It may feel like a great idea to adopt two little pups of the same age. They won’t be alone, have a little playmate, and it’s adorable to see them interact and grow up together. However, did you know that getting two pups of the same litter might not be the best idea, and that this also applies to pups that are around the same age but from different litters? This advice stems from the fact that when you get two pups of the same age, a range of behaviour issues may arise once they mature, which is referred to as “littermate syndrome”. Littermate syndrome is also known as littermate dependency, and while it is not a guaranteed outcome, it is definitely something to keep in mind and take seriously when you are considering welcoming two pups into your family.
What is littermate syndrome?
Soon after pups are born, they enter their prime period for socialisation. Socialisation learns them to be comfortable around everyday stimuli, and teaches them to remain confident in new situations. By socialising your pup you provide them with the opportunity to develop and learn important social skills they require in daily life, and mature into a well-balanced and confident adult. Socialising is done by exposing your dog or pup to different types of environments (sounds, textures, sensations, objects etc), interactions (with other animals, people of all ages etc) and experiences (being alone, fireworks, etc). Just exposing them, however, is not enough, it’s all about how this exposure happens, and for a socialisation experience to be effective, there are certain points one needs to keep in mind. If you would like to know more about this, have a look at our article “Why Socialising your Pup is Important, and How to Do it Right“.
During this socialisation period pups also become aware of their relationship with humans. When the bonding process goes right, a pup will learn to look at its human(s) for answers and how to react to new experiences. The risk when adopting two pups together is that it may hinder and disrupt their ability to form a bond with their new human owner, and instead develop a very close bond with each other. This close bond may result in the pups reinforcing each other’s undesirable behaviours, compared to a single pup who will look at its human for guidance and how to respond to certain situations.
We speak of littermate syndrome when a set of psychological issues and behaviours problems develop as a result of the pups being raised together, which can range from fear and anxiety, to destructive behaviour. Important to note is that these issues are not related to the temperaments of the individual dogs or other factors of their development, but purely happen due to them growing up together. The behaviours and issues that develop due to littermate syndrome all root in an intense codependency on each other.
Some common behaviours seen in dogs with littermate syndrome are:
- Intense fighting with each other when entering puberty, which results in serious injury or death
- Extreme over excitement when young, not being able to settle or relax
- Leash reactivity
- Extreme pulling on the lead when walked together
- Resource guarding and possessiveness, especially towards strange people and other dogs.
- Extreme separation anxiety when separated from the other pup
- Fear of new situations/people, and fear aggression
- An unhealthy dynamic in character between the 2 pups, with one often developing a lack of confidence which results in fear, anxiety, and nervousness.
Can you prevent littermate syndrome?
While it’s always advised to try and prevent adopting two pups together at the same time, this may not always be possible, or the pups may already be adopted together. There are some steps that you can take to try and prevent littermate syndrome from developing, which may or may not lead to a successful outcome. An important note is, if you can avoid adopting two pups of the same age, you should do so. Behaviour problems related to littermate syndrome are incredibly hard to solve, and sometimes can’t be solved at all.
If you have two pups of the same age at home, you must make extra effort to allow both pups to bond with you and develop as individual dogs. This can be enforced by taking the pups for individual walks, taking them on individual outings such as dog training and/or sports, and one on one playtime. A common advice given is also to let the pups sleep, eat, and socialise separately, mainly in the first year of their life when most development happens. Other points that may lead to success are:
- Female/Male combination
- Combination where one pup naturally is more calm and easy going.
- When other adult balanced dogs are in the home which set the example and can diffuse situations. This does not conclude the mother dog.
- Pups with low natural drives
Pros of raising 1 pup at a time
Besides the chance of developing littermate syndrome, there are other pros to raising one pup at a time, such as:
- Raising a pup costs money. Having two means double the cost, as each will need their own bed, toys, lead/collar, food, and veterinary care.
- If you have only one pup, you can dedicate all your time to raising him/her. If you have two, that time will need to be split. As can be read above, especially during the first year it is advised to raise them independently to prevent littermate syndrome, so that means double the walks, double the training, and double the effort. Socialisation of two pups will also take a lot of time, as each will need unique experiences independent of the other.
- Double the trouble. Don’t expect that your pups will only play cute puppy wrestle together, they will also shred your slippers together, chew the table legs together, and get in trouble together. After all, getting in trouble is much more fun with a friend.
- Double the mess. Did you think one pup can make a mess while potty training…..imagine two. It will also be harder to potty train them, as you will have to watch them both. And when they are dirty, they both will need a bath.
Conclusion
While initially it may feel like a good idea to adopt two pups at the same time, generally it’s not advised by pet professionals as they may develop littermate syndrome. Littermate syndrome refers to a set of unwanted behaviours and physiological issues pup may develop when raised together, this can range from fear and anxiety, to destructive behaviour. In cases in which the pups are already adopted together, one must make extra effort to allow both pups to bond with you and develop as individual dogs. Behavioral issues as a result of littermate syndrome are extremely hard to solve, and may not be able to be resolved at all.
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