Adopting Littermates: Vet-Verified Pros & Cons Explained

There are numerous happy homes with families that include multiple dogs. Dogs also are social animals, and many often enjoy living with a canine companion. Therefore, it may seem to make sense to adopt two littermates if you know you want to live with more than one dog.

However, even if this idea has good intentions, it is usually not the best decision for you or the littermates. Raising puppies of the same litter has a unique set of challenges, and providing inadequate care or attention can be extremely detrimental to family dynamics and the dogs’ well-being. Therefore, the decision to adopt littermates must be taken seriously and be done with careful consideration. We’ve listed the advantages and disadvantages of adopting littermates to help you determine if it’s the right choice for you.

Pros of Adopting Littermates

1. Companionship

One of the main benefits of adopting littermates is companionship. The puppies won’t have to worry about being lonely because they’ll almost always be with their littermate. They’ll have a friend that they can grow up with, and most of them will be able to enjoy living with a lifelong companion.

Littermates can develop a strong bond with each other. You usually don’t have to worry about them feeling anxious while you’re away because they can keep each other company.

2. Exercise

There’s really nothing that tires out a puppy quite like another puppy. Puppies have a lot of energy and are often more playful than adult dogs. When you raise littermates, they have the potential to become each other’s best playmates as they’re able to match each other’s energy. You also won’t really have to worry about boredom because the puppies will be able to keep each other entertained. All you have to do is ensure they have a safe space to play and plenty of toys that they can share.

3. Get It All Done at Once

While raising a puppy is rewarding, it’s also known to be a very challenging experience. There are so many things you have to teach a puppy, including housetraining, potty training, and obedience training. Puppies also require a lot of attention and constant supervision.

If you know you want to live with two dogs, adopting littermates can be a quicker way to jump through the hurdles of puppyhood. It’s certainly more challenging raising two puppies at the same time, but at least you’ll get it done all at once.

4. Easier Shopping

Shopping for pet supplies can be extra challenging when you’re living with two dogs in different life stages. You can’t really buy the same food, supplements, and toys. Raising littermates makes shopping much easier as you just have to buy two of the same things. You may even be able to save on costs because it’s easier to find discounts when shopping for the same items, and buying in bulk is often cheaper.

Cons of Adopting Littermates

5. Potentially Overwhelming

Puppyhood cannot be taken lightly. While there are plenty of joyful moments when raising a puppy, puppyhood is also known to be stressful and frustrating at times. Living with a new puppy often requires making significant lifestyle adjustments. One puppy also requires investing a lot of time and energy into providing individual attention, care, and training for healthy growth and development.

If one puppy is a handful, raising two puppies at the same time can quickly become overwhelming. You must be prepared to give adequate individual attention to each puppy.

6. Littermate Syndrome

Littermate syndrome refers to the challenging behaviors that often develop as a result of raising two puppies from the same litter together. There is a lack of scientific studies in this area but anecdotally there are two main patterns that may develop.

The first is that littermates tend to form intense attachments to each other and may have difficulty bonding to human family members. Each puppy requires their own training and socialization experiences to help them develop individuality and independence. Littermates who are raised together are less likely to have individual experiences, which can prevent them from learning to live independently from each other. This can result in anxiety and panic when separated.

Secondly the siblings may develop intense aggression toward one another as they mature, often starting in adolescence. This is more common between two littermates of the same sex.

7. Expensive

There’s no denying that puppies are expensive. The first thing to consider is how you’ll have to buy double the pet supplies all at once. This includes beds, crates, food and water bowls, toys, and dog walking supplies.

Puppies also typically go through a lot of food as they’re growing, and you have to replace old and broken toys more frequently. The cost of veterinary bills adds up quickly and can get quite expensive when you have to pay for multiple puppy vaccines and check-up appointments.

8. Instigating Bad Behavior

When puppies are undergoing house training, they don’t teach each other proper behavior in the home. No puppy is going to teach another puppy how to sit, stay, or go potty outside. If anything, puppies can end up reinforcing bad behavior in each other when left to their own devices. For example, if one puppy has fun chewing on shoes, it’s likely that the other will join them.

Potty training can also be more challenging with littermates. If one puppy develops a habit of peeing in one spot, it’s very likely that their littermate will start peeing in the same area.

9. Spend More Time on Training

In most cases, puppies need individual training sessions. Even though they may be from the same litter, puppies have varying learning speeds. They also tend to distract each other, and it’s difficult to get their attention when they’re together.

Therefore, if you adopt littermates, you must be prepared to spend at least double the amount of time on training. In many cases, a professional dog trainer has to step in to ensure the puppies are learning correctly and not reinforcing bad behavior with each other.

Conclusion

Taking care of just one puppy is often challenging and tiring, so raising two puppies simultaneously can quickly become overwhelming and stressful. Raising littermates isn’t for the faint of heart, and it’s not recommended for beginner dog owners. It’s better to pour your time and attention into one puppy rather than feel stretched thin and provide inadequate care to two puppies.

Therefore, don’t rush to make the decision to bring home two littermates. Adopting littermates requires thoughtful planning and consideration. It’s important to ensure that everyone in the family is cared for and that the puppies can live in a safe and healthy environment that encourages them to grow up to become well-adjusted adult dogs.

Featured Image Credit: Orientgold, Shutterstock