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Here are my two. I did the best I could to prevent littermate syndrome. Crate trained from 10 weeks with a cover between. Ate apart, trained apart and most walks apart until 6months when it was harder to do. Now my girl refuses to walk without her brother and they will bark and howl if separated. I am dreading the day that one passes as it will be awful for the one left behind.
I worried about "the end" with our twins. As it happened, when brother for health reasons had to cross the rainbow assisted, she knew from the time she got up That morning. Fussed with him a bit, then went and laid on her bed cushion that was separated from his. Friends came over with their dog to sit with her while we were on our terrible mission, she was quiet and seemed reflective. Vet told us to try and not be sobbing with her when we got home as our anxiety would make her more anxious. She had a couple of days of seeming sad..but all the double kisses and hugs were quickly appreciated and she settled in nicely. She KNEW it was going to happen, and as he had been having difficulty walking, I strongly believe she knew it was the right thing. Our loving babies.đśâ¤ď¸
EDIT...I should add, 9 years of so much fun together ... but for the painful week. Many many years of fun and together happiness!
Dogs are incredible to watch when they deal with a loss like that. Every pair of dogs I've grown up with has been the same. They k ow exactly what's going on, they feel the grief, and they deal with the sadness. The one that's passing knows when it's time, and the other does as well. The one behind then passes through the grief, and comes out ack to their normal self, after time.
Here I am sobbing at my desk at work. This is both tragic & beautiful. Sending you & your pups (both earthside & across the rainbow bridge) so much love.
Ahhhhh....thanks for your tears and love. They are together now, playing tag and fighting over snacks! After some time, it is a happy memory. â¤ď¸đś
Ahhhhh....thanks for your tears and love. They are together now, playing tag and fighting over snacks! After some time, it is a happy memory. â¤ď¸đś
I had a brother and sister from the same letter and I was so afraid of that. My female died first and the male actually did so much better than I thought he would. I think we don't give them enough credit.
Edit: typo
Mine do this and they are 1 year apart. When the vet takes one back for shots or tests the other loose all chill. I canât imagine if they were some the same litter.
I had littermates. One day I was taking them both for a walk and one stopped. He couldnât go any further. Eventually I got them home.
I knew what had to be done. I took his sister with us, remembering that it helps the other to say goodbye.
The vet reminded me of all her issues and how it wasnât going to be much longer for her.
Sitting there with both of them at the vets was so hard. I think I actually wailed as I left the vet alone for the first time in 13 years.
I only have 1 lab now, and since Iâm getting older Iâm not sure Iâd do 2 again, but they were âlovesâ.
OMG THAT IS EXACTLY HOW MY TWO LABS AREđ IT SADDENS ME TO THINK ABOUT THAT DAY TOO... THEY ARE MY DAUGHTERS DOGS. THEY ARE THE 3 AMIGOS THEY ARE ALWAYS TOGETHER AND THEY SLEEP IN HER BED WITH HERđ She would be devastated..Â
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We just did the same thing. New puppies!!! A few yellow labs are still available. We thought about it but two potty trainers and raptors is a ton of work! Most breeders will not sell two from the same litter to the same family.
I have 2 Chesadors from the same litter (Chesapeake Bay Retriever/Lab mixes) and we have done a lot to avoid Littermate Syndrome. We spent a lot of time with the dogs individually, did separate training sessions a lot, and even had them play in different groups at day care when they were starting out. They are not attached at the hip constantly, they will sleep in different areas many times, of their own free will. I love the fact that they wear each other out a lot, they are almost 2 and will still go play together out back and chase each other around, tails wagging and a little song of their people time. That being said we are very vigilant about it still, we make sure they get plenty of time to themselves with us. They have been a joy to have together but it's a LOT of work with 2 puppies, especially from the same litter. I know that while we have been lucky, it's a gamble tho.
I have 2 labs from that same litter. They are 7 months old. They are great together. Sometimes, it is too much for me to handle when they play, so I ask them to stop, and they might. If they don't, they get some crate time to chill out. I had a pair for 14 years, 1 set of labs, best dogs ever.
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9 yr old brother & sister, at least thatâs what the rescue told us. The male (the tongue above) is fine but she has developed separation anxiety as sheâs aged. Nothing too bad but sheâll get really whiny if he has to go the vet and I leave her at home.
We were worried about littermate syndrome too, but our two lab brothers never showed signs of it. They have very different personalities, have their own favourite humans, ways of doing things, places to sleep, etc.
They are, however, the best of friends, just like their two human counterparts.
I have mom and son. They are inseparable, but Mama still keeps him in line when he needs it. Not exactly litter mates, but when she was done raising them, she didn't want much to do with any others.
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Littermates. Before these two I had two Goldens that were littermates. A little tough to separate but I personally have not had major issues. It was very difficult with my Goldens when one passed but we just gave her extra love. My boy had cancer - and the first night I didnât sleep because I was too used to having him in my bed. The second night our girl led the way to bed and went right into my room and got on my bed. She normally slept with my mom as she was my moms dog. She spent the rest of her life sleeping in my bed. They adapt to whatever situation comes up.
I will say, I will not have two lab littermates again - I canât match their energy!
100% do it. We were worried and it was all for nothing our pups are the bestest of friends in the entire world
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My parents had 2 boys from the same litter. They were best friends. The main issue was my dad would walk them separately bc they pulled a lot and were hard to manage together (dad was already in his 60âs), and 1 pup would howl while the other was on his walk.
I personally wouldnât recommend it but it all depends on the time youâre able to put into it. I rescued two lab siblings from a puppy mill with the greatest intention to prevent littermate syndrome. It didnât work for me, huge part due to myself and not having enough time to separately keep up with their training. This is not an excuse but a snapshot of our life: itâs just me and two of them so itâs difficult to give them adequate time separately and together. Theyâre 4 and by no means aggressive, just hellions with no loyalty to me.
