If you’ve ever seen two fluffy puppies curled up together, it’s very easy to imagine how lovely life with littermates could be. Double the cuteness, built-in company, and the idea that they’ll keep each other entertained — it’s a tempting thought!

And while some littermates do grow up to be happy, confident dogs, in many cases it makes early training and healthy development much more challenging.

So I wanted to share why, in most situations, I don’t recommend getting littermates.

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🤍 It’s Not About Judgement

If you already have littermates — you’re not doing anything “wrong”. Lots of people choose it with the very best intentions and love their dogs dearly. This isn’t about criticism — it’s about awareness and setting dogs (and humans!) up for success.

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🧠 Why Littermates Can Be a Challenge

1️⃣ They often bond more with each other than with you

Puppies naturally look to one another for comfort and guidance. When they live and grow together, they often form such a strong attachment that they struggle to look to their humans instead.

That can make training and building a good relationship much harder.

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2️⃣ Separation can be stressful

Many littermates panic when the other isn’t there — even for short periods.
Things like:

• vet visits
• individual walks
• training sessions
• being in different rooms

…can feel overwhelming for them. That’s a big emotional burden for both puppies and owners.

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3️⃣ It’s not double the work — it’s more like triple

To raise confident, independent dogs, you need to:

• Train them separately
• Socialise them separately
• Walk them separately
• Do one-to-one time with both

That’s a huge time commitment, especially during the early months.

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4️⃣ Personalities develop differently

Just like human siblings, puppies have their own personalities. One may be bolder, one more sensitive. When raised together, the confident pup often makes choices for both — and the quieter pup may struggle to develop independence.

Separate experiences help each dog learn who they are without relying on the other for guidance.

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✅ A Better Option if You Want Two Dogs

If you’d love a multi-dog household (and many people do!), a great approach is:

🚼 Bring home one puppy
🧠 Train and raise them
🌱 Build independence and confidence
⏳ Wait until they’re older and settled
🐶 Then add a second dog later

This way both dogs get the strong foundation they need — and you get to build a wonderful bond with each one.

Your future self will thank you!

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💬 Final Thoughts

Choosing to bring a dog into your home is a big decision, and wanting two isn’t a bad thing at all. Littermates can work out — but they do bring extra challenges, and it’s important to go in with the full picture.

When in doubt, one puppy at a time tends to lead to calmer homes, stronger bonds and two confident, happy dogs in the long run 💛🐾