Two of a Kind: Handling the Trouble with Littermates

The last fight had been the worst, requiring surgeries for both dogs, and stitches for two human family members who finally separated them. For two years, tensions had been growing between the two dogs, and the vet bills were also on the rise. Beginning with object guarding and progressing through stiff postures and stalking each other, dirty looks at every opportunity, lunging, snapping, and biting, the trouble had finally resulted in this fourth fight which required two people and 10 minutes to stop. How could two adorable, otherwise sweet Spaniels who had known each other since birth have become such bitter rivals?

The allure of getting two puppies from the same litter creates a huge temptation. Sadly, it is not unusual for littermates within a household to be a source of real difficulty. These problems range from the mild to the heartbreakingly unmanageable. As a result, getting two puppies from the same litter is something to which most trainers and behaviorists are adamantly opposed.

Some littermates are so bonded to each other that it’s hard to get their attention. More worrisome is that littermates are more likely to fight with each other. Often, aggression between littermates does not get serious until they are two years old, so you may not know you’ve got trouble brewing until you’ve had the dogs a long time. While some lucky people with littermates do not have these problems, it’s best to do everything possible to make problems unlikely when getting puppies, and that means not getting littermates.

After years of clinical experience, my concerns about these situations have continued to grow, but I have also become experienced with a broad range of techniques for preventing and managing littermate issues. Since some cases cannot be resolved while the animals share a household, prevention is critical.

To make trouble with littermates less likely, get a male and a female. Littermates, like other dogs, are less likely to fight when they are not the same sex. My experience is that male littermates are more likely to fight than female littermates are, but if the females do fight, their fights are more likely to be serious or even deadly than the males’ fights are.

Spend time alone with each dog to build a strong relationship with each individual.  Besides helping you connect with each dog, this will help your dogs get accustomed to being without each other, so they are not reliant on each other socially. If they have experience being separated, they will not be stressed when they are temporarily apart at the vet, the groomer, in training classes, or in case of an injury that prohibits roughhousing. 

One thing you can do while spending time alone with each dog is work on training, which will make your life and your dogs’ lives more enjoyable because of the increased freedom well-trained dogs can safely enjoy. They need to be trained individually before working on even basic commands around each other because they will be more distracted when they are together. 

Don’t tolerate any fighting or threats and respond immediately if one dog does anything aggressive to the other one. Deep growls, snapping, showing teeth, lunging or fighting are clear indications of trouble. Less obvious behavior that can also suggest a problem includes one dog pushing another aside for access to you, to food, or to toys, guarding food bowls from each other, watching each other warily or with hard stares, or displaying stiff postures around each other. Other signs to watch out for are one dog bullying the other dog by taking away all the toys and bones, one dog preventing the other from moving freely around the house, or one of your dogs slinking around the house.

It is easy to assume that littermates don’t have to socialize with other dogs since they have each other.  Please don’t make this mistake! Raising dog-social dogs involves giving them lots of practice meeting, greeting, and playing with new dogs, not just each other.

Two puppies means twice as much time housetraining, socializing, teaching manners, and grooming, and also twice as much money for the vet, training, toys, food, collars, leashes and licenses. When you go to get your puppy, there is a risk of getting two puppies instead of the one you planned on.  Be firm and strong! Avoid getting talked into two puppies no matter how cute they are, no matter how much they need a home, and no matter how much difficulty you and your family have deciding which puppy to choose. Impulsively bringing home two puppies from the litter doesn’t have a happy ending often enough to justify the risk.

The Spaniels mentioned above were kept separate in their own home in a Berlin Wall style situation until one of the adult children moved to his own place, taking one dog with him. Neither dog has since shown any aggression to any other dog, though they still cannot safely be around each other.

---Karen B. London

Comments

[Casey Butler]

I hace two littermates, girls, labs. They love eachother and us so much. They play however never take it too far. They have never been away from eachother and have and always had the same crate. They walk great together on a leash. They are so loving , lay all over eachother like puppies still. They are five years old. While they were puppies, nothing unusual othee than typical puppy behavior times two. We were very strict with them and they turned out great. I would def do it again.

[kckage]

I have two littermate Chihuahuas however they only see each other on weekends ones mine the other is at my parents. The biggest thing I see is my parents one is super loving and has to be on you all the time and I think is a little bit slow mentality.mine however is alert smart and a little con artist. Their complete opposites but I love them both.

[kirra-lee]

i have a male and a female littermate they are bullmastiff cross blue heeler they have just only turned a year old and they are constantly fighting..

my female is the one that starts the fights and my male always ends up being hurt and has to go to the vet because he is all torn up, but as soon as they have finished fighting they are acting like they hadn't fort at all

how can i stop them from fighting so much or in general? its at the point where i have to get rid of one

[Sara W.]

I have a lot of positive experience with basset hound littermates. One thing that I have grown to appreciate, is that to have them in homes where they get to have frequent visitations, but do not live together, is often an ideal relationship. I have two seven year old intact males that have had a very enriching relationship throughout the years. To live together would be too much, but to get that mutual play time or be able to even spend a few days together has kept their relationship very fresh and continuing in a super way. I also think that all dog relationships can change over time, so it is important when you have two dogs to keep that added extra enrichment and time separate from each other to simply rest and relax. Many dogs can successfully live together in very meaningful family relationships, and through visiting and co-loving, you can have this turn into a lifetime of love for a family.

[Julie Brasseal]

Hello, I have female and male littermate springer/pitbull mix that are 10 years old. They have just in the last 6 months started fighting each other with 4 really bad fights. In the last 10 days, they have started fighting every day. We are at the point that one has to be in a kennel or out side at all times. Even when they are in the same room and one is in the kennel, they will try to fight each other. I read the information that you posted, I see now some of the signs that I could have watched for and may have headed this off, but what can I do now. Can I work with them to get them back together or will they have to live out their life being apart at all times? Before now they could not be with out the other and now it is like they don't know each other. There has always been some aggression with the female and any other days around myself so I have always watched her closely. She did show aggression towards her puppies when they got around 8 weeks old. She did not like me giving them attention. It is more the male now that is giving the problem with the aggression and is starting the fighting. I do feel it is over being jealous of me, but it has gotten to a point where it is anything now.

Is there anything I can do short of getting rid of one dog or keeping them apart? Could one not be healthy?
Julie in Colorado