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By Alice Gibbs
Senior Reporter
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Bringing home two puppies may seem like a dream scenario, but adopting two dogs from the same litter can cause serious problems for pet owners.
Littermate syndrome is a term used to refer to the unhealthy bond puppies from the same litter can form when homed together.
While double the pups may seem like double the fun, littermate syndrome can quickly mean that your new puppy family members descend into a nightmare.
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What Is Littermate Syndrome?
Dr. Anna Foreman, Everypaw Pet Insurance's in-house vet, told Newsweek: "Littermate syndrome is a colloquial term to describe the unhealthy bond that two puppies from the same litter can form if homed together rather than separately.
"Owners often feel like homing two puppies from the same litter is a safe way to ensure that the dogs will get along and not be lonely, however it can actually be detrimental to both dogs' development at a young age."
Puppies learn a lot from each other in the first few weeks of their lives. Bonding with siblings can improve socialization, including boundaries and appropriate play behavior. Puppies derive comfort from their siblings in their first weeks, and pick up skills and behaviors from each other by engaging in physical play like chasing and wrestling.
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As puppies reach 8 to 16 weeks though, it is a good idea to separate them from their siblings to avoid littermate syndrome.
"When not separated from a littermate during the 8–16-week mark, a puppy can fail to socialize properly with other dogs and humans, and fail to form healthy bonds to any other beings," explained Foreman. "Instead, they form an excessively strong bond with their littermate only, leading to separation anxiety on both parts when removed from one another."
Signs of littermate syndrome include extreme attachment to each other, constantly seeking physical contact with each other and becoming distressed when separated.
Dogs with littermate syndrome may also exhibit signs of stress when separated, and struggle to develop individual identities or social skills expected from dogs their age.
Longer term, there can be issues with training and increased rivalry and aggression between the two dogs as they mature, which can lead to fights.
"If one or both dogs display littermate syndrome, the answer is not to rehome one immediately, but to work with a registered behaviorist to slowly get the dogs used to being apart using positive reinforcement," said Foreman. "A vet may also need to be involved to prescribe anti-anxiety medication to aid in the training. If this fails, it may be advisable to rehome one or both dogs to separate homes to ensure a good quality of life for everybody."
While it is recommended to avoid rehoming two litter mates together, it is possible with some extra work and consideration.
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How to Avoid Littermate Syndrome
Foreman explained that if an owner does have two puppies from the same litter, socialization is essential. "Socialize them well. Together and separately, with other dogs and humans to ensure healthy bonds are formed from a young age. The puppies must not be allowed to interact just with each other, as tempting and as cute as watching them play together may be."
For those looking to get the best side of two dogs living together, leaving an age gap between the pets is the best solution.
"Getting one puppy and then another puppy a year or two later once they have been socialized properly is a good way to have two dogs of a similar age, however without the risk of littermate syndrome," suggested Foreman.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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