Littermate Syndrome

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Submit Enrollment Inquiry Littermate Syndrome: Signs, Treatment, and a Training Plan for Two Dogs

If your two puppies or young dogs are fighting, becoming overly dependent, or struggling when separated, you are not alone. This page explains what littermate syndrome is, what to do next, and how our two-dog treatment program works.

We help families reduce conflict, improve safety, and build calmer routines through structured training and clear at-home handling.

Quick Answers

What is littermate syndrome? A set of behavioral problems that can develop when two puppies of similar age are raised together and bond more to each other than to people.
Can littermate syndrome be cured? Many families see major improvement with consistent separation routines, structured training, and guided reintroduction. Results depend on severity, age, and follow-through.
Why are my littermates fighting? As puppies mature, competition, fear, and poor coping skills can trigger conflict, especially if the dogs rely on each other and do not develop independently.
What should I do today? Separate when unsupervised, stop free access together, and start structured individual time. If fights are escalating, get professional help quickly.

What is Littermate Syndrome?

Littermate syndrome (sometimes called littermate aggression or sibling aggression) is a term trainers use to describe behavior issues that can develop when two puppies of similar age are raised together in the same home. Problems often show up as the dogs mature and can include over-dependence, separation distress, reduced focus on people, and escalating conflict between the dogs.

Signs of Littermate Syndrome

One dog becomes shy, withdrawn, or overly reliant on the other
One dog becomes controlling, pushy, or reactive
Both dogs struggle to relax when separated
The dogs ignore people or have trouble training individually
Play escalates into growling, guarding, or sudden fights
Fights increase as the dogs reach social maturity

Can littermate syndrome be cured?

Many dogs improve significantly with consistent separation routines, structured individual training, and careful reintroduction. Outcomes depend on the dogs’ age, the severity of conflict, and whether the home plan is followed consistently.

What to do at home right now

If conflict is increasing, the goal is safety first, then rebuilding independence and calm behavior.

Separate the dogs when you cannot supervise closely
Feed separately and remove high-value items when together
Give each dog daily one-on-one training and handling time
Walk and train separately to build confidence and focus on people
Reintroduce together time only in structured, calm settings
If fights are frequent, intense, or causing injury, get professional help quickly

Littermate Syndrome Treatment Program for 2 dogs

This program is designed for two dogs raised together, including siblings and dogs close in age. It is built to reduce conflict, strengthen independence, and create calmer routines at home.

Our Littermate Syndrome Treatment Plan combines our proven, all-natural, and scientifically grounded Pack Dynamic Training Method with our Pack Cohesion Therapy Plan. These two approaches work in powerful synergy and have consistently shown strong results when applied together in this specialized program.

In truth, we’ve successfully handled numerous Littermate Syndrome cases each year—even without formally advertising a dedicated service.

Enrollment in our Littermate Syndrome Treatment Program requires a long-term commitment to working closely with our team—and, more importantly, a willingness to make meaningful changes at home. This level of dedication is essential for achieving success, allowing both sibling-mates not just to survive—but to truly thrive.

Designed for two puppies or young dogs raised together, including littermates or similar-age dogs
Addresses conflict, over-dependence, separation distress, and escalating aggression
Includes two board and train stays and up to three in-home sessions, based on your plan
tep-by-step home handling plan and structured reintroduction process
Ongoing support after the program
Rates vary by service area

Treatment plan details and parameters

Dog 1 completes a 45-day board and train program, followed by Re-Home Session 1.
After Re-Home Session 1, Dog 2 begins a 45-day board and train program.
When Dog 2 completes training, both dogs begin up to four weeks of structured cohesion work together.
After the together phase, we return both dogs home and complete Re-Home Session 2, up to three hours.
Follow-up sessions are scheduled as needed.

Total duration is up to 120 days, including 45 days per dog plus up to 28 days together.

Get a Quote and start Enrollment

Littermate Syndrome - A Trainer's Perspective

Getting two dogs at the same time may seem like a great idea. Dogs are social animals, and a single dog left alone all day can become anxious or turn to destructive behavior. Two puppies, in theory, can keep each other company and stay entertained. So what’s the problem with bringing home two puppies at once?

As professional trainers, we strongly recommend against bringing home two puppies of similar age—especially from the same litter. While the idea may sound practical, in reality, it often leads to heartache, frustration, and in many cases, serious behavioral or aggression issues.

Beyond the obvious challenges—double the food and vet bills, and twice the effort in house training—there’s a much deeper developmental concern. A puppy’s brain continues to grow and mature until sexual maturity (and even a bit beyond), and credible research shows that raising two puppies together can prevent one or both from reaching their full behavioral potential.