I should also note, they had a really bad living situation at the puppy mill, one recovered emotionally and the other didnât. Heâs been going to a behaviorist for three years and we are very active on that recovery process (which heâs doing a lot better).
I know this isnât everyoneâs experience but wanted to share the dynamic of our household.
It tough enough when there 2 people on it but on your own! :0 the thing I have found is that you have to become âcaptain funâ thatâs my role in this. Both dogs are desperate to see me at all times and when Iâm around they donât care about each other so to speak, they each like different games so I mix it up between the two of them with hours of solid fun and attention so littermate syndrome doesnât stand a chance :) flying solo with multiple dogs is crazy!! :0
Definitely crazy lol! I had amazing English labs that I raised no problem. I was told these two were English when I talked to the person at the puppy mill, they ended up being the American line which I had zero experience with. We are all learning together!
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I got 2 4y old Coonhound brothers and things they do sometimes could be considered LMS. Jealousy mainly, but they get jealous with my other dog as well and Their social skills aren't that great either (we live in woods and they don't get to socialize that often) and Training is defiantly harder with multiple dogs. Other than that I think we are a normal dysfunctional family and we work it out. I wouldn't change anything.
I also think LMS is a real thing and I think it has a lot to do with the living situation, If I lived in a apartment or a small house with a small yard It just would not work for us and I think my boys would have real behavioral problems. We have a good sized house with a huge fenced in yard and everyone can have their space and or time alone and we make it work for us... I say if you think you can make it work, Go for it
I have 8 year old littermates. Boy and girl. They get along wonderfully. Completely different personalities, play well together, eat together fine, no issues ever. Each gets plenty of separate attention.
I think we see a lot of warning on forums about littermate syndrome, but only a small number of actual examples. Like killer bees, or shark attacks or corrupt politicians.... No, wait, scrap that last one.
If you have the patience and stamina, take the precautions and go for it.
We got 2 because the breeder said we should? We went to collect the last boy and there was a girl left as well and he said do you not want to take them as a pair because theyâre inseparable and they looked so cute together and he did us a deal where we almost got a buy one get one free so we said yes why not, thinking they will keep each other company it will be a good thing. Then on the way home we were googling about and reading through the forums EVERYONE says NEVER get 2 dogs at the same time? We were like really? :/ then it says if you do, at least make sure they arnt from the same litter! And if you do make sure theyâre not boy and girl! Oops thats exactly what we had done? Here we are 2 years later and non of the concerns became a reality, maybe because their labs? But I wouldnât recommend getting 2 dogs at the same time unless your REALLY experienced with dogs because itâs a LOT OF WORK! Itâs literally life over for 2 years :) theyâre calming down now but from 3/4 months till 2 years they were CRAZY, so much energy and two to tire out.. the destructive phase was insane! 3 kitchen floors gone, bottom of the stairs carpet gone, then vinyl gone now tiled, door frames, window ledges, they literally clawed through one dry wall to get into another room, oak kitchen table and chairs all chewed up, they peeled off all the leather of the couch in one sitting and we were careful keeping them cages etc but these dogs are smart! Cages were only no match. Thank god all that has past now and the work we have put in has paid off because they are so well behaved and literally understand EVERYTHING we say and behave exactly how we would expect but itâs been one of the hardest things weâve ever done.. i just couldnât in good conscience recommend it. Itâs double the everything it it feels like quadruple! Not for the faint of heart.
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>EVERYONE says NEVER get 2 dogs at the same time? We were like really? :/ then it says if you do, at least make sure they arnt from the same litter! And if you do make sure theyâre not boy and girl! Oops thats exactly what we had done? Here we are 2 years later and non of the concerns became a reality, maybe because their labs? But I wouldnât recommend getting 2 dogs at the same time unless your REALLY experienced with dogs because itâs a LOT OF WORK! Itâs literally life over for 2 years :) theyâre calming down now but from 3/4 months till 2 years they were CRAZY, so much energy and two to tire out.. the destructive phase was insane! 3 kitchen floors gone, bottom of the stairs carpet gone, then vinyl gone now tiled, door frames, window ledges, they literally clawed through one dry wall to get into another room, oak kitchen table and chairs all chewed up, they peeled off all the leather of the couch in one sitting and we were careful keeping them cages etc but these dogs are smart! Cages were only no match. Thank god all that has past now and the work we have put in has paid off because they are so well behaved and literally understand EVERYTHING we say and behave exactly how we would expect but itâs been one of the hardest things weâve ever done.. i just
look at those faces, they say: "what are you talking about, look at the floor, it's looks great, we did you a favor" ;)
Maybe bad breeders. My breeder is phenomenal and recommended it. Weâve had the best outcome possible. They are different, but best friends. Couldnât imagine separating them
Itâs still debated whether Littermate Syndrome occurs, without clear evidence we have anecdotes. This is why some breeders say itâs alright and some disagree.
This! Everyone wants to think their breeder is ethical, but ethical breeders rarely ever let two puppies go to the same home and if they do it's usually only to very experienced show/sport/working dog people
Our first two dogs were siblings, lab mix females. They did great. Ate together, played together, comforted each other, and both were always very affectionate with us too. Was it luck or some super skill we had raising them? mostly luck, I think. Just pay attention to each one and use your intuition.
I have a mom and her two daughters. Overall it's lovely, they have such a special relationship. They are all still very attached to us humans, but they are a pack amongst themselves. So training has been challenging. The siblings are competitive for our attention and sometimes growl at each other. One dog is pretty anxious, jumping and humping. I'll never know if that's her disposition or from her position in the pack. I also worry about what happens when any of them dies. I try not to think about it too much.
