennel is very small and I am able to give one on one attention, it is not ideal for potty training.

As I mentioned, when he is worked with extensively he does better, I had almost a whole week with no accidents when I had time to work him. Knowing that, he would need someone that works with him and commits to at least 2 training sessions per day of varying lengths from 20 minutes to 1 hour, he could also do well in various sports so is a sport dog prospect.

Fosters would also need to commit to once weekly training session with me (free of charge of course) to take his training further and make sure he is still doing well.

I just wanted to throw that out there because it is something he would be ready for with the right person.