Many dog behaviourists believe that it’s a bad idea to bring home two puppies from the same litter. I have two yorkies from the same litter, but the decision was completely unplanned. I went to fetch my little girl when she was ready to come home and her brother, which was the only other puppy from the litter, was still looking for a home. I decided it would be a good idea taking both as then she would have a friend when I go to work during the day.
Two siblings bond intensely with each other and this might develop into “Littermate syndrome”. I was lucky in the fact that this did not affect my two. They are close, but both have very strong bonds with all members of my family. I do see a little separation anxiety when I take one of them to the vet while the other stays home. The one that is with me is fine though which makes me believe that they don’t suffer from “littermate syndrome” – it’s the one saying being that might feel a little lonely. If your dog suffers from intense separation anxiety when apart this might be an indication that your dog is suffering from littermate syndrome.
My one dog was born blind, and because of this I was under the impression, (which I later realised was not the case) that I will not be able to take her to dog school. For this reason, I took the other one for training on his own. I believe that this helped us form a strong bond, and also giving both dogs an opportunity to spend some time alone, or rather alone with a human.
Littermate Syndrome signs to look out for includes:
- Fear of people, dogs & unfamiliar things and places
- Separation anxiety
- Ignoring human companions
- Struggling to learn basic obedience commands
- Excessive aggression towards each other
When you do decide to get littermates, it is important to take steps to ensure that your dogs are well-socialized and happy, balanced dogs.
It’s really important to train any dog. When you have two at the same time, having them trained won’t just make your own life easier but also help them socialise with other dogs and be more independent and happier.
If you have someone that can help you rather opt for training one dog and have someone else train the other. Training both at the same time will be challenging as they distract each other and will more than likely want to play with each other rather than participating in the training with you. This will help to establish a connection with the human training them, being comfortable in new environments and feel comfortable around people and other dogs.
There’s pros in littermates as well. Having two puppies from the same litter means that they will always have a companion and they are don’t need time to get use to each other. They will grow up together so they experience the same things at the same time. Often people get a second dog once their dog is getting older and the age difference plays a huge role in a dog’s energy levels and activity interests. I’m lucky – getting littermates worked out perfectly for me. With a little effort I’m sure you will have the same experience ?