,What happens when you get more than one puppy at the same time? But not because of any syndrome (which sort of places the responsibility of the problems on the dogs) but because of my own limitations. Littermate syndrome can be managed, but it is a lot of work. I will say I have had dog trainer friends raise littermates together without an issue on multiple occasions, so it can be done. If you do adopt two dogs from the same litter, there are some things you can do to ward off littermate syndrome: Schedule separate outings: To ensure that pups are looking to you for guidance instead of each other, take them to separate puppy classes, on separate car rides and on separate walks. You can find the original here: Littermate Syndrome | Paws Abilities _________________ Getting two dogs at the same time seems like a great idea. One thing that we should note is that you will want to be careful when your pups start fighting. In some cases, littermate syndrome makes it incredibly difficult to train the puppies because they don’t respond positively to anyone other than their sibling. Littermate syndrome can be serious if you’re not experienced with raising dogs and don’t work with a dog trainer. Flickr is almost certainly the best online photo management and sharing application in the world. Dachshunds, Terriers, Border Collies, and Shepherds are often cited as having a high propensity for littermate syndrome, but there is no clear scientific evidence that certain breeds experience littermate syndrome more or less than other breeds. According to Dr. Karen Becker “Anecdotal evidence suggests that behavioral issues may arise during key development periods because the two puppies’ deep bond impedes their individual ability to absorb and grasp the nuances of human and canine communication.” YES! The most common definition is that it is when two puppies from the same litter are raised together and develop a bond with each other that prevents the puppies from bonding with the owner. I have recently been alerted to the term “Littermate Syndrome” which seems to have become common parlance and a kind of pseudo-diagnosis in some dog behaviour circles. “Littermate syndrome” is based on anecdotal evidence that often two siblings adopted together bond intensely with each other, to the exclusion of their human family. Responsible breeders rarely allow litter mates to go to the same home. Now facing the wake up call of littermate syndrome, we have read posts here and articles online on how to tackle it. Littermate syndrome often … Littermate Syndrome: A Tater Tot Case Study - Duration: 12:00. Sadly, the AKC is just an organization that breeders (including puppy mills) purchase pieces of paper from that says they’ve registered their puppies as “AKC registered”. This piqued my interest and was met with some skepticism as it was something that I had never come across in my years of study and practice in the field of veterinary behaviour. Raising a puppy takes a lot of time and energy, regardless of how you go about it. It might seem cute at first but it can have serious psychosocial implications down the road. These puppies seek comfort from each other, not you. Other issues cited are escalating aggression between the puppies or panic when they are separated. Dr Katrina Warren 18,942 views. Littermate Syndrome: 2 Small Pups, 1 BIG Problem (What Is It & How To Fix It) 27 Things To Consider Before Adopting A Dog (The ULTIMATE Guide) Want FREE Stuff? Littermate syndrome: The pups are fighting . Dealing with Behavioral Problems Like most behavioral problems in dogs, there are many tactics you can use to prevent and lessen the effects of littermate syndrome. 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