Multi Dog Households
Double the fun, tripple the work.
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Owning more than one dog:
Having two or more dogs share the same home can be challenging and requires clear rules and guidelines to ensure peace and co-habituation.
If left to their own devices, dogs compete over resources like food, toys, space and affection. This constant competition can cause friction and result in one dog missing out, trying to hide or swallow resources, and constantly arguing or fighting with each other.
Young teenage puppies often have a greater tendency to get aggressive due to their internal hormonal changes.
Littermate syndrome
Housing two young puppies from the same or different litter can pose unique challenges. This is often labelled as littermate syndrome. Some of the issues you may encounter are listed below. However, it is essential to note that these issues are noticeable in many multi-dog households, even when the dogs are of different ages.
Some issues you may encounter:
- Separation anxiety when away from each other can manifest as chewing, digging or vocalisations such as whining, howling or barking when separated.
- Competition for attention, food, or other resources. Resulting in licking to annoy, pawing, vocalising, and even growling, & fighting.
- Pulling on a lead when walking together to try and catch up with the other dog or unable to walk calmly when walking together.
- Aggression or fighting, especially during adolescence.
- Resource guarding of food, toys, furniture or owners.
- Difficulty when socialising together, ignoring other dogs and focusing instead on their sibling.
- Difficulty bonding or listening to human handlers during training, focusing instead on their sibling.
The good news is that there are countless success stories of littermates living together with no issues, so with a little mindful training and positive guidance, you should be able to prevent any problems.
Some solutions are:
- Teach the dogs their Name and that only the one whose name is called will get attention or reinforcement.
- Step in and solve disagreements between the pups and teach them to come to you as a mediator.
- Give both pups their personal place to sleep and rest. and somewhere they can go to be alone when they choose.
- Give the puppies some enrichment for a few hours a day away from their sibling.
- Feed the dogs in individual crates or playpens so they do not compete for food.
- Train & Socialise the dogs together and separately.
- Utilise daycares for the dogs on different days so they learn, grow and socialise as individuals.
- Have walks where the dogs start next to each other and then split up, meeting again after a certain distance.
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