Sibling Rivalry

By Mickey Zeldes

Sibling rivalry – ugh!  If you’ve ever been on a road trip with children you know what I mean.  Bickering and fighting are a way of life between most siblings, at least while they are young.  Dog littermates can have sibling rivalry too - did you know that? And when dogs fight it not only sounds horrible, they can cause real damage to each other.

We recently had two lab-mix sisters surrendered to the shelter because of their fighting.  They were 3-1/2 years old and the fighting had become increasingly more severe.  In the most recent fight they both inflicted and received multiple puncture wounds and lacerations.  With young children in the home the situation became untenable and the parents surrendered both dogs.  Unfortunately, once the fighting has escalated to the point of drawing blood the dogs are not safe to re-home.  Dog-to-dog aggression does not necessarily translate to aggression towards humans, (they have very different triggers) they had learned to overcome their bite inhibition and that can be risky.  Although there was much the parents could have done to manage the tension better before it got to that point, the blame really belongs to the person who sold them two puppies from the same litter.

We know that the odds are high with sibling adoptions that there will be future problems. That’s one of the reasons that responsible breeders won’t sell a pair of puppies to the same home.  We also follow that policy, even though we are anxious to find homes for our pups.  Not that there is anything wrong with a multiple dog family – we’re all in favor of that!  Some of the other problems that occur are that the dogs bond heavily with each other and if you’re not super conscious of this, they don’t bond as much with people.  Many people see this problem when the dogs act up if out of sight of each other for even a short time.  This is an unhealthy relationship and can cause many problems down the road if the dogs ever need to be kept apart for medical or other behavioral reasons. 

It is very difficult to train two puppies at once and give each their fair share of attention and supervision.  Since two pups play so much together, there is less urgency on the part of the pet parents to give them exercise and they are often left to their own devices to play and tire each other out.  A much better way to go is to get one pup, give him the training and attention he needs to become a great pet and when he is about a year old get a second dog/pup to be his friend.  Because the first dog is already trained he can help the new pup learn how to behave.  A definite plus!  If you are thinking of adding a new pup to your household, don’t be talked into doubling your fun and taking two – it will backfire on you in ways you can’t begin to imagine.

Upcoming events:  Summer camp registration has begun!  Fun for kids going into grades 3 through 8.  For more information check our website (www.rpanimalshelter.org) or stop by the shelter.
Meet the Bunny – Saturday, May 10, 1-5:00 at the RP Animal Shelter.  Come meet adoptable bunnies and learn about their care!  Bring your rabbit by for a free nail trim (in a carrier please!).