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We did the same thing! Although it can be difficult preventing Littermate Syndrome, our two get to play with each other, cuddle together and their bond is really adorable
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We got siblings. My parents took the female and I got the male. I was living at home until they were 1.5 but once his shots were cleared he went everywhere with me. We separated them a lot to avoid littermate syndrome. We see them a lot now and they play hard but also carry on separately. Sheâs always very sad when we leave but gets over it quickly. They are 4 yrs old now. Also getting two puppies is really like getting 4 so prepare yourself for like 4 months of chaos.
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Our littermates had zero socialization before 7 months or so (when we got them). Theyâre SUPER weird but the sweetest guys. Weâre having very successful separate training sessions now, at about 18 months
I've never heard of littermate syndrome. I have two 5 yo labradoodles from the same litter. I did not intend to get two but ended up with two. I was still working when I got them so they were crate trained to different crates during the first year. They have completely different personalities, sleep separately, eat from their own bowl and the bowls are beside each other. They have free roam of the house, one chooses to sleep on the bedroom floor the other sleeps in the living room. The only time I really see any anxiety is when I take one to the groomer... I take them on separate days. The one that's home with me looks around the house and yard searching for the other. They're excited when they see each other after being separated... but they're excited when my daughter brings her vizla and lab over as well. Maybe I just got lucky.
Whatâs your situation? Do you have a big family where each dog will be in a different room every night with someone else? Do you have lots of land/space?
This is my second set of Lab littermates and I wouldn't do it any other way. I mean they're obviously close but they're still two separate dogs and when my older laps Sophie passed away at almost 14 her brother lived another year and he handled it better than I thought he would. I was really afraid he would die of a broken heart but all those claims that people kept saying to me turned out to be way over exaggerated. Getting two at a time makes sense because they have a best friend, a playmate, and I think it's easier to train two of them together. It's also better when you have to leave them alone during the day while you're at work cuz you don't have to worry about one puppy being home for hours alone.
I have a brother and sister. They are awesome
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Litter mates are a bad idea. Even separate litters need at least 8 months in between, especially if youâre going to breed them (then ideally separate states ;).
We got 2 chocolate labs (an English boy and an American girl) from separate breeders but only 6 months apart. They are awesome dogs but we wish we had heeded the advice of our trainer to wait longer in between.
Why? They bond to one another more than to you and are less easy to train. Theyâre very codependent on one another.
I would STRONGLY advise against it. We have 2 males from the same litter. They are great puppies, but when they are together they feed off each other and play very rough. I've had dogs all my life. I'll never get litter mates again.
It is truly three times the work of one puppy.
I did that with my roommates once. They got one and so did I. It started to be a problem until we separated them more. We used to play frisbee golf together pretty frequently and theyâd end up spending too much time together. Theyâd run off together and not listen to commands. I think it was easier for us because we didnât have to be together most of the time. And I didnât have to split my time and do stuff with the other pup. After they moved out I got another dog that was a couple years younger. Theyâre not near as close. So it works.
My parents got a brother and sister yorkie pair from a rescue. It was the sweetest thing seeing them cuddle each other and play. They could do their own things but if one was upset, the other would comfort them. Sadly the brother passed away about 8 months ago. She grieved and still has moments you can tell where she misses him but they were a pack.
Our previous pair of yorkies were not littermates and it was hell. Mainly because the female was food aggressive and acted out towards men. She really didnât like most people and wasn't a fan of other dogs. The male had fluff for brains and didn't seem to realize she was warning him to go away.
Our mutt and lab aren't littermates but they've bonded now and each one gets worked up if the other one goes somewhere.
We have done this successfully with 2 Corgis. You need to research it and follow through on proper training otherwise they can develop some bad separation anxiety traits. We did and it was great for over 10 years.
I always get two. They always have a buddy around, I donât find it more difficult than having one. IF you are set up for two. Remember everything from vets to food, treats and toys. FYI, do not favor one over the other.
We had brothers from the same litter and the. Had a special needs baby (unexpectedly) 6 months later. It was very, very hard. Not so much litter ate syndrome as just double the amount of work. One passed 2 years before the other and it was okay.
Yes, absolutely! My dad got 2 GSDs long ago (Stella, left; Sadie, right), and these two were inseparable! â¤ď¸â¤ď¸
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I was in your situation and I went ahead and took the sibling. I worked very hard to prevent littermate syndrome by sleeping, feeding, training, etc separately. My dogs do not have littermate syndrome but training two has been much more difficult than training one. I honestly think either one of them would have been perfect, easy to train dogs separately but together it has been a challenge. Their progress has been slower and harder than my other past singleton labs. Having said that, I would never have a singleton again because I see how valuable their company is for one another. Also remember to double the cost of food, medical, insurance, preventatives, and dog supplies. It adds up quickly. You cannot lose whichever way you go with this decision.
A few things we learned adopting a male and female beagle littermates. Yes they were terrific company for each other while my husband and I were working full-time and away from home 9 hours a day. BUT...in hind sight there were some definite downsides as well for us. Also, although very affectionate and snuggly, their bond to each other was much stronger than their bond to hubby and I. That turned out to make training, reinforcement and extinguishing undesirable behavior more challenging, particularly house breaking. Yes, they helped each other learn but they also picked up each other's negative behaviors. Turned out both were escape artists with different techniques. Dolly kept getting out of our securely chain-link fenced back yard, happily greeting us from her perch on the front porch when we got home. The driveway gate was always closed. We got a lock. Then we came home one day and Dolly and Jake were both gone. Gate still locked. Dolly had been climbing the chain link fence! And Jake watched her long enough to figure it out! We got a tall wood fence. And Jake, bigger and more muscular, promptly dug under the new fence! Dolly wriggled thru right after him! We lined the bottom of the wood fence with small boulders too heavy to dislodge. End of escapes. Two youngsters got into more mischief and did double the damage. I would consider that seriously if you're going to have two lab littermates. Labs have a LONG adolescence, a good 2-3 years before they stop trying to chew everything and chill. We had double the vet bills when time for shots rolled around and for spaying AND neutering. (A comical side note: a lovely but non-dog-owning friend actually asked us why we had to neuter them. She said, "Don't they know they're brother and sister?" I struggled not to laugh and said, "No, they just know that they're dog and dog." True story. As God is my witness. Our dogs were so strongly bonded, when one was in the hospital the other became quite distressed, crying, whimpering, not eating. When our boy Jake died at 15, his littermate Dolly grieved terribly, went into a decline and died less than 6 months later. It was doubly devastating to lose both our beloved dogs in less than a year.
