Basically, you are teaching your dogs how to be OK without their sibling who they have a natural and deep bond with. Some dog owners note that having a third, older dog helps limit littermate syndrome in the two new puppies. 3. With two puppies from the same litter you are dealing with a pair who are already bonded to each other, and it takes a … Following a recent query from a concerned, prospsective, owner, I thought I would take this opportunity to dispel yet another commonly held belief, one which only serves to prevent good people from taking lovely dogs into their families. Remember that two dogs can be a pack. One of the most common signs of littermate syndrome is fearfulness around people or dogs. Outside their bond, other dogs don't speak the same language. Reply. As opposed to raising two puppies from the different litters, how to raise two puppies successfully from the same litter can be an even bigger challenge. Dachshunds, Terriers, Border Collies, and Shepherds are often cited as having a high propensity for littermate syndrome, but there is no clear scientific evidence that certain breeds experience littermate syndrome more or less than other breeds. Littermate syndrome. When someone picks a puppy from a litter, it means they are choosing one puppy from multiple puppies of the same mother. They are typically very fearful and have poor social and learning skills. No matter how hard you wish, your dog won’t stay puppy-size forever. There are six common problems Littermate Syndrome causes. You can still get a second puppy later so your dog has a friend. It isn't impossible to correct (some tips below), but it's much easier to prevent your pups from forming this co-dependent relationship from the start. I have had no trouble training them. Signs of Littermate Syndrome. Littermate syndrome affects dogs over 8-10 weeks of age, which is typically when young puppies join their forever homes. Speaking of rescues, many shelters will not even allow two puppies to be adopted at the same time — even if they’re from different litters. The email described a familiar scenario: “We were planning to adopt one puppy, but the breeder said that raising two sisters would be easier. Because the puppies may bond so closely with each other that it makes bonding with their human caretakers and other dogs more difficult. But as with all junk science, there is plenty of anecdotal "evidence" to back it up. As the name suggests, littermate syndrome generally exists in two puppies from the same litter, however it can also be present when two puppies of a similar age are raised together. Dogs continue to bond with each other rather than with anyone else when you bring two puppies home. It's because of their animal instinct and pack mentality. Littermate Syndrome Littermate syndrome is most commonly known as a behavioral issue that can develop if you bring home two puppies from the same litter. Some of the signs of littermate syndrome include: -- Fear of strangers including people and other dogs -- Fear of the unknown and unfamiliar -- High level of anxiety when separated from their littermate even for a short time -- Failure to learn even the most basic obedience commands . Again, it isn't like your dogs never see each other during this whole process, but only after they can be content apart and train apart should you consider reintroducing shared activities like dog park trips and doubled-up obedience training. Dogs experiencing separation anxiety will whine, cry, howl, and be otherwise anxious. And the sooner you can start, the better. When dogs don't understand something, their instinct tells them to fear it. You CAN adopt two littermates and bring home two puppies from the same litter at the ... 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”. Having two dogs however, will eliminate these 2 problems. This fearfulness can occur when the … This bond and the personality traits and training challenges associated, is littermate syndrome Thank you! So, if you take one dog out first, the other may think the first dog is being treated preferentially. But the amount of time it takes for dogs to reach their final size varies. Perhaps we’d be better off not answering at all instead of providing such sweeping statements. This "evidence" is frequently contradictory behaviors. Unless you're truly up for the challenge of raising two puppies separately, just get one. Littermate syndrome puppies are unable to process such occurrences to file them under “normal and fun”, and will instead grow suspect of anything or anyone new. 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. You're ready to add some much-needed puppy playfulness to your life. As such, the label “Littermate Syndrome” warrants some discussion, clarification and debunking. There is strong evidence for littermate syndrome. This early bond to one another can cause dog on dog aggression in the future and prevent the puppies from bonding to you. As you might imagine, this had caused problems in a variety of situations. My husband and I could not get their attention for more than a second or two—it was as if we weren’t even in the same room. Doggie psychology and brain chemistry, much like our own, is complicated. Don’t you think that any 2 pups will struggle with the possibility of littermate syndrome whether they are 2 pups from the same breed and litter OR 2 pups the same age but different litters and/or breeds even. I lived alone but then shortly after getting the dogs I meet a guy with two kids we now all live together and recently had a baby myself. But in most cases 2 dogs from the same litter tend to go along well. You can't work with each dog separately until they're capable of being apart without freaking out. Two puppies of similar ages can become just as co-dependant as two from the same litter. 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. For a few minutes when they first go outside (from their crates), they play with each other to the exclusion of anyone or anything else. It's more common with same-sex littermates and usually arises when there's a bullying relationship where one dog is dominant over the other. I just happened to overhear a random conversation while volunteering at a pet rescue. However, each dog will need to be trained separately. 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