After two years of living apart, siblings adopted by different pet parents are no longer able to recognize each other (1). 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. Sometimes this connection causes troubling behavioral issues known as littermate syndrome. Interceptor is a trademark of Elanco or its affiliates. Raising a puppy takes a lot of time and energy, regardless of how you go about it. After we brought the girls home at nine weeks, their behavior became increasingly out of control. And then they started displaying alarming fearfulness of people and other dogs.” I made an appointment for a home visit so I could meet the family and the puppies. Littermate syndrome can be difficult, due to the numerous behavioral issues that are involved. Puppies with littermate syndrome become highly dependent on one another. Littermate syndrome affects dogs over 8-10 weeks of age, which is typically when young puppies join their forever homes. “A Dachshund mix named Thelma was returned to the shelter because her sibling repeatedly attacked her; she had multiple injuries by the time the heartbroken family returned her to us. Sister's littermates. “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. And, if you’re a cat person, know this—littermate syndrome doesn’t seem to afflict kittens. Dogs experiencing littermate syndrome may only want to eat if their sibling is present. Allow puppy time together. Socialize them each with other dogs. Shelley Smith, adoption center manager at Pets Unlimited in San Francisco, said her shelter stopped placing siblings together after a particularly disturbing case. © 2021 Great Pet Media. When she’s not working on a story, you can find her walking in the woods with her partner and two rescue dogs, a black Lab named Forrest Gump and a Lhasa Apso mix named Abi. It might seem more efficient, or easier to socialize and exercise two pups at once, but it rarely works out that way. Many dog behaviorists, trainers, breeders and shelters discourage adopting siblings. There are a lot of reasons why reputable breeders and reputable rescues will not sell or adopt two puppies to the same household. Another solution if you must have two puppies? Littermate syndrome isn't limited to puppies from the same litter, says Aga. Don’t Take Two Puppies: Littermate Syndrome in Dogs | The Bark Sign up for our newsletter to stay in-the-know. 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. 'Littermate Syndrome' refers to any undesired behavior expressed by a pet (usually a dog) that was raised with another animal from its own litter. However, when dogs experience littermate syndrome, these behaviors are linked to their relationship to their littermate. We know she would still be fearful had we not separated the two before it got any worse. After all, the thought of separating brothers and sisters from the same litter can tug at your heartstrings. Signs of littermate syndrome include fearfulness of unfamiliar people, dogs and other novel stimuli (neophobia); intense anxiety when separated, even briefly; and difficulty learning basic obedience skills. Most commonly, puppies develop separation anxiety due to hyper-attachment. It seems harder to get their attention, harder to teach them emotional control and harder to teach them boundaries" she continues "I have seen some nasty cases of bullying or outright aggression between dogs of the same litter, and it feels as though it is more common than between dogs who come into the family from different litters. Littermate syndrome can affect dogs of any breed, and it may also affect unrelated puppies who are adopted at the same time and raised together. “This uniformity makes it difficult for the siblings to delineate a hierarchy,” she said. ... 02 Littermate Syndrome. Like humans, littermates form a bond with each other from the start, which can strengthen or weaken over time. Period. Potential issues include separation anxiety, neophobia (fear of the unfamiliar), and aggression. In the worst-case scenario, littermates may attack each other. “Once we’ve done that, yes, he can live with other dogs and have free run of the house. Bullying and aggression between siblings seems to happen more often than between unrelated dogs, and it can get nasty. The email described a familiar scenario: “We were planning to adopt one puppy, but the breeder said that raising two sisters would be easier. Getting two puppies at the same time that are about the same age will also usually result in serious bonding. Many owners assume that the dogs’ interactions with one another are adequate, “but when the puppies are five or six months old and meet an unfamiliar dog in a novel setting, they absolutely freak out.”, Dunbar points out that raising littermates necessitates training two puppies, which is particularly challenging when they’re essentially wearing blinders to all but each other. Is Littermate Syndrome Real? may also affect unrelated puppies who are adopted at the same time and raised together University of California, Davis, veterinary behaviorist, Train Your Dog, Train the People in Your Life: Part 1, Positive Reinforcement Works with Both Dogs and People, Recipes for Dogs: Meatloaf with Vegetables. Over