One of the most revealing studies on this issue comes from a surprising but highly credible source: Guide Dog Organizations.

In an effort to increase their training output, one organization tested placing two puppies in the same foster home. Since their puppies are behaviorally screened and tracked from birth, it offered a unique opportunity to study long-term outcomes.

What they discovered was startling:

Placing two puppies in the same household consistently caused at least one to become temperamentally unsuitable for guide work—even when both started as ideal candidates.

Why? Because the puppies bonded too deeply to each other. One would inevitably become shy, even if both started out confident. This level of dependence prevented proper social and emotional development. The problem was so severe, the experiment was abandoned—and to this day, Guide Dog Organizations only place one puppy per home, no matter how experienced the foster family.

Other serious and heartbreaking effects of Littermate Syndrome:

One puppy becomes increasingly shy, withdrawn, and underdeveloped.
The “bold” puppy may become anxious or insecure when separated.
Both dogs may develop extreme co-dependence, showing high anxiety when apart.
The puppies often fail to bond properly with their human family.
As they reach social maturity, serious and sometimes violent fighting can occur.

It’s important to note that Littermate Syndrome can also occur in non-sibling puppies raised together if they are too close in age.

That’s why most professionals advise not to adopt two puppies within six months of each other. The behavioral risks are just too high—even before considering the added cost, time, and training effort.

Can littermate syndrome be prevented?

In theory, yes—but in practice, it’s extremely difficult. Even highly experienced guide dog trainers weren’t able to consistently prevent it.

At a bare minimum, the two puppies would need to be crated, trained, walked, and socialized completely separately. They would need more time individually with their human caretakers than they have with each other—defeating the purpose of getting two for companionship.

Bottom Line: Puppies thrive when raised individually. If you want multiple dogs, consider adopting one puppy now and another after the first is fully developed. Alternatively, consider adding an adult dog instead.

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Frequently asked questions

At what age does littermate syndrome start?

Some signs appear early, but many cases become more obvious as the dogs mature and conflict increases.

Why are my littermates suddenly fighting?

As dogs mature, competition and stress can rise. If the dogs have not developed independent coping skills, conflict can escalate quickly.

Should I separate littermates?

Separation for rest, training, feeding, and structured routines is often a key part of improvement and safety.

Should I rehome one of the dogs?

In severe cases with ongoing injuries or unsafe conflict, rehoming may be the safest choice. A professional assessment helps families make the right call.

How do I stop littermate aggression at home?

Stop unsupervised time together, separate valuable resources, train individually, and reintroduce only in structured settings. If fights are frequent or severe, get help quickly.

Enrollment Policies & Requirements *Exact Rates by Service Area

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The Leader-Follower Bond

The Leader-Follower Bond (Nature vs. Nurture)

A dog’s ability and readiness to properly meet the demands of domestic life is only half provided by its biological predisposition (Nature) – the other half is realized by the effects of socialization and training (Nurture). Without the guidance of a calm, assertive and effective Leader, a dog’s social adjustment and ability to respond well to an owner may suffer irreparable damage.

A calm, consistent and assertive owner can assist in guiding a dog’s choices until it is properly socialized and trained to make the correct and “balanced” choices on its own. In order to accept our Leadership, a dog must adopt a submissive and cooperative attitude at a very early stage of development and remain that way for the rest of its life.

In order to obtain true Leadership status, one must establish social limits (e.g. not permitting dogs to jump up, bite hands (mouthing), not pull on leash, etc.), maintain personal space limits, and develop a cooperative relationship based on gentle and positive compliance training and be able to apply corrective measures when necessary. As a result of these efforts, the dog will naturally become increasingly affectionate and cooperative.

Once basic social boundaries are established, other behavioral objectives are rapidly achieved by presenting or omitting rewards, such as affection, food, play and other activities or resources that the dog may desire to obtain.

(excerpt from the Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training-Vol II; Steven R. Lindsay)

Littermate Syndrome Treatment Program Rate Zones

Zone 1: Providence RI to New London CT

Starting Rate: $7500.00

The Exact Rate will be determined after review of your Enrollment Inquiry

Zone 2: Hartford CT to Boston MA

Starting Rate: $8500.00

The Exact Rate will be determined after review of your Enrollment Inquiry

Zone 3: New York City to Northern MA

Exact Rate: $9500.00

The Exact Rate will be determined after review of your Enrollment Inquiry

Zone 4: New Jersey, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine

Exact Rate: $9950.00

The Exact Rate will be determined after review of your Enrollment Inquiry

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