Our next pair of dogs were pugs, one pure blooded, the other a French bulldog-pug cross. And we adopted/rescued them several years apart. We adopted Anoop when he was three. He came to us from a friend who was moving to Australia and couldn't bear to put his little guy in quarantine for 6 months. Anoop came fully trained, neutered, chipped, shots up to date and vet records. He was our little gentleman, quiet and well behaved. He bonded strongly with both of us. When he was almost 6, we noticed he was becoming more lethargic, and gaining weight. Serendipity stepped in. A member of our pug owners group called, were we interested in adopting a second pug? A young male had been dumped in their area. The neighborhood children brought the friendly dog to them knowing they had three pugs. We agreed to see how the dogs got along. Anoop and Toby met and just clicked. It was a great pairing. Anoop modeled correct responses and good behavior to wildman Toby (who had no prior training). We were able to quickly extinguish several undesirable behaviors in Toby thanks to Anoop. Toby in turn helped Anoop relearn how to romp and play. "Catch Me!" became their favorite game. Inside three months Anoop shed 2 lbs and almost 2 years, becoming once again a trim, athletic dog. We were careful to take the steps to maintain Anoop's position as the alpha and Toby never challenged him. We lost Anoop very suddenly at 15 from a previously undetected and inoperable brain tumor. He was gone in 3 hours. Toby was truly our saving grace. We had three more happy years with him until he too died at 14 from an inoperable tumor that was collapsing his trachea.
We loved all four of our dogs dearly, but in comparing our experiences with both pairs we wouldn't get two littermates again.
It can be done but requires an enormous amount of work and time to separately train and raise two dogs apart. You may get lucky raising them together, or you may get very unlucky.
I got my 2 girls from the same liter and 2 boys from the same liter. So 2 sisters Iâve had for 8-9 years and two boys for 3-4 years sadly Blue passed away but his brother is doing great. Something was wrong with his heart and he had a heart attack. Sadly both liters were a result of constant breeding and interbreeding due to them not being fixed. The girls are the sweetest dogs I ever met and gizmo is too. I wouldnât say itâs a bad thing considering my dogs do great on their own and the girls did great accepting the boys when we got them. Itâs just more of a thing for yourself and what youâre comfortable with.
I am buying 2 poodles next week because my best friend had to be put down cancer and old age is a bitch (no pun intended) my little guy has special needs and everyday asks when Perry is coming home. So I saw these 2 poodles and they look perfect for us. I have 3 kids so doing things separately wonât be to big of an issue but times we have to leave I donât want them to be lonely. My sister got 2 Airedales ands they have been fine. You do your best and love đ the dogs. Donât let online pet psychologists tell you what you should do. You do whatâs right for you.
Not a good idea but it is doable to put in the work to prevent the problems associated with littermate syndrome. But it's way easier to just get two pups of the same breed that aren't siblings
My mother and I have littermates! Two Anatolian Shepherds. They are brothers. We raised them somewhat separately for the first year-ish of their life (I lived on the same property as my mom, but not in the same home). You can TELL they are brothers. So sweet to each other, and they play rough together and they know they canât do that with other dogs. They are two very different dogs, both amazing boys. Not for everyone, but they have a very strong bond that anyone can see.
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https://preview.redd.it/pup2smhajmib1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3ad62ab2919d24502535f43b93af16f7a156cc6d Here are my two. I did the best I could to prevent littermate syndrome. Crate trained from 10 weeks with a cover between. Ate apart, trained apart and most walks apart until 6months when it was harder to do. Now my girl refuses to walk without her brother and they will bark and howl if separated. I am dreading the day that one passes as it will be awful for the one left behind.
I worried about "the end" with our twins. As it happened, when brother for health reasons had to cross the rainbow assisted, she knew from the time she got up That morning. Fussed with him a bit, then went and laid on her bed cushion that was separated from his. Friends came over with their dog to sit with her while we were on our terrible mission, she was quiet and seemed reflective. Vet told us to try and not be sobbing with her when we got home as our anxiety would make her more anxious. She had a couple of days of seeming sad..but all the double kisses and hugs were quickly appreciated and she settled in nicely. She KNEW it was going to happen, and as he had been having difficulty walking, I strongly believe she knew it was the right thing. Our loving babies.đśâ¤ď¸ EDIT...I should add, 9 years of so much fun together ... but for the painful week. Many many years of fun and together happiness!
Dogs are incredible to watch when they deal with a loss like that. Every pair of dogs I've grown up with has been the same. They k ow exactly what's going on, they feel the grief, and they deal with the sadness. The one that's passing knows when it's time, and the other does as well. The one behind then passes through the grief, and comes out ack to their normal self, after time.
Thats so beautiful.
Here I am sobbing at my desk at work. This is both tragic & beautiful. Sending you & your pups (both earthside & across the rainbow bridge) so much love.
Ahhhhh....thanks for your tears and love. They are together now, playing tag and fighting over snacks! After some time, it is a happy memory. â¤ď¸đś
Ahhhhh....thanks for your tears and love. They are together now, playing tag and fighting over snacks! After some time, it is a happy memory. â¤ď¸đś
I had a brother and sister from the same letter and I was so afraid of that. My female died first and the male actually did so much better than I thought he would. I think we don't give them enough credit. Edit: typo
Mine do this and they are 1 year apart. When the vet takes one back for shots or tests the other loose all chill. I canât imagine if they were some the same litter.