lunch, veterinarian and dog behaviorist Dr. Ian Dunbar and I discussed raising sibling dogs. In fact, many veterinarians recommend adopting kittens in pairs. If you have sibling pups that have been misbehaving (or you’re considering training two puppies from the same litter together), read on to learn everything you need to know about littermate syndrome in dogs. Littermate syndrome can be difficult for pet parents to deal with, due to the numerous behavioral issues that are involved. The condition develops when two young dogs end up bonding too tightly with each other. A common thread seems to be that littermates are more likely to thrive when introduced into a household with an older dog, who perhaps acts as an arbiter and stabilizing influence. A recent post in a Facebook group prompted me to write this. Over time, though, a dog only retains the ability to recognize a sibling if they live together. Littermate Syndrome Issue 1: Lack of Training and Socializing Training, socializing, housetraining, and caring for two young puppies can be more difficult than you'd imagine. Signs can include excessive crying, whining, and destructive behavior when siblings are separated. ", Cohabitating siblings may become so emotionally dependent on each other that even short separations provoke extreme distress. Littermate Syndrome is the name given to the common behavioral problems that arise when two puppies are raised together beyond the typical 10-12 weeks (about 3 months of age) that professional breeders recommend. Littermate syndrome can be serious if you’re not experienced with raising dogs and don’t work with a dog trainer. All Rights Reserved 2021. If socialization with other dogs is important to you, you may also want to take them out for separate play sessions with other pups. The key is to treat them as individuals, says Collier. Access our library of professional veterinarian resources. 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. If you’re considering adopting two puppies at the same time, it’s important to consider the challenges that may come along with this decision, so that you can devote the time and energy to positive-reinforcement training. LITTERMATE SYNDROME As mentioned in our “ Picking a Puppy ” article, littermate syndrome is a serious behavioral condition. 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. She now approaches people out of curiosity. However, preventing littermate syndrome can also be as simple as treating siblings as individuals from the moment they enter your home, says Collier. “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. Consider adopting unrelated puppies a few weeks or months apart, suggests Graddy. Littermate syndrome: The pups are fighting . For these reasons, adopting two puppies at a time may mean more work, not less, for some pet parents. Most people have never heard of littermate syndrome, finding out about it while researching their dogs’ problematic behaviors. Copyright © 1997-2020 The Bark, Inc. Dog Is My Co-Pilot® is a registered trademark of The Bark, Inc. Littermate syndrome has potential downsides. Difficulty with basic training. 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. Sign up for our newsletter and stay in the know. She lives with her husband, daughter, three cats, one dog, and a pet dove. As your puppies adjust to their new normal, use treats and praise as rewards for staying calm when they’re apart, says Collier. Littermate syndrome makes training two puppies from the same litter especially difficult, says Graddy. This means feeding, walking and training each puppy separately, with individual crates in different parts of the home. 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. Even trips to puppy socials and the vet should be separate so they learn to incorporate these episodes into their respective psyches without being overly dependent on their littermate. Since fear is the canine’s default reaction to odd or unfamiliar stimuli, this muddled understanding of the world around them can lead to impaired coping mechanisms later on. Littermate Syndrome (also knows as Sibling Aggression or Littermate Aggression) is a non-scientific anecdotal term that refers to a whole host of behavioral issues that tend to present when canine siblings (Littermates) are raised in the same household beyond the normal 8 to 10 weeks of age, when puppies are usually placed in homes. I have successfully raised two sets of littermates and have not witnessed or experienced littermate syndrome. Breeds and Behavior: How Closely Are They Linked? As previously mentioned, littermate syndrome sometimes causes puppies to focus on the other puppy rather than the humans in the home. “It’s a disaster waiting to happen for the littermates because they don’t get socialized to other dogs or people, let alone to their owners,” he said. This separate-but-equal arrangement is timeconsuming, exhausting and seems to defeat the original intent of acquiring siblings. While raising sibling puppies successfully can be a tall order, it is possible. They’ll have to train with each dog individually, and then together. Littermate syndrome (not a scientific syndrome to my knowledge, but is supported by a lot of anecdotal evidence) is an umbrella term to cover a range of behavioural issues that are common when two puppies close in age are housed together past the usual 8-12 weeks when pups are typically separated from their mum & littermates. 