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I am not a dog trainer or behaviorist. If you have issues with your littermates, please get in touch with a professional dog trainer for guidance. Working with a trainer made raising littermates easier for us.

After raising two sets of littermate puppies, I'm wondering if we were we able to avoid Littermate Syndrome twice by taking dog training seriously.

When I was researching adopting littermate puppies, all I found were article after article sharing WHY it was a bad idea. Dog trainers, dog breeders, and some rescue groups vehemently disagreed with adopting (or buying) littermates. Honestly, I had already decided and was planning to bring home two puppies from the same litter, and nothing I read online would dissuade me. So, I changed my focus to looking for someone to support this decision.

It only took two people excited about the prospect of adopting littermates to convince me to go for it.  And looking back, this was selfish. I told myself Rodrigo would be happier if he had a sibling, Sydney; I didn't stop to think about the many downsides of raising littermates. And because we had a great experience, we didn't hesitate to do it again with Scout and Zoey.

Now, looking back, I realize that we were lucky. I took the warnings seriously and worked with a dog trainer, and took steps to ensure that my dogs were socialized and independent from one another. And even with these steps, I wasn't 100% successful.

What is Littermate Syndrome?

Littermate syndrome may sound adorable, but it can be a serious problem for pet owners. This occurs when two puppies from the same litter grow up together, becoming overly dependent on each other to the point of causing behavioral issues.

Littermate syndrome can lead to aggression, anxiety, and a lack of socialization with other dogs and humans. It is important to understand that raising two puppies together requires special attention and training, including separating them for periods of time and providing each dog with individual attention and training.

If you are considering adopting littermates, it is crucial to do your research and seek guidance from a professional trainer to ensure a positive outcome for both dogs and yourself.

How We Successfully Raised Littermate Puppies

In 2010, we adopted Rodrigo and Sydney. This was our first experience with littermate puppies and after reading about littermate syndrome, I immediately hired a dog trainer who I worked with repeatedly over the first couple of years of their lives.

In 2013, we adopted Scout and Zoey. They were much easier to raise because they came into a home with two adult dogs.

One warning we received when we adopted littermates was that they would bond to each other and not to us. We allowed our puppies to play and sleep together, but we also incorporated periods of separation. The separation helped build their confidence, helping them understand that they could exist without their sibling.

Should Littermates Sleep Together?

We separated the puppies when they napped and allowed them to share a kennel at night until they exhibited signs that they wanted to sleep independently. I felt we'd already taken them away from their parents and litter; we could at least allow them to rest peacefully together. Rodrigo and Sydney slept together until they were four months. Scout and Zoey stopped sleeping together at eight weeks.

Should Littermates Play Together?

It's hard to believe, but puppies sleep 15-20 hours daily. The go from little tornadoes to sleeping bundles and back again. Littermate puppies can be rambunctious, and when they get going, they somehow lose the ability to hear you speak.

Through play, puppies learn social skills such as communication, body language, and bite inhibition. Puppies learn how to read and respond to signals from other dogs, helping them develop communication skills. Puppies also learn how to control the intensity of their play and adjust it according to the size and temperament of their playmates. Additionally, playing provides exercise and mental stimulation, helping them burn off excess energy and prevent boredom.

We alternated allowing them to play together and separately; each of us would take a puppy and play in separate rooms.

Should Littermates Be Walked Together?

When our puppies were small, we walked around the yard, staying close to the house. Taking your puppy on regular walks can help stimulate their senses and provide mental stimulation as they explore new sights, sounds, and smells.

Walking can also help puppies develop their muscles and joints and increase their cardiovascular health. Puppies who are taken on walks may have better digestion and more regular bowel movements, which can prevent constipation and urinary tract infections. In addition, walking can help teach a puppy to walk on a leash, an important skill for any dog to learn.

We alternated walking them together and separately.

Should Littermates be Trained Together?

Proper training can help puppies learn good behavior, making them easier to manage and more enjoyable to be around. It can also help prevent behavior problems from developing in the future, such as separation anxiety or aggression.

Training provides puppies mental stimulation and helps build their confidence, socialization skills, and impulse control. Teaching puppies basic commands and obedience can also help keep them safe by preventing them from running into dangerous situations or chasing after other animals.

We trained our puppies together and separately, treating every interaction as a learning opportunity. With Rodrigo and Sydney, we worked with a private training at home because we couldn't find a puppy training class that would accept littermates. We took Scout and Zoey to training classes together and worked on our homework separately at home. Trainers were more open to littermates but required one human per dog for the class.

What You Need to Know about Littermate Puppies

The idea of adopting littermate puppies probably sounds amazing. I thought it did. If one puppy is adorable and fun, two puppies is going to be a party. Well, it's not. What I didn't consider when I adopted our first set of littermates was the challenge of potty training, the cost of raising two puppies at once, and sometimes the puppies don't get along.

