I have called it “Littermate Syndrome”. Most people have never heard of littermate syndrome, finding out about it while researching their dogs’ problematic behaviors. ... 5 myths … One puppy may always eat from the bowl first; the other may push him out of the way to be Canine Coaching / Behaviour / Littermate Syndrome. Littermate syndrome can take toll on a family, especially with kids. These puppies seek comfort from each other, not you. Many breeders, dog trainers, and animal behaviorist believe that littermates… bond more to each other than to the humans in the family; this is a problem should one of the dogs pass on (or need to be rehomed) because the other will never be happy on their own. Dogs are social animals, and a dog who will be alone all day can easily turn to destructive behavior or become anxious. In reality, the bold one is actually somewhat withdrawn and timid when his littermate is not there to give support. MYTH: “We’ll treat them just the same, they’ll be fine!” Dogs are social creatures – they form complex relationships with humans and other animals. This early bond to one another can cause dog on dog aggression in the future and prevent the puppies from bonding to you. Littermate syndrome is when two puppies from the same litter are raised in the same home and develop a bond with each other. In the end, their owners, even highly experienced ones, have found the only solution is to separate the dogs permanently, either with an effective barrier (splitting their home and garden in two) or by giving one dog away. I might even consider crating in different rooms to give them more independent. Littermate Syndrome . Littermate Syndrome is the general term for what many experts believe occurs when two puppies from the same litter (or even two young puppies of the same age adopted at the same time) go to the same home. Increasingly, however, trainers and behavior professionals recognize that the cons of adopting siblings far outweigh the pros. Littermate Syndrome. Check them out here, these are even airline approved. The hallmark behavioral problem of littermate syndrome is fearfulness of people and often other dogs, which leads to training hurdles. 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. Littermate Syndrome. Littermate Syndrome. 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. These are all myths that people have been propagating for years. Littermate Syndrome is the term used to describe the downside of adopting littermates. The Siblings. April 17, 2019 In Behaviour. Two puppies can entertain each other and keep each other company. Dispelling the Myths Littermate syndrome often … Because aggression is so often fear-based, these pups may become aggressive or “spooky.” Or they may simply seem to remain distant, detached. Getting two dogs at the same time seems like a great idea. Litter-mate "Syndrome" Litter-mate Syndrome . I have seen quite a number of clients whose dogs, almost all of these females, were constantly fighting. Unfortunately, it is normally a false boldness, in reality, he has been emboldened by the others siblings weakness. This is called “littermate syndrome.” Be sure to get them separate crates. Often one of the dogs will appear bold and the other timid. While the “dominance theory” is out dated, dogs do not operate as “equals” in every situation. Many experts including trainers, behaviourist, breeders and rescues these days are discouraging people to take on canine siblings. 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