Littermate Syndrome
This may be something you are not familiar with, as was my case. I actually heard this term mentioned on another podcast and had to look it up. Littermate syndrome can occur when two puppies adopted from the same litter grow up together in the same home. In some cases, these sibling puppies will form such a deep bond with each other that they fail to properly socialize with people and other dogs.
Two dogs can be twice the fun for us! But when those puppies are adopted together from the same litter, problems such as littermate syndrome can occur. When dogs suffering from this are separated they will exhibit classic signs of separation anxiety. You can learn more about separation anxiety in episode 21. Most experts agree that pet parents should get one puppy at a time and wait a year or two between bringing the dogs into their home. This can be the best way to avoid littermate syndrome. One of the worst aspects of littermate syndrome is that your pups do not properly bond with you.
Puppies typically are separated from their mothers around eight to twelve weeks. At this time they begin to navigate their independent lives. If siblings are kept together after twelve weeks they may become each other's “security blankets”. As a result, they may miss the crucial phase of social development, resulting in stunted socialization skills and even anxiety when separated.
Littermate syndrome is not a diagnosed disease, and bringing in two puppies from the same litter does not guarantee they will develop this, but it does increase the chances of poor socialization. The most common symptoms are:
Extreme Codependency: When two puppies experience littermate syndrome they become so dependent on each other for security that they resist anything outside of their comfort zone. This includes other people, dogs, locations or activities.
Separation Anxiety: The result of codependence can be anxiety that occurs whenever the two puppies are physically separated. They can become so overwhelmed that they have a meltdown.
Fearfulness: When two puppies are codependent, they fail to interact with people, dogs and things around them. They may not develop the confidence that forms from learning and exploring their surroundings. Because of this, they develop a fear of anything new.
Poor Social Skills: Just because two pups are social with each other, does not mean they are good with socializing with anyone else. Puppies need the opportunity to interact with other dogs and humans during the formative stage that develops good social skills. When dogs are experiencing littermate syndrome they just rely on each other, and there is a possibility that they may not have equal status - one may be more dominant - which can lead to aggression.
Aggression: While not always present, aggression can arise when one pup is more dominant than the other. The bullying by the dominant sibling can become more intense as the dogs grow.
Littermate syndrome does not go away on its own. The behavioral issues that arise from the puppies being raised together can be addressed however. It may take a lot of effort, but you can help your dogs to achieve proper socialization skills and good behavior. If you have already adopted littermates, please note that there is no guarantee they will develop littermate syndrome. But you should be helping each individual pup be comfortable without their sibling. Take puppies on individual walks, take them to separate training classes and have them crate trained separately. Overcoming the behavioral issues associated with littermate syndrome is a huge task. If you want your dogs to become confident when separated from each other and disciplined when they are, be prepared to invest significant time, but it will be worth it. I promise!