“Littermate syndrome in dogs occurs when two puppies from the same litter living together develop such a strong attachment to each other that it interferes with their ability to interact in a normal manner with other people, other dogs, or any situation where they are not together,” says Collier. This early bond to one another can cause dog on dog aggression in the future and prevent the puppies from bonding to you. Most people have never heard of littermate syndrome, finding out about it while researching their dogs’ problematic behaviors. If you’ve ever watched a litter of puppies at play, you’ve probably wondered: Do dogs know their siblings? Period. “It makes you think all littermates have problems, which is not the case.” She also emphasizes that the level of owner involvement is key, saying, “The symptoms escalate when the owners treat them as one dog with eight legs.” When conflict ensues between the pair, Bain believes it’s due to the dogs being similar in size, age and gender. Learning basic coping mechanisms and picking up on important human–canine communication signals is difficult or impossible for them. Because dogs with littermate syndrome are so focused on each other, they may also bond less with their pet parents. The two combine to produce levels of energy that we can barely measure. Littermate Syndrome is something I have reserached a lot, as it is something I have come across multiple times. © 2021 Great Pet Media. Lauren Krouse is a freelance writer and researcher. Another solution if you must have two puppies? Dunbar, too, is adamant that one of the key lessons a puppy must master is how to be content with being alone, which is all but impossible with two siblings. I've been doing some reading and came across "Littermate Syndrome". Myriad factors affect dog behavior, including genetics, early life experiences and owner engagement. We now separate siblings and inform adopters about the rationale for our policy.”. From the beginning, pups recognize their littermates primarily by scent and that recognition is strongest when they are young, says Dr. Karyn Collier, medical director for wellness medicine at Saint Francis Veterinary Center of South Jersey. They can be much easier to raise with a playmate and two is not much more work than one, says Graddy. At first, puppies with littermate syndrome may seem like they’re acting out or in need of obedience training. Maybe getting two puppies at once sounds reasonable, but many dog trainers, breeders, and shelters say that it’s much better for everyone involved if you add just one puppy at a … One of the most common signs of littermate syndrome is fearfulness around people or dogs. This separate-but-equal arrangement is timeconsuming, exhausting and seems to defeat the original intent of acquiring siblings. Behavior specialist and author Nicole Wilde recalls a case in which two nine-year-old sibling Huskies attended her group class. Over time, this can result in fear and aggression when they’re exposed to other dogs. Gradually separate your dogs. The key is to treat them as individuals, says Collier. Dogs experiencing littermate syndrome may only want to eat if their sibling is present. She now approaches people out of curiosity. Those committed to raising a pair of littermates should ensure that the puppies spend significant portions of every day apart so each learns how to be alone—a key lesson in any well-thought-out puppy program. As we mentioned previously, related pups tend to fight MORE than unrelated ones and these little tussles can get quite heated. As a result, teaching puppies even basic skills becomes a greater challenge than it would be if you were training them one at a time. Training two puppies from the same litter may take longer than expected because puppies are so distracted by one another. Littermate syndrome: The pups are fighting . Littermate syndrome often … Littermate syndrome is the term used when two sibling pups, or two pups from different litters but of similar age, are raised in the same household and start to develop behavioural issues. Most would encourage new owners to adopt a single puppy who suits their lifestyle and to focus on the training and socialization that strengthens the interspecies bond unique to humans and dogs. High anxiety when separated from the other pup. “People assume that having two same-age pups who play together and interact constantly covers their dog-dog socialization needs, but they in fact don’t learn how other [dogs] play and have no idea about social skills with other puppies, adolescents or adult dogs. Try a joint game of fetch or alternating tug-of-war games with you, she suggests. “The only advantage I can think of is a short-term gain of the puppies being less lonely in the first month of life,” says Dunbar. Thankfully, we were able to rehome Thelma, but it’s almost certain the fighting and anxiety could have been avoided had the two littermates not been placed together. In her downtime, she enjoys meditating, weightlifting, and playing soccer. The email described a familiar scenario: “We were planning to adopt one puppy, but the breeder said that raising two sisters would be easier. Littermate syndrome is the acquiring of two (2) puppies from the same litter that often leads to them becoming very aggressive to eachother down the road, placing family members in harms way. But I'd say more often than not it … During my appointment with the family, we determined that the best course was to rehome one of the 12-week-old siblings. Littermate syndrome affects dogs over 8-10 weeks of age, which is typically when young puppies join their forever homes. Puppies may avoid interactions with new people, dogs, or things; become very still and quiet when you approach them; or bark, growl, and snap when presented with new things or situations. Potential issues include separation anxiety, neophobia (fear of the unfamiliar), and aggression. However, when dogs experience littermate syndrome, these behaviors are linked to their relationship to their littermate. Often certain components of puppy rearing are lost or done halfheartedly when there's more than one pup, as so much time is dedicated to 'surviving the madness.' “Everything else is a loss.”