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. Even getting the puppies to sleep in separate crates right next to each other is traumatic for them.”. Jeff Stallings, CPDT-KA, who lives in Santa Cruz, Calif., owns Better Nature Dog Training and works with clients throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. But I'd say more often than not it … Try a joint game of fetch or alternating tug-of-war games with you, she suggests. This is obviously a burdensome decision for the overwhelmed owner to make, a sort of canine Sophie’s Choice, so he recommends that potential new owners meet both puppies and determine which to take home. 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. Increasingly, however, trainers and behavior professionals recognize that the cons of adopting siblings far outweigh the pros. This bond and the personality traits and training challenges associated, is littermate syndrome Anecdotal evidence suggests that behavioral issues may arise during key development periods because the two puppies’ deep bond impedes their individual ability to absorb and grasp the nuances of human and canine communication. Littermate syndrome is when two puppies from the same litter are raised in the same home and develop a bond with each other. It is difficult to train and properly socialize two puppies at the same time. “I’ve been called into homes where four-month-old siblings have been sleeping in the same crate for eight weeks and not purposefully separated by the owners, who had the best intentions but were unaware of littermate issues. “Dora has blossomed in the last three months into a delightful household companion, and she continues to improve. 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. While adopting two Littermates is not often recommended, it can be done IF you know what you are getting into AND are willing to put in the time to prevent the “Littermate Syndrome”. High anxiety when separated from the other pup. “In order to help these pups develop appropriately, you have a lot of fun but time-consuming work in front of you for the next few months,” says Graddy. One of the most common signs of littermate syndrome is fearfulness around people or other dogs – this may also occur when the two puppies are separated from each other. Unwillingness to engage with people or toys when alone. 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. Puppies may whine, bark, pace, pant, or exhibit destructive behavior when they’re separated from their littermate. “While the amount of work will decrease after that time, it will be essential to continue separate training and play times with them throughout their first couple years and, in some cases, forever.”. A quick Google search of “littermate syndrome” will yield a … In some cases, the two dogs will fight incessantly. They can be much easier to raise with a playmate and two is not much more work than one, says Graddy. In her downtime, she enjoys meditating, weightlifting, and playing soccer. 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. It may sound ideal when dogs are such … “It’s more than twice the work; it’s exponential. Because dogs with littermate syndrome are so focused on each other, they may also bond less with their pet parents. Training two puppies from the same litter may take longer than expected because puppies are so distracted by one another. 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.' To help avoid littermate syndrome or put a stop to dogs showing early signs of attachment, there are a few things you can do. 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. Littermate syndrome is when two puppies adopted from the same litter give more attention to each other than their adopted family. Littermate syndrome can be managed, but it is a lot of work. 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. Diana, if you read the article, it recommends against this practice as it can cause a different and more severe type of anxiety issue. Remember that littermate syndrome is not a dog … This happens because littermates bond so intensely to each other that they fail to develop connections with their human family. It is not an official, recognized dog issue. Let me first say that there is officially no such official thing as ‘Littermate Syndrome’. Unwillingness to eat alone. Although you should maintain separate training, play sessions, and walks with your pups, you’ll also want to make some time for them to play together to help your dogs get along, says Graddy. Pet parents may notice these problems early on, though they may not arise until pups reach adolescence, notes Graddy. Excessive crying, whining, and she continues to improve advice, diagnosis, or.... Often … raising a puppy takes a lot of time littermate syndrome unrelated puppies energy, regardless of how go. A litter of puppies at a time may mean more work than one, says Graddy longer than because. 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