19 Dec Adopting Littermates: best friends or sibling rivalry?

Littermates, when they are young, seem to love playtime, and sometimes littermates do well together all their lives. But often, as they mature, they change. I rarely will adopt littermates out together. They either become too dependent or bonded too tightly, loosening the human bond, or they hate each other at some point and fight and have to be separated. I have had to do that for people many times. So if you have littermate pups, socialize them now with lots of play dates, and hope they stay that way. Often, if littermates end up not being good with each other at some point, they will still be fine with another dog. Just another one of their quirks? Probably.

A JCLDR adoptee, Fancy, and her litter of pups in 2016

Littermates, if they are adopted out together, are bonded so tightly that if one dies the other dies shortly thereafter. Especially as they get older, since they are the same age. When one goes, the other often goes right behind it.

If littermates are placed together, we find that it is most successful to keep a male and a female with complementary temperaments and traits. Example: Male run easy loving to play, with a female who is more tenacious, and possibly more dominant and bossy. Just because littermates are family, does not guarantee they will live their lives out together in harmony. It is nicer to have a couple of years of age difference between dogs that are to be dog friends in a household as well. Example: a puppy paired with a year to two-year-old friend. A puppy with a senior dog can work, but sometimes a rambunctious puppy is too much for a senior.

We try to match the dogs. It depends on the dog. This is what rescue does with screening. We ask a lot of questions so we can match a new dog into a home. Kind generally needs kind, but some dogs will end up being “only ” dogs and do best that way. Some need other dogs to thrive and grow. Some older dogs teach younger ones. Some have no patience for them.