Aussies Of Circle H

02/04/2025

Sharing to inform. This doesn’t mean that it will occur, but rather that it could occur.

Understanding Littermate Syndrome in Puppies

Bringing home two puppies from the same litter might seem like a great idea—they’ll have built-in companionship, right? However, many dog owners are unaware of the challenges that come with Littermate Syndrome, a behavioral condition that can develop when sibling puppies are raised together.

What is Littermate Syndrome?

Littermate Syndrome is a set of behavioral issues that arise when two puppies from the same litter (or even unrelated puppies of the same age) are raised together. These issues often stem from excessive bonding between the puppies, making it difficult for them to develop independence and proper social skills.

Signs of Littermate Syndrome:

Severe Separation Anxiety: Puppies become highly distressed when separated, making training and socialization more difficult.

Fearfulness: They may become overly reliant on each other, leading to increased anxiety in new situations or around unfamiliar dogs and people.

Difficulty in Training: Since they focus more on each other than their human, training sessions can become ineffective.

Inter-Puppy Aggression: As they grow, fights between littermates can become more intense, sometimes escalating into serious conflicts.

How to Prevent Littermate Syndrome

If you’re raising two puppies together, consider these steps to ensure they grow into well-adjusted, independent dogs:

Separate Training Sessions: Train each puppy individually to ensure they learn to focus on you rather than each other.

Encourage Independence: Allow them to spend time apart daily so they learn to be comfortable alone.

Socialization: Expose each puppy to different people, dogs, and environments separately.

Individual Bonding: Spend one-on-one time with each puppy to strengthen your personal relationship with them.

Should You Get Two Puppies?

While raising two puppies is possible, it requires significant effort and commitment. If you’re considering adopting littermates, be prepared to implement structured training and socialization strategies to prevent Littermate Syndrome.

By understanding and addressing Littermate Syndrome early, you can help your puppies grow into happy, confident, and independent dogs!

08/03/2025

Potty training a litter of puppies can be so challenging and rewarding all at once. I just do the best I can to prepare them for their new homes. I’m a bit behind on mend these from the last litter, but I’m preparing for my current litter. shepherd

04/02/2025

This morning we drove about an hour north to have Skye and Raine’s CAER test completed. This is an OFA test done by a specialist to make sure the girls have healthy eyes. We were walking around outside, waiting their eyes to dilate so that Dr Foss could complete the examination. They both have excellent eyes! shepherd

02/01/2025

This little minimal white baby has grown into a handsome young man who just about to turn ❤️ shepherd

12/05/2024

Part of the program we have for the puppies is introducing them to a crate. Beginning to teach them the crate is their safe place and letting them go in and out at their leisure. shepherd

11/05/2024

We are excited to share that we have added Raine to@our family. Thank you to Michelle Lewis , her breeder, for doing such a great job nurturing this girl the first few weeks of her life💕. shepherd

10/05/2024

What a great training tip!

First of all, please don't SIT on the dog. Learn this easy training tip, get your puppy to lie at your feet with little to no tension on the leash. You'll have an opportunity to catch up on a good book, or some e-mails, while teaching your puppy a valuable lesson.

06/05/2024

We begin to instill this into our puppies during play and feeding time.

Happy Monday! Content to share for training. You can always follow up with your own link to offer the Puppy Guide, too. Sign up to be an affiliate!

If your puppy bolts out into traffic, assess the situation quickly. Calling them might be fatal because you may be asking them to run back into traffic.

If you encounter an aggressive dog, this recall could be great, or it could trigger the aggressive dog to chase (a long down stay might be best in this situation). Again, assess and use your best judgement.

Step it up and practice this command with a long drag line (20 plus feet) and take them out in a high distraction area. When they are not focused on you, call “puppy puppy puppy”. If they don’t come? Reel them in and keep calling them. Remember to only be positive and happy (even if you are frustrated and have to reel them in). Give them lots of praise and a treat when they reach you. Let them go back out and explore and place and repeat a few times. Coming to you should always be positive and safe!

04/05/2024

What not to love about these 4?❤️ shepherd

26/04/2024

These 3 boys are 👁️ 🏠! They are the cutest little guys and are learning how to use the p*e pad and doing well. shepherd

19/04/2024

Without temperament evaluations, here are some tips on what to ask the breeder and what to look for when selecting a breeding prospect.

18/03/2024

At 7 weeks of age our puppies will under go evaluations. These are so helpful in understanding the puppy and their personality.

Do you want to evaluate a litter of puppies with efficiency and accuracy? Are you familiar with the difference between stable and adjustable traits? Enroll in our Puppy Evaluation Course today.