What is Littermate Syndrome in Dogs?

If you’ve ever seen a litter of puppies, you’ve probably had the urge to adopt all of them at once. Or at least 2 or three. It’d probably be easier to raise them that way anyway, right? That might not actually be the case. When you take two puppies home at once, you run the risk of them developing a list of behavioral issues known as Littermate Syndrome.

What is Littermate Syndrome?

Littermate Syndrome is an observed behavioral issue that usually develops in puppies over eight weeks old. It’s caused when puppies that are raised together develop such a strong bond that it keeps them from effectively interacting with anything else. Now, not every pair of puppies will experience Littermate Syndrome, but it’s important to be able to identify it so that you can take immediate action to prevent it.

What are Some of the Symptoms?

As puppies develop Littermate Syndrome, you’ll notice a change in how they interact with others. You might also notice a display of separation anxiety from the other puppy, which can be stressful as you try to train them. This dependence on each other will make it harder to bond with other members of the family, like you or your kids. These two are some of the bigger indications of Littermate Syndrome, but are definitely not the only ones. Some other symptoms include:

• Difficulty with basic training: You’ll find that training puppies with Littermate Syndrome will be almost impossible, if not more difficult than training one at a time. That’s because these puppies overtake each other’s attention. A singular puppy is already playful and easily distracted, but you can eventually bring their attention back to you. You can hardly do that with Littermate Syndrome.
• Inter-dog/Unnecessary aggression: In most relationships, there is always someone who wears the pants. In puppies with Littermate Syndrome, aggression might not be immediate since they are still in a more playful stage of development. However, as they get older and the alpha/beta relationship starts to develop, you’ll start to notice more aggression.
• Neophobia: You might also notice a fear or uneasiness around general stimuli. Think of it as a child who is only afraid of the dark if they don’t have their stuffed animal. Puppies with this syndrome often have a fear of new things in general if they don’t have the comfort of that other dog.

Is it Avoidable?

The best and only real way to avoid Littermate Syndrome is to just not adopt two puppies at once. Even if you think it will be easier to train them at the same time, you do run the risk of them developing a syndrome that could force you to rehome them. Adopting them months – or even years – apart will be your best move. 

If you decide you’d like to adopt puppies together, then treating and training them as individuals will go a long way. This means that they each have their own crates, their own bowls, their own beds, and even their own rooms. Creating this sense of self will force them away from this toxic codependence. 

Make sure to socialize them with other dogs, too. Let them know that other dogs exist and that the world is much bigger than their litter. Even having separate play sessions for each puppy can teach them how to be independent in their relationships. 

If you need some extra help, you can always reach out to dog training programs. Here at Sit Means Sit, we offer a free training consultation so that you know which direction you need to go to improve your puppies’ life. Just make sure to train them separately to solidify the idea of individuality.

You can’t always anticipate things like this happening. Sometimes the best you can do is your research. Pay attention to your puppy’s behavior, and make sure that you take action to prevent this syndrome from developing.