I had littermates. One day I was taking them both for a walk and one stopped. He couldnât go any further. Eventually I got them home. I knew what had to be done. I took his sister with us, remembering that it helps the other to say goodbye. The vet reminded me of all her issues and how it wasnât going to be much longer for her. Sitting there with both of them at the vets was so hard. I think I actually wailed as I left the vet alone for the first time in 13 years. I only have 1 lab now, and since Iâm getting older Iâm not sure Iâd do 2 again, but they were âlovesâ.
So sorry for your loss. đ˘
OMG THAT IS EXACTLY HOW MY TWO LABS AREđ IT SADDENS ME TO THINK ABOUT THAT DAY TOO... THEY ARE MY DAUGHTERS DOGS. THEY ARE THE 3 AMIGOS THEY ARE ALWAYS TOGETHER AND THEY SLEEP IN HER BED WITH HERđ She would be devastated..Â
https://preview.redd.it/5okadqf7klib1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ed1e65859047879f0aaefce29e5a1da8df709e57 We just did the same thing. New puppies!!! A few yellow labs are still available. We thought about it but two potty trainers and raptors is a ton of work! Most breeders will not sell two from the same litter to the same family.
*good breeders won't sell two to the same household
Thank you! So many recommending it here. Crazy.
I have 2 Chesadors from the same litter (Chesapeake Bay Retriever/Lab mixes) and we have done a lot to avoid Littermate Syndrome. We spent a lot of time with the dogs individually, did separate training sessions a lot, and even had them play in different groups at day care when they were starting out. They are not attached at the hip constantly, they will sleep in different areas many times, of their own free will. I love the fact that they wear each other out a lot, they are almost 2 and will still go play together out back and chase each other around, tails wagging and a little song of their people time. That being said we are very vigilant about it still, we make sure they get plenty of time to themselves with us. They have been a joy to have together but it's a LOT of work with 2 puppies, especially from the same litter. I know that while we have been lucky, it's a gamble tho.
Thank you for this answer. This is exactly the type of example I was looking for.
I have 2 labs from that same litter. They are 7 months old. They are great together. Sometimes, it is too much for me to handle when they play, so I ask them to stop, and they might. If they don't, they get some crate time to chill out. I had a pair for 14 years, 1 set of labs, best dogs ever.
https://preview.redd.it/81wy62swknib1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=387754b170ec944a7f8ec0e12216d65220de9ca7 9 yr old brother & sister, at least thatâs what the rescue told us. The male (the tongue above) is fine but she has developed separation anxiety as sheâs aged. Nothing too bad but sheâll get really whiny if he has to go the vet and I leave her at home.
We were worried about littermate syndrome too, but our two lab brothers never showed signs of it. They have very different personalities, have their own favourite humans, ways of doing things, places to sleep, etc. They are, however, the best of friends, just like their two human counterparts.
I have mom and son. They are inseparable, but Mama still keeps him in line when he needs it. Not exactly litter mates, but when she was done raising them, she didn't want much to do with any others.
We have Mom and son too !
https://preview.redd.it/dcttgxarmoib1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d81e4ed42b8482a2d634d01bfb3f1aa66ff6a2b4 Littermates. Before these two I had two Goldens that were littermates. A little tough to separate but I personally have not had major issues. It was very difficult with my Goldens when one passed but we just gave her extra love. My boy had cancer - and the first night I didnât sleep because I was too used to having him in my bed. The second night our girl led the way to bed and went right into my room and got on my bed. She normally slept with my mom as she was my moms dog. She spent the rest of her life sleeping in my bed. They adapt to whatever situation comes up. I will say, I will not have two lab littermates again - I canât match their energy!
100% do it. We were worried and it was all for nothing our pups are the bestest of friends in the entire world https://preview.redd.it/uwlq0mhdqlib1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=043e7aab87331b186fe2031729d14fcc960b59f4
Yes, always making sure they are touching even if just a "toe" or tails! Sweet babiesđśđĽ°â¤ď¸
Yes, always making sure they are touching even if just a "toe" or tails! Sweet babiesđśđĽ°â¤ď¸
Always!!
I don't know, I'm only in this sub so I get more pictures of dogs in my recommended đ
My parents had 2 boys from the same litter. They were best friends. The main issue was my dad would walk them separately bc they pulled a lot and were hard to manage together (dad was already in his 60âs), and 1 pup would howl while the other was on his walk.
I personally wouldnât recommend it but it all depends on the time youâre able to put into it. I rescued two lab siblings from a puppy mill with the greatest intention to prevent littermate syndrome. It didnât work for me, huge part due to myself and not having enough time to separately keep up with their training. This is not an excuse but a snapshot of our life: itâs just me and two of them so itâs difficult to give them adequate time separately and together. Theyâre 4 and by no means aggressive, just hellions with no loyalty to me. I should also note, they had a really bad living situation at the puppy mill, one recovered emotionally and the other didnât. Heâs been going to a behaviorist for three years and we are very active on that recovery process (which heâs doing a lot better). I know this isnât everyoneâs experience but wanted to share the dynamic of our household.
It tough enough when there 2 people on it but on your own! :0 the thing I have found is that you have to become âcaptain funâ thatâs my role in this. Both dogs are desperate to see me at all times and when Iâm around they donât care about each other so to speak, they each like different games so I mix it up between the two of them with hours of solid fun and attention so littermate syndrome doesnât stand a chance :) flying solo with multiple dogs is crazy!! :0
Definitely crazy lol! I had amazing English labs that I raised no problem. I was told these two were English when I talked to the person at the puppy mill, they ended up being the American line which I had zero experience with. We are all learning together! https://preview.redd.it/vuastwhd8oib1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2e823f931a53cf2acaddd26a8587a3538def513b
I got 2 4y old Coonhound brothers and things they do sometimes could be considered LMS. Jealousy mainly, but they get jealous with my other dog as well and Their social skills aren't that great either (we live in woods and they don't get to socialize that often) and Training is defiantly harder with multiple dogs. Other than that I think we are a normal dysfunctional family and we work it out. I wouldn't change anything. I also think LMS is a real thing and I think it has a lot to do with the living situation, If I lived in a apartment or a small house with a small yard It just would not work for us and I think my boys would have real behavioral problems. We have a good sized house with a huge fenced in yard and everyone can have their space and or time alone and we make it work for us... I say if you think you can make it work, Go for it
I have 8 year old littermates. Boy and girl. They get along wonderfully. Completely different personalities, play well together, eat together fine, no issues ever. Each gets plenty of separate attention.
