New puppies

[Deadringer]

Hi all, we had to get our old boy put down 3 years ago and got some great advice on here. We feel ready for another dog now and have signed up to a rescue and have been homechecked successfully, all good. The rescue urgently needed a foster home for 2 siblings, 8 weeks old, a boy and girl and we took them hoping to adopt one of them. Anyway we have fallen in love with both of them, they are fantastic little pups, we don't know if we will be lucky enough to adopt either of them, but just in case, does anyone have any experience of littermate syndrome? Can it be avoided with seperate training regimes, seperate walks etc? Tia

There was 9 puppies in the litter so they had to find a number of foster homes very quickly on a weekend, seemingly they foster in pairs until they find permanent homes. They seem to rehome them at about 10 weeks so we should know quite soon hopefully.

How long have they been with you?

I don’t have too much to add other than sympathy - they look very sweet and your questions are perfectly natural and you’re doing a lovely thing by fostering them together at the moment.

But yes, keep one and let someone equally loving take the litter mate and you’ll have done a wonderful job. It is a ‘thing’ unfortunately but hopefully you’ll have a wonderful puppy out of it and so will someone else. Worth asking about it, if just to be sure.

Could be some collie in there

They have been with us just a week, though it feels like they have always lived here. Oooh collie, that's interesting, hadn't considered that.

I've had a lot of collies long , short hair and in-between,none looked anything like your pair..

Friends of mine got 2 siblings. They had never heard of littermate syndrome and it hasn't affected their dogs, who are now 5.

This is like saying 'my dad smoked for 50 years and never got lung cancer'

Yeah, that's extremely lucky but it doesn't mean it's not a huge risk and should be avoided.

unfortunately it is a huge thing, and you’ll find that ethical breeders who are into showing etc will only have a “pick of a litter” and keep one singular puppy, because of the fact even the most educated in dogs/showing/training can have puppies who end up with littermate syndrome and anybody who sells their puppies by their pair to anybody who comes forward is a blaring red flag.

1 puppy is hard enough to train, socialise, groom/insurance costs, food costs, if you want to go away you have kennelling costs that’s all doubled with two puppies especially not knowing what they are their heritage could be so mixed they could end up being high energy and needing more working stimulation/longer walks etc which is a lot to put a family through. When littermate syndrome goes bad you have two stressed, angry dogs who will fight and fight badly at that - I knew a pair once where one had to have his ear stitched back together and we had to do imaging for any internal injuries due to the severe puncture wounds that were inflicted. Completely not worth the risk in my opinion, OP if it helps you feel any better although all puppies are cute, it’s because of that puppies get adopted via rescue all the time and you’ve given them a good safe foster foundation until little one goes and gives another family a lot of joy and good memories! X

Thanks all for the advice. We are keeping the little girl, will be sad to see her brother go but that's how it has to be. Rescue have confirmed that it's one only but the decision was made anyway. I am sure I will be on again for more dvice, it's nearly 20 years since we had a puppy.

This is her.

Ah, she looks very sweet. Well done for doing such a wonderful thing. I hope her brother finds a lovely home.
Enjoy 🥰

Excellent decision. She's adorable.

Have you chosen a name?

Huge debate in house over name. Contenders are, Gracie, Rosie, or Layla.

I have a Rosie! It's a cute name.Like the others though too. She's a very pretty girl, I'm sure you'll have the best life with her. So lovely.

So cute