Will Retired Reunited Siblings Get Along?

[Guest mb1099]

Has anyone adopted a sibling to add with another? Will they remember each other and adjust to living together. Ours is a 3 yr old male and his sibling is female. What is to be expected. Thanks

[rascalsmom]

I have two littermates, sisters. Yes, they did seem to remember one another, and yes, they get along famously. I found out later on that they had been inseparable as pups.

 

This doesn't mean that ALL sibs will get along. It depends on the particular dogs. There are a lot of people here who have siblings, so I'm sure you'll get lots of responses.

[Aerosmom]

I had reunited littermates, Cricket and Snickers -- both have gone on to the bridge. I'm not sure if they remembered each other initially but they got along really well.

 

I'd ask a moderator to see if you can post this in everything else greyhound or training and behavior -- you might get more responses.

[TheFullHouse]

It depends on whether or not they raced at the same track and were housed in the same kennel. All of my sets of siblings raced at the same track and were in the same kennel and they all have a very close bond with their litter mates. All of my sets recognized each other immediately upon being reunited and still today it's like I have 3 different packs because they will separate themselves according to "families" to play. I love having litter mates.

[Guest mb1099]

The littermates raced at the same track until he retired. The female is still racing at a different track. I feel they would be great together if I'm able to adopt the one still racing. The are almost identical.

[galgrey]

My friend, Totty, that lives only a few miles from me has Joy, littermate to my Princess. I have to admit we were a little disappointed that they don't seem any more interested in each other any other dog they encounter. They are both way more interested in capturing the full attention of any human they meet.

 

Heather (GreysAndMoreGreys) says they are both such divas they can't bear to share attention and still have a bit of old sibling rivalry going on.

[grey14me]

not necessarily. they may act like they've never seen each other before and they may even dislike each other...just like any other two dogs meeting.

[Guest MZH]

I know of two AKC greyhound sisters who hated each other. They lived in the same house and had to be separated all their lives. I think most sibs are likelier to get along though. When they don't get along it might be an alpha thing or something of that nature.

 

Marcia in SC

[Jiffer]

angel Icarus, Atlas and Orion are all siblings. They all ended up racing at the same track, but as puppies were split when they started schooling.

 

Icarus and Atlas had a bond that I have not seen in any other of my pack members. They were always together. So much so, that when Icarus passed, I worried about how Atlas would cope.

Orion is the odd man out. He definitely prefers to play and romp with his littermates, but he doesn't have the same attachment to any of the pack members.

[Sighthounds4me]

Though they are not Greyhounds, my boys are litter-brothers. They were separated when they were about a year old (around the same time as racing Grey pups would be separated). Manero went to a home (and was later returned to the breeder), and Cooper stayed with the breeder for a couple more months, till he came to us.

 

They were reunited when Manero came to us just a week after turning 2. They did not seem to recognize each other, but got along fine, even though their personalities are quite different.

 

But it really depends on how well the dogs are with each other. It's not automatic that they will get along just because they are from the same litter. But if they raced from the same kennel, and knew each other before, it's a good possibility.

[Guest rosebudd]

I also have litter mates. At first Claire was a little unsure but they are inseparable now. Claire is constantly snuggling up to Leo and in public she is nervous but if he is there she feels better.

[Guest JasnJack]

My Jasmine came up on the trailer with her littermate. I was told that they had to separate them because they didn't get along at all. I heard it was my girl that had the attitude Jazzie's sister seemed like a real sweetie - she tried to lick my face off through her muzzle, so I tend to believe it was not her that started the squabbles! But she's just fine with Jack, who came to live with us a week later.

[Guest Annie]

I have littermates Breezy and Canyon. They came to me 3 years apart and didn't seem to recognize each other. A day or 2 later, Canyon saw Breezy curled up on one of the beds... she had left a bit of space to one side...

 

 

[Guest wmlcml6]

I wouldn't put a few of our littermates together in a home ... but MOST of them do enjoy each other's company.

As the others have said, sometimes it is just like two dogs meeting for the first time and others you know right away they remember each other.

[Guest snakes]

I have two littermates. Now they were kenneled together. When they reunited there really wasn't any like or dislike or recognition (or not). It was a sort of "oh you again" meeting

In the home they get along fine, no problems, aside from looking like each other i don't notice a lot of 'sibling' bond.

However, saying that, the one difference i do see is that they will lay practically on top of each other and neither flinches (i am glad i wasn't in their momma's belly with them!). Of course i have one male and one female and i think that makes a bigger difference than anything given my past experiences with fosters.

 

[Guest PhillyPups]

As said before, depends on the littermates, I had one hound that her breeder told me he had to separate her from her littermates as a pup due to her food aggression, she got along with my other hounds (non-littermates) when in my home. But then, I don't get along with all of my "littermates" either.

Edited June 16, 2008 by PhillyPups

[Guest GreytgroupLeader]

I adopted Duncan four months before adopting his brother Slim. When I brought Slim home there was a definite bond immediately. For eight and a half years the brothers were inseparable. Sadly, I lost Duncan to liver cancer and within a week and a half I lost Slim to cancer. Slim just didn't want to fight the disease once his brother was gone.

[Guest DoofBert]

Sir D and Bert were separated for about 18 months, and yes they did remember each other. They were very different personalities, but enjoyed common traits. They would get into trouble together... that's how I came up with my GT name -- Doofbert -- cause I knew it was probably one or other running down the hall to get into something!

 

The boyz didn't cuddle, nor did they share the same bed/mat. However, Tania and Tavis, separated for 9 months or so, will cuddle and move in unison.

[Guest Stretchy]

My littermates were apart for about 18 months before being reunited. It was kind of hard to tell if they really remembered each other or were just happy to have another greyhound to hang out with. However, they clearly get along well together and our Isis does do a good job cleaning out her brother's ears. That is actually something we have never seen another dog do to Stretch.

[Guest giantsfan]

My littermates didn't have any reaction when re-introduced. It wasn't good or bad - so I'm not sure they remembered each other, although they were from the same kennel. Their personalities are very different, but they get along well and you can see some commonalities. I noticed right from the beginning though, like that first night, that they want to always lay or sleep near each other, although they won't share a bed. However, during a recent t-storm, which Tony HATES and Winnie takes in stride, Winnie sat right down on the bed next to her brother as if to say, I'm here..you'll be fine.

[Guest mb1099]

Thanks everyone!!!