Common behaviors that can develop in puppies with littermate syndrome, according to Diers, include: Separation anxiety when away from the other puppy because of a co-dependence on each other. Fear of new people, animals, objects, or experiences.

At what age is littermate syndrome no longer an issue?

If littermate syndrome pups are left without intervention, it can be really difficult to correct when they've reached maturity ( roughly two years of age). This is because, at the point of adulthood, these behaviours will have become deeply ingrained, which will be much more difficult to manage.

Does littermate syndrome ever go away?

The short answer is no, littermate syndrome does not go away on its own. But the good news? You can address the behavioral issues that arise from two sibling puppies being raised together.

What are the cons of littermate syndrome?

It may lead to separation anxiety, over-dependence, and behavioral issues if not addressed and managed carefully. To prevent littermate syndrome, it is crucial to provide each puppy with individual attention, training, and socialization experiences.

What is the timeline for littermate syndrome?

There's no set timeline for how long this takes, but it can take over a year before unbonded littermates can be trained together. Your co-dependent pair may need more time. Beyond teaching them to be apart and training them individually, it's essential to approach each dog as a separate dog.

Littermate Syndrome in Dogs: How to Prevent it and How to Fix it!

Is there a way to stop littermate syndrome?

The easiest way to prevent littermate syndrome is to only take one puppy at a time. It is always tempting to take two because they are just so darn cute together. But no matter how cute they are the safer route will always be to just take one.

What breeds are prone to littermate syndrome?

While there's strong anecdotal evidence around littermate syndrome in dogs, there are very few scientific studies proving once and for all that it exists. Dachshunds, Terriers, and Border Collies are just a handful of the breeds who some say are prone to littermate syndrome.

What do vets say about littermate syndrome?

These dogs can develop issues due to what experts refer to as littermate syndrome. The scientific literature on littermate syndrome is nonexistent. However, the anecdotal evidence observed by veterinarians, shelters, and behavior specialists is overwhelming.

What are littermate syndrome symptoms?

Also known as littermate dependency, this term refers to behaviors that develop when two puppies from the same litter are raised together. Behaviors include attachment to each other, difficulty bonding with humans and other animals, aggression, separation anxiety, and reduced independence in training.

Why you shouldn't adopt from the same litter?

Professional trainers like myself recommend against bringing home two puppies around the same age, let alone two from the same litter. While this sounds like a good plan in theory, in practice it often causes quite a bit of heartache and potentially some serious aggression trouble.

Should littermates sleep together?

To ensure that each puppy reaches their potential, everything must be done separately: walking, training, eating, and sleeping. If the pups are very young, sleeping together may be fine for a while as long as they get enough one-on-one time with you. But before long, they should sleep in their own crates.

Should dogs with littermate syndrome be separated?

During my appointment with Leslie, we determined that the best course was to re-home one of her twelveweek -old siblings. Dunbar agrees that it's often best to separate littermates, especially if symptoms appear early, so that each has a chance to develop normally as an individual.

Do dogs recognize their littermates later in life?

The scientific evidence either way is essentially nil, although some researchers believe a dog has to have been with his or her littermates for at least the first 16 weeks of life to be able to recognize them later on. The anecdotal evidence, on the other hand, is abundant — and also leads to no firm conclusions.

Does neutering help littermate syndrome?

So, what about neutering and spaying to help with this? If you have two male siblings, if you castrate both dogs, it can make things even worse. It's because you have to neuter the less dominant male, when you castrate both, it changes nothing. This is because they will still fight about position, rank and dominance.

At what age should littermates be separated?

It's best to keep a puppy with their mom and litter until they are at least 8 weeks old, but more breeders are starting to keep litters together until puppies are 10 to 12 weeks old. This provides a few extra weeks for crucial dog-dog interactions with siblings and their mother.

Why is it bad to adopt sibling puppies?

The most common reason given for not adopting two pups from the same litter is that they will “bond better” with each other than with you. This intuitively makes sense, in that the pups have already had the closest and most intimate experience with each other, and often during important phases of socialization.

Can littermate syndrome be corrected?

Can littermate syndrome be cured? Since littermate syndrome is a set of behaviors, not a scientifically proven condition, there's technically no cure. Rather, you can treat or manage the behavior in each dog individually, consulting your vet and a dog trainer for support.

How do you train against littermate syndrome?

Put one in a sit/stay in one room, have someone there rewarding the staying, and have the other come with me and do sit/stay in another room. Bring them back together, rinse repeat. You want them to respond to you as individuals and rely on their person than relying on each other for what to do.

How much DNA do littermates share?

Each puppy in a litter is created by a unique egg and sperm, much like fraternal twins. Because identical twins are so rare (only a single case of identical twins in dogs has been documented), on average siblings are approximately 50% genetically related, and that is only if they share both parents.

What are the early signs of littermate syndrome?

“They may not want to leave the other dog and you may see signs of anxiety and stress when they are separated,” she says. These early signs of littermate syndrome can then develop into behaviors such as aggression, separation anxiety and issues with training independently, explains Grottini.

How do you break littermate syndrome in older dogs?

Take the dogs to parks, pet stores, or any public place on their own! The goal is to individually socialize each dog to new experiences while they are relying on the owner and not the other dog. You will want to individually expose each dog to anything that they might see when they are adults.

What is littermate syndrome attachment issues?

Littermate syndrome is a type of behavioral problem that occurs when two or more puppies from the same litter are raised together. Littermates can form an intense, lifelong emotional attachment to each other which causes them to become overly dependent and protective of one another.

How long do you have to worry about littermate syndrome?

Both siblings need to sleep separately, eat separately, train separately, socialise and exercise separately - at least for the first 8 months of their development.

Do puppies grow out of littermate syndrome?

Littermate syndrome does not go away on its own. The behavioral issues that arise from the puppies being raised together can be addressed however. It may take a lot of effort, but you can help your dogs to achieve proper socialization skills and good behavior.

What is the most codependent dog breed?

The ultimate Velcro dog, the Hungarian Vizsla is the perfect example of a clingy breed. A loyal and loving companion, these dogs are known for following their owners 24/7. They were originally bred for falconry and are used to staying by their owner's side at all times… and we mean ALL times!

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