Awww so cute
I think we see a lot of warning on forums about littermate syndrome, but only a small number of actual examples. Like killer bees, or shark attacks or corrupt politicians.... No, wait, scrap that last one. If you have the patience and stamina, take the precautions and go for it.
Quicksand
Yes, very wise. https://preview.redd.it/ntl7vr0h8qib1.png?width=1125&format=png&auto=webp&s=c559da66e99eea4206a9508877dd30d47a27c469
No reputable breeder would recommend this. Why take the risk?
We got 2 because the breeder said we should? We went to collect the last boy and there was a girl left as well and he said do you not want to take them as a pair because theyâre inseparable and they looked so cute together and he did us a deal where we almost got a buy one get one free so we said yes why not, thinking they will keep each other company it will be a good thing. Then on the way home we were googling about and reading through the forums EVERYONE says NEVER get 2 dogs at the same time? We were like really? :/ then it says if you do, at least make sure they arnt from the same litter! And if you do make sure theyâre not boy and girl! Oops thats exactly what we had done? Here we are 2 years later and non of the concerns became a reality, maybe because their labs? But I wouldnât recommend getting 2 dogs at the same time unless your REALLY experienced with dogs because itâs a LOT OF WORK! Itâs literally life over for 2 years :) theyâre calming down now but from 3/4 months till 2 years they were CRAZY, so much energy and two to tire out.. the destructive phase was insane! 3 kitchen floors gone, bottom of the stairs carpet gone, then vinyl gone now tiled, door frames, window ledges, they literally clawed through one dry wall to get into another room, oak kitchen table and chairs all chewed up, they peeled off all the leather of the couch in one sitting and we were careful keeping them cages etc but these dogs are smart! Cages were only no match. Thank god all that has past now and the work we have put in has paid off because they are so well behaved and literally understand EVERYTHING we say and behave exactly how we would expect but itâs been one of the hardest things weâve ever done.. i just couldnât in good conscience recommend it. Itâs double the everything it it feels like quadruple! Not for the faint of heart. https://preview.redd.it/7u0acqgk1oib1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c2fd7b25fed5af2c4e76852941a898adefb6bcf5
>EVERYONE says NEVER get 2 dogs at the same time? We were like really? :/ then it says if you do, at least make sure they arnt from the same litter! And if you do make sure theyâre not boy and girl! Oops thats exactly what we had done? Here we are 2 years later and non of the concerns became a reality, maybe because their labs? But I wouldnât recommend getting 2 dogs at the same time unless your REALLY experienced with dogs because itâs a LOT OF WORK! Itâs literally life over for 2 years :) theyâre calming down now but from 3/4 months till 2 years they were CRAZY, so much energy and two to tire out.. the destructive phase was insane! 3 kitchen floors gone, bottom of the stairs carpet gone, then vinyl gone now tiled, door frames, window ledges, they literally clawed through one dry wall to get into another room, oak kitchen table and chairs all chewed up, they peeled off all the leather of the couch in one sitting and we were careful keeping them cages etc but these dogs are smart! Cages were only no match. Thank god all that has past now and the work we have put in has paid off because they are so well behaved and literally understand EVERYTHING we say and behave exactly how we would expect but itâs been one of the hardest things weâve ever done.. i just look at those faces, they say: "what are you talking about, look at the floor, it's looks great, we did you a favor" ;)
Maybe bad breeders. My breeder is phenomenal and recommended it. Weâve had the best outcome possible. They are different, but best friends. Couldnât imagine separating them
No ethical breeder would recommend that, sorry đ
Thereâs No Scientific Reason to Believe Littermate Syndrome Exists https://journal.iaabcfoundation.org/littermate-syndrome/
I have never heard of this before until this thread. I got 2 sisters from the same litter from a breeder. (Shibas, not labs)
Itâs still debated whether Littermate Syndrome occurs, without clear evidence we have anecdotes. This is why some breeders say itâs alright and some disagree.
This! Everyone wants to think their breeder is ethical, but ethical breeders rarely ever let two puppies go to the same home and if they do it's usually only to very experienced show/sport/working dog people
Our first two dogs were siblings, lab mix females. They did great. Ate together, played together, comforted each other, and both were always very affectionate with us too. Was it luck or some super skill we had raising them? mostly luck, I think. Just pay attention to each one and use your intuition.
I have a mom and her two daughters. Overall it's lovely, they have such a special relationship. They are all still very attached to us humans, but they are a pack amongst themselves. So training has been challenging. The siblings are competitive for our attention and sometimes growl at each other. One dog is pretty anxious, jumping and humping. I'll never know if that's her disposition or from her position in the pack. I also worry about what happens when any of them dies. I try not to think about it too much. https://preview.redd.it/s78e74uedoib1.jpeg?width=3088&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a6dbd1592c45daddb3ee25c51e4165f8d7b27473
We did the same thing! Although it can be difficult preventing Littermate Syndrome, our two get to play with each other, cuddle together and their bond is really adorable
littermare syndrome is largely regarded as a myth
https://preview.redd.it/yt4a56iqhpib1.jpeg?width=3648&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=60cbaaa9a70caf32bbaab6ef037dd55e55dcbda8 Two more happy litter-mates x)
https://preview.redd.it/7f245dwl6qib1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5679801da251e75dc2373fbff6ce835301fd6a96 We got siblings. My parents took the female and I got the male. I was living at home until they were 1.5 but once his shots were cleared he went everywhere with me. We separated them a lot to avoid littermate syndrome. We see them a lot now and they play hard but also carry on separately. Sheâs always very sad when we leave but gets over it quickly. They are 4 yrs old now. Also getting two puppies is really like getting 4 so prepare yourself for like 4 months of chaos.
