Raptors are barking during the night - Page 1

For the last 3 or 4 nights the raptor brothers Rocco and Milo have been barking uncontrollably during the night.  Im not sure if they are barking at the cats or what but it is getting way out of hand.  I have tried a shaker can, pots and pans and anything else that will make noise.  Milo is ok with the cats but Rocco wants to rip their heads off.  We tried to introduce the cats, but all I got was a thight full of cat nails (LOL).

Any suggestions...Here a pic of the little devils.

They sleep outside at night?

Easy way to solve the problem is to crate them inside at night.  In my 17 years as a GSD owner our dogs have never spent a night outside.  They no longer need to be crated but they sleep in the house with us.

And two puppies at once....good luck wtih that.  Been there, done that and NEVER again.  It is so hard to keep them from bonding with each other rather than bond wtih you.  I had to work a ton to keep the two young ones from bein more bonded to each other than to me.  I still, at two years old, can't let them out together, they are trouble trouble trouble.  Mine are not littermates and are 6 weeks apart, but still never again, and I would never recommend two puppies at once.  LOL. 

As for the barking they could be barking at anything, they could hear coyotes, they could be playing off of each other, but I find consistent night time barking is more out of boredom than anything.

Good luck.

Raising two puppies together that are the same age is very difficult.  They are more likely to develope bad habits rather than a pup raised by itself or two pups with a few months age difference.  

Need to separate the pups while they are this age.  Crate them separately, take them out to potty separately, do training sessions separately, play with them separately (one on one playing with you and toys,)  Only let them together just a few hours each day for outdoor excercize/play times.  When they are in the house, crate one and let the other one lounge around where you can watch him.  Only let the pups around the cats one at a time, not together.  Make the pups respect the cats.  Cats must be higher in the household hierachy than the pups, and the pups need to know it.   
To encourage them to sleep all night; about 2 hours before bed time let them out together for a vigorous 30 minute play session, then take them on a walk for about 30 minutes or so.  Put them in their own individual crates with chew toys (that they can't rip or break pieces off of) an hour before you go to bed.  Having some kind of sleepy aromas will help, lavendar and/or chamomile.  Block the pups' vision from around their crates so they can't see the cats or anything else, if they keep each other up then you may want to block their vision from each other too.  A white noise machine can help mute any sounds they may be hearing.  Cardboard is very useful for making a "cave" out of the dog crate, use it on the top and around the sides, even in front of the door after you shut them in. 

The biggest problem with raising two or more pups that are the same age is they can become more bonded to each other than to you.  They may become a pack unto themselves within your family and they will look to each other first before they look to anyone else.   

The dogs are crated inside.  Boy did we get an education today.  We took the pup to the breeder where they we holding training....obedience and bite work for Schultzhund.  There were probably 20 pups with several teenagers and adult dogs.  After working 15 mins with one of their trainer, the boys were like differnet dogs....no whining...no barking...no pulling...no trying to kill each other (LOL)...they really love each other.  We have always had 2 GSDs in the family, but never two puppies of the same age, let alone the same litter.  We just go them home and they are like different dogs.  We know it's going to be a lot of work, but we lover the breed and we love these dogs!

Mike