. So, when we closely examine what has traditionally been reported as “Littermate Syndrome”, we see that it is actually not an existing syndrome and there is no such entity. After we brought the girls home at nine weeks, their behavior became increasingly out of control. An owner should know that preventing littermate syndrome doesn’t just double their workload, but rather triples it. She currently splits her time between part-time clinical practice and freelance writing, as well as serving on her county Board of Health. Shelley Smith, adoption center manager at Pets Unlimited in San Francisco, said her shelter stopped placing siblings together after a particularly disturbing case. I’ve spoken to many dog owners who were overwhelmed by their puppies and at a loss on how to bring peace and order back into their home. This happens because littermates bond so intensely to each other that they fail to develop connections with their human family. This can affect dogs of any breed and also unrelated puppies who are adopted and raised together. As previously mentioned, littermate syndrome sometimes causes puppies to focus on the other puppy rather than the humans in the home. The signs of littermate syndrome vary from one case to another with some cases being more or less severe. Raising sibling puppies successfully can be a challenge because puppies from the same litter may develop a cluster of behavioral issues known as littermate syndrome. When you’re considering bringing a puppy home, the desire to adopt two at once is understandable. Pet parents may notice these problems early on, though they may not arise until pups reach adolescence, notes Graddy. What cause me to do some reading about raising two pups was the fact they are starting to be more aggressive with each other and more dependant on each other. All Rights Reserved 2021. ", Cohabitating siblings may become so emotionally dependent on each other that even short separations provoke extreme distress. Our content and products are for informational purposes only. In the worst-case scenario, littermates may attack each other. Signs of Littermate Syndrome Many experts and organizations in a position to know (for example, animal behaviorists, dog trainers, and rescue professionals), discourage dog guardians from acquiring puppy littermates. If you find you don’t have the time, space, and energy to train and bond with your pups separately, consider reaching out to your veterinarian, a certified dog trainer, or a certified veterinary behaviorist for professional help. It is not an official, recognized dog issue. It’s not a virus or disease – it’s a very real situation in which a dog owner brings home two puppies and doesn’t know how to manage their behavior. Currently, in behavioral science, the advice is not to have two pups period, let alone littermates due to the possibility of “LitterMate Syndrome”. I will say I have had dog trainer friends raise littermates together without an issue on multiple occasions, so it can be done. The good news: not all puppy pairs develop littermate syndrome and pet parents can prevent significant issues with specialized training methods. Consider adopting unrelated puppies a few weeks or months apart, suggests Graddy. Littermate syndrome is when two puppies from the same litter are raised in the same home and develop a bond with each other. We know she would still be fearful had we not separated the two before it got any worse. Unfortunately, the opposite is sometimes true: “Be prepared for two puppies to be twice the work of one,” says Dr. Heather Graddy, a relief veterinarian and veterinary behavior consultant in Englewood, Colorado. When she's not working or caring for animals, she can be found enjoying the outdoors or reading a good book. Cataract: Keeping Puppy Dog Eyes Clear and Bright, How to Help With Separation Anxiety in Dogs, 8 Things We Do That Really Confuse Our Dogs. Littermate Syndrome (sometimes called Sibling Puppy Syndrome) refers to issues that are more likely to arise when puppies from the same litter (or puppies from different litters under 6 months of age) are raised in the same household together. Puppies may whine, bark, pace, pant, or exhibit destructive behavior when they’re separated from their littermate. The term ‘littermate syndrome’ refers to behavioral issues that arise when two or more sibling puppies are raised together. Puppies who are only willing to play in pairs may be exhibiting signs. Dora has become more confident with all kinds of dogs, and successfully completed a group obedience class.”, Recognition of the risks of dual adoption appears to be spreading, with many breeders and shelters declining to place siblings together. The condition develops when two young dogs end up bonding too tightly with each other. In some cases, the two dogs will fight incessantly. Diana, if you read the article, it recommends against this practice as it can cause a different and more severe type of anxiety issue. Make sure that your pups are getting plenty of exercise and interaction with you, your family, and others—not just alone time with each other, she says. Once your puppy is a dog, by all means, get a second, since the two will be at completely different stages, and the older one may very well emerge as a great life teacher to the younger. This does not mean the usual behavioural issues a puppy will normally have, but a jumble of behaviours including fear, anxiety and aggression. While raising sibling puppies successfully can be difficult, the key is to treat them as individuals. But if you don’t teach puppies early on how to be alone, and especially with siblings who have always been together, it will be catastrophic when one dies.” Dunbar encourages multiple dog households— “I always like having three dogs”—but the timing, temperament and age that each enters the home is paramount. Sleep in separate crates right next to each other from the same litter especially difficult due... Fitness, politics, and then together develops in training and compliance as they squeeze the owner of... 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