You’re sitting in the middle of a puppy pen, swarmed by a litter of chubby puppies. Their soft little bodies scoot closer to cuddle up to you. You can’t help but giggle as the awkwardly large paw of one puppy attempts to edge another out of their way.
How do you leave with just one?!
That is perhaps one of the toughest dilemmas we dog lovers will face!
But if you do end up bringing home littermates, there are some things you should know...
Littermate syndrome
There is such a thing as littermate syndrome, where littermates become too bonded with each other and they have trouble bonding with their human family members, strangers, and other dogs. Littermate syndrome can also go the other way; the puppies can end up fighting constantly.
Not every pair of littermates will develop littermate syndrome, but it is always a risk. Thankfully, there are lots of things you can do to help stack the odds in your favor.
Here are 3 things you should do if you have littermates:
Build their individuality. They have the rest of their lives to do things together, but too much togetherness in the beginning can cause issues. Be prepared to do lots of things one-on-one, including training time, walks, crate time, snuggles, play dates with others and more.
Teach them to be calm together. They’re the same age, which means littermates can easily get riled up when they’re together. If they don’t also learn how to be calm together, this can lead to uncontrollable behavior anytime they’re with each other. Teach them each how to calm down and make sure you practice that skill.
Keep an eye out for conflicts. Littermates are sort of like human siblings in the sense that they can really pluck each other’s nerves. This can create big, big problems as they mature. Be VERY mindful of each dog’s sensitivities, and step in as soon as you think feel some tension developing. Don’t leave it up to the puppies to “figure it out”!
Scroll through the images immediately below for more details on all three of these points.
Virginia puppy training
If you’re struggling with your puppies (or your puppy) and you’d like some help, check out our Virginia puppy training programs:
14-day puppy board & train program: Your puppy (ages 12-18 weeks) will come stay with my family and me for 2 weeks. We’ll teach them housebreaking, crate training, etc. and establish a strong foundation for your family to build on once they return home.
Young puppy private lessons: This 3-lesson package of private lessons is done in your home to help you get started with your young puppy (8-16 weeks old). We cover common puppy challenges like housebreaking, crate training and more.
Older puppy private lessons: This 4-lesson private lesson package will teach your older puppy (4-6 months old) the basics of on-leash obedience commands. You’ll learn how to communicate with your puppy now that they’re getting bigger by the day!