Potty Training Littermates

Potty training littermate puppies is really no difference than potty training one puppy. What makes it difficult is keeping up with two puppies. It's best to limit the area the puppies have access to when potty training as the training takes time and patience. But with consistency and positive reinforcement, it is achievable. Here are some tips on how to potty train littermate puppies:

  1. Create a schedule: Take your puppy outside to go potty first thing in the morning, after breakfast, after playtime, after naps, and before bedtime. Puppies have small bladders, so taking them out often is important.
  2. Choose a designated potty spot: Take your puppies to the same spot outside each time and use a command like “go potty” so they learn to associate that spot with going potty.
  3. Reward good behavior: When your puppy goes potty outside, praise them and give them a treat or a favorite toy to reinforce good behavior. I repeatedly said, “Good Potty!!!” excitedly, clapping my hands and petting my puppies.
  4. Supervise: Keep an eye on your puppies when they are inside and take them out immediately if they start sniffing around or circling, as this could be a sign that they need to go.
  5. Consistency: Stick with your routine and schedule; it helps your puppies develop a habit and understand what is expected of them.
  6. Be patient: Potty training can take a few weeks or even months. Accidents will happen, so be patient and consistent with your training.

Potty training your puppy can be a successful and rewarding process with consistency and a positive approach.

The Cost of Raising Littermates

I thought raising two puppies would cost twice the amount of raising one puppy. But there are things we don't anticipate when we bring home one puppy; multiply that by two. Ten costs you'll face during their first year include:

  1. Nutritionally complete raw dog food; dog dishes (I feed from ceramic pasta bowls)
  2. Kennels and dog beds
  3. Toys
  4. Potty pads (optional)
  5. Vaccinations/vet costs
  6. Spay/neuter
  7. Nail clippers/nail trims
  8. Leashes and collars
  9. Dog training
  10. Pet insurance (I use Embrace)

When Littermates Puppies Fight

And, what I didn't anticipate were the dog fights.

Littermate puppies can fight for various reasons, such as competition for resources, lack of socialization, and play that becomes too rough. When puppies are raised together, they may develop a strong bond but also have trouble learning social skills, such as bite inhibition and sharing resources. This can lead to aggressive behavior towards each other, and fights can break out over food, toys, or attention from owners.

Lack of socialization with other dogs can also cause littermate puppies to become overly attached and react defensively towards other dogs they encounter. Rough play can also escalate into aggression, and littermate puppies may not always know how to establish boundaries during play. It is important for owners to provide individual training and socialization opportunities for each puppy to prevent littermate fighting and promote healthy social interactions with other dogs.

What Happens When One Littermate Dies?

One thing we don't want to think about when we're bringing home puppies is what happens when they die. We lost Sydney in 2020, and we lost Scout in 2022. Both passed away from cancer. There is a concern that when a littermate passes away, the one left behind will mourn, become depressed, and sometimes die shortly after. This didn't occur with Rodrigo and Zoey, and I believe it's because since 2013, we've always had at least four dogs in the house. Our littermates were okay being without each other, so the passing of a sibling was an adjustment but didn't lead to a mental or health decline in the remaining littermate.

The Mistake I Made with Our Littermate Puppies

Although we were successful without littermate puppies, we were't perfect. The one mistake I made was not socializing them appropriately.

Socializing puppies is essential to their development and can help prevent behavior problems later in life. Here are some tips on how to socialize puppies:

  1. Start early: Puppies should be socialized from a young age, ideally before they turn 12 weeks old. During this time, they are most receptive to new experiences and less likely to be fearful.
  2. Exposure to different people and places: Expose puppies to different people, including children, men, women, and people wearing hats or glasses. Also, take them to different places such as the park, the beach, pet stores, hardware stores, and the vet clinic.
  3. Socialization with other dogs: Puppies benefit from interacting with other dogs, but it's important to choose friendly and healthy dogs. Puppy socialization classes or supervised play dates can be great ways for puppies to make new dog friends.
  4. Positive reinforcement: Reward positive behavior with treats or verbal praise. This helps reinforce good behavior and makes puppies more confident and affectionate.
  5. Gradual exposure: Gradually expose puppies to new stimuli, starting with less intense experiences and gradually moving to more challenging ones. This helps prevent overwhelming them and building their confidence.
  6. Consistency: Consistency is crucial when it comes to socializing puppies. Setting and sticking to a routine can help make socialization a regular part of their lives.

Following these tips and providing consistent, positive experiences can help your puppy become a well-rounded, confident, and social dog.

Would I Adopt Littermate Puppies Today?

To be honest, I wouldn't adopt littermate puppies again. It's a lot of work and not something I can handle. Raising littermates takes a lot of time and patience, and it can be a financial burden for some people. If It's difficult to give them the attention they need when two puppies are competing for your time and affection. I believe that having littermates can prevent one or both of them from growing into a confident, well-socialized dog.

If I were to have two puppies at once, I'd adopt one and wait 10-12 months before adopting a second puppy. This will allow me to space out the cost, the training, and it'll be less stressful.

I know plenty of people are raising littermates successfully – we did it twice – but after raising our dogs, I know this isn't for everyone.

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