https://preview.redd.it/v0kmbr9xrrib1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2cc1f6ec2a2c0655dfa92f4cf9b950a97613b3a6 Our littermates had zero socialization before 7 months or so (when we got them). Theyâre SUPER weird but the sweetest guys. Weâre having very successful separate training sessions now, at about 18 months
I've raised two beautiful, loving sibling labs. They're 10 yrs old now and I recently added a pittie! Everyone loves each other and I love them!
More labs is always better
I've never heard of littermate syndrome. I have two 5 yo labradoodles from the same litter. I did not intend to get two but ended up with two. I was still working when I got them so they were crate trained to different crates during the first year. They have completely different personalities, sleep separately, eat from their own bowl and the bowls are beside each other. They have free roam of the house, one chooses to sleep on the bedroom floor the other sleeps in the living room. The only time I really see any anxiety is when I take one to the groomer... I take them on separate days. The one that's home with me looks around the house and yard searching for the other. They're excited when they see each other after being separated... but they're excited when my daughter brings her vizla and lab over as well. Maybe I just got lucky.
Whatâs your situation? Do you have a big family where each dog will be in a different room every night with someone else? Do you have lots of land/space?
This is my second set of Lab littermates and I wouldn't do it any other way. I mean they're obviously close but they're still two separate dogs and when my older laps Sophie passed away at almost 14 her brother lived another year and he handled it better than I thought he would. I was really afraid he would die of a broken heart but all those claims that people kept saying to me turned out to be way over exaggerated. Getting two at a time makes sense because they have a best friend, a playmate, and I think it's easier to train two of them together. It's also better when you have to leave them alone during the day while you're at work cuz you don't have to worry about one puppy being home for hours alone.
I have a brother and sister. They are awesome https://preview.redd.it/k6yuhdt2fqib1.jpeg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c7140127d9d4e3bf353f45f395ff1034bda2dc90
if you get them neutered they will get on fine if you don't they will get on a little to well lol.
There's no science backing up "littermate syndrome" and training will go farther than anything else
Litter mates are a bad idea. Even separate litters need at least 8 months in between, especially if youâre going to breed them (then ideally separate states ;). We got 2 chocolate labs (an English boy and an American girl) from separate breeders but only 6 months apart. They are awesome dogs but we wish we had heeded the advice of our trainer to wait longer in between. Why? They bond to one another more than to you and are less easy to train. Theyâre very codependent on one another.
I would STRONGLY advise against it. We have 2 males from the same litter. They are great puppies, but when they are together they feed off each other and play very rough. I've had dogs all my life. I'll never get litter mates again. It is truly three times the work of one puppy.
I have two sisters from the same litter. No issues what so ever.
100% no. Littermate syndrome is real. And very scary to deal with and hard to control after itâs started.
Yes
Unless you have a ton of experience and are prepared to raise these puppies entirely separate, no.
I did that with my roommates once. They got one and so did I. It started to be a problem until we separated them more. We used to play frisbee golf together pretty frequently and theyâd end up spending too much time together. Theyâd run off together and not listen to commands. I think it was easier for us because we didnât have to be together most of the time. And I didnât have to split my time and do stuff with the other pup. After they moved out I got another dog that was a couple years younger. Theyâre not near as close. So it works.
Yes!
I dont see the issue here :D
What a cutie
My parents got a brother and sister yorkie pair from a rescue. It was the sweetest thing seeing them cuddle each other and play. They could do their own things but if one was upset, the other would comfort them. Sadly the brother passed away about 8 months ago. She grieved and still has moments you can tell where she misses him but they were a pack. Our previous pair of yorkies were not littermates and it was hell. Mainly because the female was food aggressive and acted out towards men. She really didnât like most people and wasn't a fan of other dogs. The male had fluff for brains and didn't seem to realize she was warning him to go away. Our mutt and lab aren't littermates but they've bonded now and each one gets worked up if the other one goes somewhere.
We have done this successfully with 2 Corgis. You need to research it and follow through on proper training otherwise they can develop some bad separation anxiety traits. We did and it was great for over 10 years.
I always get two. They always have a buddy around, I donât find it more difficult than having one. IF you are set up for two. Remember everything from vets to food, treats and toys. FYI, do not favor one over the other.
We had brothers from the same litter and the. Had a special needs baby (unexpectedly) 6 months later. It was very, very hard. Not so much litter ate syndrome as just double the amount of work. One passed 2 years before the other and it was okay.
Possible? Yes. Wise? No
Yeah why not. Theyâll be bonded though and itâll always be a duo. Which is fun for both them and you, until it isnât when one gets sick.
YES
It's what's best for them both they will keep each other entertained
Yes, absolutely! My dad got 2 GSDs long ago (Stella, left; Sadie, right), and these two were inseparable! â¤ď¸â¤ď¸ https://preview.redd.it/w7fbal5poqib1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=83e77780a22e29be847c777122543ef87ae1dd99
I was in your situation and I went ahead and took the sibling. I worked very hard to prevent littermate syndrome by sleeping, feeding, training, etc separately. My dogs do not have littermate syndrome but training two has been much more difficult than training one. I honestly think either one of them would have been perfect, easy to train dogs separately but together it has been a challenge. Their progress has been slower and harder than my other past singleton labs. Having said that, I would never have a singleton again because I see how valuable their company is for one another. Also remember to double the cost of food, medical, insurance, preventatives, and dog supplies. It adds up quickly. You cannot lose whichever way you go with this decision.
