Two shih zhu puppies

Question
Hello Anne Springer,

I have found this web-site to be very valuable because I am a new dog owner,
and in addition, i have TWO 9 week shih zhu pups! (male and female).
I have doubted myself many times because they are a HANDFUL. I have also
read that buying two litter-mates was a BAD IDEA, and i was tormented by
this information because it was too late. I love them so much and but
sometimes i doubt myself. Are these feelings normal?

I have decided take a month off of work, to devote all my time to the pups for
a month.

I had originally intended to practice crate training, however I am not using it
too much because i am always with them and I have my eye on them all the
time. I felt that there is no point in putting them in crates when i am at home
24/7. I only put them in crates when it's bedtime, and one of the pups still
cry for a short time during the night. It has been a week now and one still
cries. I am just hoping that this will stop overtime. Could you give me any
advice on how to stop it, or what is wrong with them? They both sleep me me
and my fiance in the bedroom on each side of the bed, of course in their
crates.

They nap A LOT and they sleep on separate pillows in front of the tv as i
watch them on the couch. Is this is a good idea, or should i put them in crates
during naps?

I also live in an apt and do not use puppy pads for potty training. I just let
them eliminate on the balcony cement. So far is has been working for me.
Could you tell me if I am doing this correctly?

I recognize that i have wrote for lots of advice, because i am concerned that I
am doing thing improperly. Having two makes everything harder, and this is
why i must do things properly in the beginning.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thank you,

A concerned owner of two pups,

Hanna

Answer
Hi Hannah,
I'll do my best to answer your concerns one by one:-))  Allow me to quote you first, then my answer will follow.

"I have found this web-site to be very valuable because I am a new dog owner,and in addition, i have TWO 9 week shih zhu pups! (male and female).  I have doubted myself many times because they are a HANDFUL. I have also read that buying two litter-mates was a BAD IDEA, and i was tormented by this information because it was too late. I love them so much and butsometimes i doubt myself. Are these feelings normal?"

The feelings are quite normal - after all, you wanted to be a good "pet parent".  Buying litter mates is usually a bad idea, since they rely more on one another than on the human!  You can, however, work to improve the situation by taking the pups out for walks separately, leaving each of them alone from time to time, and taking them to puppy class separately (start now and find a class before they are too much older).  Two sites where you can find positive trainers: www.clickerteachers.net, www.trulydogfriendly.com.  Incidentally, it would probably have been worse to have same sex litter mates, so at least you made the right choice according to gender.
"I have decided take a month off of work, to devote all my time to the pups for a month."

While taking time off is ok, you should still make sure that the pups are left alone, both together and separately, so that they don't develop separation anxiety when you do go back to work.  Cheap little booklet that explains how NOT to have a dog with this problem: "I'll Be Home Soon" by Patricia McConnell.

"I had originally intended to practice crate training, however I am not using it too much because i am always with them and I have my eye on them all the time. I felt that there is no point in putting them in crates when i am at home 24/7. I only put them in crates when it's bedtime, and one of the pups still cry for a short time during the night. It has been a week now and one still cries. I am just hoping that this will stop overtime. Could you give me any advice on how to stop it, or what is wrong with them? They both sleep me me and my fiance in the bedroom on each side of the bed, of course in their
crates."

I crate train all my dogs - reason is that I want to be able to take them with me if I travel.  Some hotels require it.  But, it's really a matter of personal preference, and if the house training is going well without crates, then fine.  If you are crating at night, simply place the pup in the crate, then IGNORE him.  If you make eye contact, speak to him, or tell him "quiet", you are giving attention (which is what he wants), and he will continue to whine.  Keep in mind that a very young puppy, if he wakes in the night, might have to "go".  So, simply take him out to potty, and put him right back in the crate when you come in, with no fuss, or talk, or anything except the "good dog" that he gets for doing his biz outdoors.

"They nap A LOT and they sleep on separate pillows in front of the tv as i watch them on the couch. Is this is a good idea, or should i put them in crates during naps?"

Crating is fine if you want to get them used to being in a different room from you while napping (and is one way to have them be alone, but safe).  They are babies and will nap right now, but soon they will be like mischievous toddlers, so you may want to have a means for containing them when you are unable to watch them.  Crates are great for this, and they will learn to love their crates if there is occasionally something very good there, such as a stuffed Kong toy;-)

"I also live in an apt and do not use puppy pads for potty training. I just let them eliminate on the balcony cement. So far is has been working for me. Could you tell me if I am doing this correctly?"

It's ok as long as the building management is ok with it, but you may have trouble later getting them to go on other substrates.  You really should take them out, and let them eliminate on grass, mulch, pebbles, etc.  Of course, you would want to wait until they have their immunizations before exposing them to areas where other dogs eliminate.

"I recognize that i have wrote for lots of advice, because i am concerned that I am doing thing improperly. Having two makes everything harder, and this is why i must do things properly in the beginning."

I think it's great that you are asking for advice, and that you are so committed to raising your pups to be good canine citizens.  Find a good trainer in your area that you can take puppy class with, and you will have someone to call when you get stuck.  Also, check out dogwise.com for their top ten books for dog owners.  My favorite training book for newbies is "The Power of Positive Dog Training" by Pat Miller.  I also like the online clicker lessons at www.clickerlessons.com or "Clicking With Your Dog" by Peggy Tillman.
Either way, train the dogs separately before you expect them to behave together - that's a bit more distracting for them.