Sibling Syndrome

​What is sibling syndrome? Sibling or Littermate Syndrome is a fancy name for one family adopting 2 or more dogs of the same age, usually from the same litter.
What's the issue with that? In many documented cases owning multiple dogs from the same litter results in behavioral issues in these dogs. Common problems include: separation anxiety from one another, aggression between them, fearful reactions to outside stimuli, and an intense bond that can eclipse any relationship with a human. Some dogs can develop relationships with their siblings that involve protecting their "pack" even if this means acting out aggressively against people or other animals.
Why does it happen? Dogs are generally predisposed to bond more closely with other dogs. When they are raised with a dog of the exact same age as them it makes it that much easier. Oftentimes these puppies end up far more focused on each other than on their people. They learn to be codependent and feed off of each others emotions, so if one dog reacts in fear to something the other could react fearfully as well.
How to prevent it? The first and best advice is try to avoid getting sibling dogs, or even dogs of a close age range. It sounds like a great idea for them to entertain each other but in reality generates a LOT more work. If you want two dogs consider spacing them at least 6 months apart so that each dog goes through their socialization period on their own. Even when bringing a new puppy into an established home, be aware that you are the first and strongest bond of your puppy before the other dogs. That way you will have their trust and bond when you need it.
"I already have siblings, what next?" Okay, no worries but be ready for some hard work. These dogs need to be separate. Everything needs to be separate. Separate crates, feeding, pottty breaks, training time, playtime, and socialization outings. This doesn't mean they can never play together but make a conscious effort to spend dedicated time on each dog. You want to see who they are, what they are afraid of, and work through it independently so they learn to be brave on their own. There will always come a time when siblings will be separated so make sure they know how to do it in advance. If you are dedicated it is possible to avoid Sibling Syndrome.
How can a trainer help? I can help you build a program that reflects these separation goals. Sometimes making time to train two dogs separately can be a challenge so you can always send pups away for training so they learn to be calm and confident on their own.
The pups featured below were a pair from a family conscious of Sibling Syndrome. They came for training and outings in town, and were worked separately on all basic skills and taught to work with people first and ignore their sibling when asked. These dogs soared through private training, learning to work both separately and together with great confidence. They were exposed to many great socialization experiences and proved that they weren't dependent on one another, but instead were responsive to human guidance.
Littermate issues are a huge possibility when getting two puppies so try to plan for getting your dogs staggered (6 months minimally, and ideally 1-3 years even). If you have siblings, they NEED to be worked with and cared for separately in order to be confident and capable. Any pairing of dogs has the potential for codependency so always make sure you are the No.1 relationship in your dogs life.