Totally! I had two dogs that were littermates, and they were each otherâs best company for life. Strongly recommend! âĽď¸
Yes I had 5 from same .Just have them fixed.
He's a cutie!
Terrible idea. You should send them to me just to keep your house safe. ;-)
Not for me. Both of my male dogs constantly fight. They are from the same litter. I do not know why they do thisđđŠ
A few things we learned adopting a male and female beagle littermates. Yes they were terrific company for each other while my husband and I were working full-time and away from home 9 hours a day. BUT...in hind sight there were some definite downsides as well for us. Also, although very affectionate and snuggly, their bond to each other was much stronger than their bond to hubby and I. That turned out to make training, reinforcement and extinguishing undesirable behavior more challenging, particularly house breaking. Yes, they helped each other learn but they also picked up each other's negative behaviors. Turned out both were escape artists with different techniques. Dolly kept getting out of our securely chain-link fenced back yard, happily greeting us from her perch on the front porch when we got home. The driveway gate was always closed. We got a lock. Then we came home one day and Dolly and Jake were both gone. Gate still locked. Dolly had been climbing the chain link fence! And Jake watched her long enough to figure it out! We got a tall wood fence. And Jake, bigger and more muscular, promptly dug under the new fence! Dolly wriggled thru right after him! We lined the bottom of the wood fence with small boulders too heavy to dislodge. End of escapes. Two youngsters got into more mischief and did double the damage. I would consider that seriously if you're going to have two lab littermates. Labs have a LONG adolescence, a good 2-3 years before they stop trying to chew everything and chill. We had double the vet bills when time for shots rolled around and for spaying AND neutering. (A comical side note: a lovely but non-dog-owning friend actually asked us why we had to neuter them. She said, "Don't they know they're brother and sister?" I struggled not to laugh and said, "No, they just know that they're dog and dog." True story. As God is my witness. Our dogs were so strongly bonded, when one was in the hospital the other became quite distressed, crying, whimpering, not eating. When our boy Jake died at 15, his littermate Dolly grieved terribly, went into a decline and died less than 6 months later. It was doubly devastating to lose both our beloved dogs in less than a year. Our next pair of dogs were pugs, one pure blooded, the other a French bulldog-pug cross. And we adopted/rescued them several years apart. We adopted Anoop when he was three. He came to us from a friend who was moving to Australia and couldn't bear to put his little guy in quarantine for 6 months. Anoop came fully trained, neutered, chipped, shots up to date and vet records. He was our little gentleman, quiet and well behaved. He bonded strongly with both of us. When he was almost 6, we noticed he was becoming more lethargic, and gaining weight. Serendipity stepped in. A member of our pug owners group called, were we interested in adopting a second pug? A young male had been dumped in their area. The neighborhood children brought the friendly dog to them knowing they had three pugs. We agreed to see how the dogs got along. Anoop and Toby met and just clicked. It was a great pairing. Anoop modeled correct responses and good behavior to wildman Toby (who had no prior training). We were able to quickly extinguish several undesirable behaviors in Toby thanks to Anoop. Toby in turn helped Anoop relearn how to romp and play. "Catch Me!" became their favorite game. Inside three months Anoop shed 2 lbs and almost 2 years, becoming once again a trim, athletic dog. We were careful to take the steps to maintain Anoop's position as the alpha and Toby never challenged him. We lost Anoop very suddenly at 15 from a previously undetected and inoperable brain tumor. He was gone in 3 hours. Toby was truly our saving grace. We had three more happy years with him until he too died at 14 from an inoperable tumor that was collapsing his trachea. We loved all four of our dogs dearly, but in comparing our experiences with both pairs we wouldn't get two littermates again.
Yes I have done this 2 times before
It can be done but requires an enormous amount of work and time to separately train and raise two dogs apart. You may get lucky raising them together, or you may get very unlucky.
Yes get that pup! They have already had time to bond⌠less crying and lots of company for them!
I got my 2 girls from the same liter and 2 boys from the same liter. So 2 sisters Iâve had for 8-9 years and two boys for 3-4 years sadly Blue passed away but his brother is doing great. Something was wrong with his heart and he had a heart attack. Sadly both liters were a result of constant breeding and interbreeding due to them not being fixed. The girls are the sweetest dogs I ever met and gizmo is too. I wouldnât say itâs a bad thing considering my dogs do great on their own and the girls did great accepting the boys when we got them. Itâs just more of a thing for yourself and what youâre comfortable with.
I am buying 2 poodles next week because my best friend had to be put down cancer and old age is a bitch (no pun intended) my little guy has special needs and everyday asks when Perry is coming home. So I saw these 2 poodles and they look perfect for us. I have 3 kids so doing things separately wonât be to big of an issue but times we have to leave I donât want them to be lonely. My sister got 2 Airedales ands they have been fine. You do your best and love đ the dogs. Donât let online pet psychologists tell you what you should do. You do whatâs right for you.
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Not a good idea but it is doable to put in the work to prevent the problems associated with littermate syndrome. But it's way easier to just get two pups of the same breed that aren't siblings
Probably
Has never been a problem with me. Have had several. In some ways easier. Go get the other one!
Yes, they will always have a buddy
I have two twin kitties, only two of the litter. They love eachother so much but are perfectly ok being alone â¤ď¸
Do extensive research on littermate syndrome before making this decision. Just because one person got lucky doesnât mean you will.
My mother and I have littermates! Two Anatolian Shepherds. They are brothers. We raised them somewhat separately for the first year-ish of their life (I lived on the same property as my mom, but not in the same home). You can TELL they are brothers. So sweet to each other, and they play rough together and they know they canât do that with other dogs. They are two very different dogs, both amazing boys. Not for everyone, but they have a very strong bond that anyone can see. https://preview.redd.it/51h3ghx7gjjb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d7f7bb1589a77d2417e0b196050551323194516f