Brother and sister meet again after 6 months?

We are wondering how brother and sister rottweilers will get along when they meet again after 6 months? We are all part of the same family but we live abroad and intend to raise the female whilst our son will raise the male in our home in uk. We will visit uk once a year for about 3/4 weeks.

How will the dogs react to this situation?

Is it a good idea to keep items from each family member(including our female) around the dog in uk so it knows our smell?

The female will get to know all family members due to regular visits but the male will only see us and her sister once a year.

We have just lost our beautiful female after 10yrs. Because of her we know we can love another of this special breed. However, we do not have experience with a male. We are reading as much as possible but i can't find any information that answers my questions. We understand the importance of socialising and training both. Hope you can help. We thank you in advance.








Hi
There's no 'one size fits all' answer to this question as a lot will depend on the individual dogs temperaments, and how well trained and socialized they are as they grow.

However, if they are temperamentally sound and raised properly, they should be able to meet and get along without any major problems even after several months apart.

Bear in mind that dogs don't know 'family' and the fact that they're siblings will mean nothing to them. Luckily they are of the opposite sex which will help as two dogs of the same sex are much more likely to have 'confrontational issues' even if they live together year round.

There really aren't big differences between males and females in terms of behavior or how to raise them. The biggest differences are related to individual character and personality. You can have dominant males and submissive females, or dominant females and submissive males.... and with these two you will soon find out who is the bolder and 'bossiest' of the two, and it won't necessarily be the male!

Personally I think it would be a very good idea to keep something that carries the scent of the other dog, and the people who are raising him/her around each pup. That way they will feel familiar with the scent and hopefully find them to be less 'strangers' when they meet.

Of course there will always be a few days or maybe a week or so when the dogs first meet and are wary of each other. That's to be expected, just make sure you're all patient and that you supervise both of them closely during these vacations. Only leave them together alone once you're absolutely sure that they are 'friends'. Generally dogs sort this situation out by themselves without too much trouble if they are allowed to do so... and owners only need interfere if there is a chance of someone getting hurt.

The biggest thing will be how you raise your pups. Rottweilers aren't like Labs or Goldens and don't love everyone in the world in an unquestioning way. However, they should be friendly and approachable and calm, not aggressive towards other dogs or people, or fearful. Early and ongoing socialization, lots of love and a good dose of loving discipline, and proper training are all important if you want to raise a well-rounded Rottie.

It sounds to me as though you have experience with the breed, and already know what you need to do to raise your pups well, so I wouldn't worry too much about future problems as I think it will all work out just fine.

I wish you all the very best of luck.