While it's not a formally used term, many of us like to refer to the issues dog owners face when they have sibling puppies OR puppies of the same age from different litters, as "littermate syndrome." I know that some folks say that potential problems only happen when the puppies are related, that simply isn't true; complications can arise even if the puppies are unrelated. While most of the breeders I know personally like to advise their potential puppy families to wait 6 months to a year before bringing home a second puppy, there are some breeders who still believe it's just as easy to raise two puppies as one.
For most dog breeds, puppies are ready to head out to their new homes and bond with their new families between 8 and 11 weeks of age. Puppies who stay together longer than that run the risk of bonding more with each other than with people, even if the breeder or breeder family is interacting with those puppies regularly; basically, the puppies spend more time together than they do apart. So, if you get two puppies, even from different litters, they are naturally going to bond with each other more than they will with you unless you make some pretty substantial changes to the way you raise those puppies. While it might seem easy to just let them use the same crate, play pen, eat together, nap together, etc., letting them do all of those things *might* make it easier for you, but it isn't going to make things easy for the puppies.
If you have two similarly aged puppies, they need to sleep in different crates. The crates can be in the same room, but they should be visually separated from one another. Every day, you need to walk, train, handle, and play with each puppy separately. While they can eat at the same time, they should not share a bowl and should be separated so that neither needs the presence of the other to eat. Puppies need four two-hour naps everyday, so you will likely want to stagger those naps so the puppies are sleeping apart and you have time to train, handle, and walk one puppy while the other naps. If you do this right, it should take up most of your day...LOL! But if you want your puppies to bond to you and look to you for attention, approval, and guidance, then this is how to do it successfully.
Are you sensing that doing this will give you less time with each individual puppy? Then you are correct. Splitting your time between two puppies means that neither really gets your undivided attention. And you're going to need to schedule two puppy classes too as those puppies need to go to separate classes so they can interact with other puppies and people, learn to work under distractions, and further bond with you. While your puppies may very well be playing at home with each other just fine, many sibling puppies (and here I am using the term "sibling" to refer to puppies raised together, related or not) display fear and some even aggression when exposed to other, unfamiliar puppies. Puppies do a significant amount of learning watching each other, the adult dogs and cats in their house, etc. Those two puppies you are raising together are, by design, going to have more house training issues as they are learning good AND bad habits from each other. Finally, those puppies raised together and not separated enough regularly will have a difficult time doing anything apart. Routine veterinary visits, trips to the groomer, even a solitary walk can become problematic as the puppies show obvious and pronounced distress when they are separated.
When I went over all of this with my client, she was thoroughly relieved to have asked as she was pretty sure she didn't have the time or patience for two puppies, but now she was CERTAIN she didn't have time for them! Two puppies is definitely more than twice the work as anyone with human twins can tell you. And in case you are wondering when I think it's a good time to get a second puppy, I like to wait until the first puppy is no longer a puppy, but still young enough to enjoy the antics a new puppy brings to the mix. So for me, a second puppy can be brought home after the first puppy's first birthday, and ideally before that first pup turns 3 years of age. It doesn't mean you can't add a puppy when your first dog is 4 years of age or older, it just means that the age difference between them will be significant enough that they may not enjoy each other as much as they would have had they been just a bit closer in age. While it's true that the addition of a puppy can rejuvenate an older dog, it's also a lot of work for the older dog to keep up with said puppy, much more so than it would have been when he was young and spry. And finally, the big picture: The only reason to EVER consider getting a second (or third, or fourth dog) is because YOU the human want another dog. Never get a dog as company for your existing dog. Who's to say that your resident dog will think that puppy or dog you've chosen is good company? Many dogs like other dogs in small doses, but really don't want to live with them (and compete with them) day in and day out. Multi-dog households are for the people, not for the dogs.
I'm looking forward to meeting the puppy my client chooses this time around. Her previous dog was so delightful and I enjoyed watching him blossom as a pet therapy dog as well. While this puppy has big shoes to fill, I know my client will have the time and resources she needs to get him or her off to a terrific start.
As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.
They are all ridiculously cute, but choosing just one is in your best interest if you want to avoid littermate syndrome!
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