The Cockapoo Club for owners, enthusiasts and ALL recipients of Hearing Dogs
WHERE COCKAPOOS COME FIRST!
WHERE COCKAPOOS COME FIRST!
LITTERMATE SYNDROME
(One puppy or two?)
Look cute don't they? Beautiful little pups, cuddled together, or playfully biting each other's ears and tails definitely tug at the heartstrings, and the prospect of having two of them running about your home, keeping each other company, can be irresistible. Is it a good idea though?
As well as the obvious implication regarding the cost of buying two already expensive pups, two lots of insurance, vets bills etc, and the difficulties training two slightly mad puppies, there is also the danger of them developing Littermate Syndrome.
WHAT IS LITTERMATE SYNDROME?
Littermate syndrome is the term used when two sibling pups, or two pups from different litters but of similar age, are raised in the same household and start to develop behavioural issues. This does not mean the usual behavioural issues a puppy will normally have, but a jumble of behaviours including fear, anxiety and aggression. It can affect both male and female puppies and frequently leads to one of the pair needing to be re-homed because of aggression.
It doesn't always happen with litter-mate puppies, but it is certainly a risk and good breeders will never sell two pups from the same litter to a buyer.
The problems that arise may be -
Fear
Anxiety
Bullying behaviour
Aggression
Fighting
Poor socialisation
Poor training skills
Separation Anxiety or Distress
The two pups focus on each other constantly, sometimes to the exclusion of their human family. This affects their socialisation and their relationship with people and other dogs. Some owners may feel that their dogs are getting all the socialisation they need by playing with each other but this does not teach them the social skills they need to deal with other puppies and dogs.
They may become heavily dependent on each other for company. Separation Anxiety or Distress can ensue, with one dog becoming totally distressed when his litter mate is not within sight.
The two dogs may tend to focus on each other to the detriment of their socialising with other dogs. They dont want to mix, play in a friendly manner, or have other dogs near. This can lead to issues when they are taken for a walk and other dogs come near. The litter-mates may react in an aggressive manner to the strange dog or not understand the new dog's behaviour.
They may also see strange dogs as a threat to the sibling relationship and may chase or attack new dogs. If one of the pups is a bit of a bully to his litter sibling, their behaviour may be tolerated by a mild mannered litter-mate, but if he displays bad behaviour to a strange dog it can have a totally different response. Doggy behaviour is important and the skills need to be learned!
As they get older one may feel the need to make themselves dominant within their relationship. One may be milder and the other more dominant pup will try and keep the milder pup in its place. This can lead to aggression being displayed, and in some cases constant fighting can occur, with dogs becoming injured in the process
As mentioned above, a good breeder will NEVER sell someone two litter-mates, but if you are reading this and have already been placed in that position, what should you do? There are some things that can be done which may help both dogs mature properly. These include -
** WALK BOTH DOGS SEPARATELY
** TRAIN BOTH DOGS SEPARATELY
** FEED BOTH DOGS SEPARATELY AND IN DIFFERENT ROOMS OF THE HOUSE
** HAVE SEPARATE SLEEPING AREAS FOR BOTH DOGS
** TRIPS TO VISIT GROOMERS AND VETS SHOULD BE SEPARATE
** PLAY WITH THEM SEPARATELY
Some also recommend that if you are taking your dogs to training classes, this should be done on different nights, with the same trainer if possible who understands the challenges of having twin pups. Playtime together should be limited to short bursts so that one sibling isn't allowed to exert dominance over the other.
It is a huge commitment in time and energy to raise two sibling or same age dogs and it should be noted that the points above will need to be carried on for about 18-24mths, by which time both dogs will have formed their own personality and confidence in themselves without the input of their sibling.
If your long term goal is to be a two dog family, get one, train it and socialise it and then wait 14 months or so before getting your next one. It will give you and your dog the best time to adjust and will benefit all of you.
As well as the obvious implication regarding the cost of buying two already expensive pups, two lots of insurance, vets bills etc, and the difficulties training two slightly mad puppies, there is also the danger of them developing Littermate Syndrome.
WHAT IS LITTERMATE SYNDROME?
Littermate syndrome is the term used when two sibling pups, or two pups from different litters but of similar age, are raised in the same household and start to develop behavioural issues. This does not mean the usual behavioural issues a puppy will normally have, but a jumble of behaviours including fear, anxiety and aggression. It can affect both male and female puppies and frequently leads to one of the pair needing to be re-homed because of aggression.
It doesn't always happen with litter-mate puppies, but it is certainly a risk and good breeders will never sell two pups from the same litter to a buyer.
The problems that arise may be -
Fear
Anxiety
Bullying behaviour
Aggression
Fighting
Poor socialisation
Poor training skills
Separation Anxiety or Distress
The two pups focus on each other constantly, sometimes to the exclusion of their human family. This affects their socialisation and their relationship with people and other dogs. Some owners may feel that their dogs are getting all the socialisation they need by playing with each other but this does not teach them the social skills they need to deal with other puppies and dogs.
They may become heavily dependent on each other for company. Separation Anxiety or Distress can ensue, with one dog becoming totally distressed when his litter mate is not within sight.
The two dogs may tend to focus on each other to the detriment of their socialising with other dogs. They dont want to mix, play in a friendly manner, or have other dogs near. This can lead to issues when they are taken for a walk and other dogs come near. The litter-mates may react in an aggressive manner to the strange dog or not understand the new dog's behaviour.
They may also see strange dogs as a threat to the sibling relationship and may chase or attack new dogs. If one of the pups is a bit of a bully to his litter sibling, their behaviour may be tolerated by a mild mannered litter-mate, but if he displays bad behaviour to a strange dog it can have a totally different response. Doggy behaviour is important and the skills need to be learned!
As they get older one may feel the need to make themselves dominant within their relationship. One may be milder and the other more dominant pup will try and keep the milder pup in its place. This can lead to aggression being displayed, and in some cases constant fighting can occur, with dogs becoming injured in the process
As mentioned above, a good breeder will NEVER sell someone two litter-mates, but if you are reading this and have already been placed in that position, what should you do? There are some things that can be done which may help both dogs mature properly. These include -
** WALK BOTH DOGS SEPARATELY
** TRAIN BOTH DOGS SEPARATELY
** FEED BOTH DOGS SEPARATELY AND IN DIFFERENT ROOMS OF THE HOUSE
** HAVE SEPARATE SLEEPING AREAS FOR BOTH DOGS
** TRIPS TO VISIT GROOMERS AND VETS SHOULD BE SEPARATE
** PLAY WITH THEM SEPARATELY
Some also recommend that if you are taking your dogs to training classes, this should be done on different nights, with the same trainer if possible who understands the challenges of having twin pups. Playtime together should be limited to short bursts so that one sibling isn't allowed to exert dominance over the other.
It is a huge commitment in time and energy to raise two sibling or same age dogs and it should be noted that the points above will need to be carried on for about 18-24mths, by which time both dogs will have formed their own personality and confidence in themselves without the input of their sibling.
If your long term goal is to be a two dog family, get one, train it and socialise it and then wait 14 months or so before getting your next one. It will give you and your dog the best time to adjust and will benefit all of you.
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