# Do puppies remember their siblings?



## 1fastRN (Sep 28, 2015)

No, I'm not talking about daydreaming about their families ... but would a puppy recognize their litter mate after a few years? I've read opinions that vary. 

I ask because I have a pup that I adopted at 3 months old. My friend may be adopting her sister soon! The pups are coming up on 5 months old. If he ends up with the puppy, do you think they'd remember each other after 2 months apart? 

Either way, there is going to be a reunion and I'm sure the pups will be happy just to see another playmate. Any experience with this?


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

No. Mine didn't after just a few short months.


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## 1fastRN (Sep 28, 2015)

I wrote years in my first post, I meant months. Whoops. 

Jax, that was what I was leaning towards, but I'm sure they'll be happy just to meet a new pal. Cute pup, btw!


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

I don't know if Russell recognizes Ava and Birdie (his littermates) after not being around them for months, but he also doesn't have any problem getting along with them when he sees them.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

I wonder if it depends how soon they leave the littermates?

The reason I ask is that we had one litter in rescue that the young dam birthed in a public shelter before we pulled them. They were all in a foster home until 10-12 weeks old (a little longer than would be usual from a breeder). Post-adoption, several of the adopters connected through the rescue's FB page. Two had their first play date about a 6 months after adoption, and another one plus the mama joined the first two the next time, about 8 months after adoption. Everyone who was there thought they all recognized each other -- super-happy and excited greetings. They all still had the same play style too -- that seems to have imprinted from mama very early.


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

My L litter only had 2 female pups....every 3 or 4 months, we have gotten them together with their mother - twice at the home where L'Sabre lives, and 2 or 3 times now where they were born and raised. Lucca visits "home" every couple of weeks, and will go on "sleepovers" with her mom....they get along great....the dogs know each other even if they are apart 3 or 4 months. The first time L'Sabre came "home" she knew just where the water bowl was, where the dog door in the lower level was - she was very at home. We all spent Thanksgiving together and will do Christmas as well.

Lee


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## cdwoodcox (Jul 4, 2015)

we took rosko back to his parents home after 2 1/2 months away. The mother seemed interested in him. As for the father and one brother who were still there nothing. What I found most interesting was how rosko greeted the owners. He acted like he does when me or my wife come home. Minus the running to them part. But once they approached him he was super excited to see them. It didn't hurt that they shared the same enthusiasm towards him.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Definitely yes! I have seen pups from different litters going nuts when seeing their litter mate after a year. Two were males even.


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## Longfisher (Feb 28, 2013)

Perhaps. That's why the fight.

LF


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

wolfstraum said:


> My L litter only had 2 female pups....every 3 or 4 months, we have gotten them together with their mother - twice at the home where L'Sabre lives, and 2 or 3 times now where they were born and raised. Lucca visits "home" every couple of weeks, and will go on "sleepovers" with her mom....they get along great....the dogs know each other even if they are apart 3 or 4 months. The first time L'Sabre came "home" she knew just where the water bowl was, where the dog door in the lower level was - she was very at home. We all spent Thanksgiving together and will do Christmas as well.
> 
> Lee


This has been the situation with Russell and 2 of his littermates. Russ will visit his breeder, and sometimes one of the girls will come out to visit too. We've been doing this since the puppies went to their homes. It's nice to get to know his littermates. Ava is a serious girl like her mother (my Carly) and does SAR. Birdie and Russell are the wild children of the bunch, LOL.


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## Chai (Dec 11, 2014)

All I know is that when I go to the GSD club, Tchai and 2 of his brothers beeline for each other, they did that the first time at 6 months old after 4 months of being apart. He's the same for a female that was from the same kennel but of another litter of different parents. They were a couple weeks apart but raised in the same home.


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

You would think that from puppy to adult, their scent certainly changes. But, I have seen with my own eyes, related dogs that haven't been together for years, have some form of recognition.

Heck, it may be good or bad. Like - I never liked you as a puppy and now I'm big enough to let you know.... or gosh, I just can't stop smelling your scent - you are bringing some very good memories for me but I just can' place you...."

I think for dogs - it is a faint memory/experience driven thing, but it's there....


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## Muskeg (Jun 15, 2012)

I saw this recently. Mom and sister remembered well their son/brother after over a year. Which was a good thing. Brother-brother recognition didn't go well at all. But, yes, they certainly remember each other, at least these guys did after a year apart. Probably depends partly on when they were separated and how much time they spent together prior to separation.


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## WateryTart (Sep 25, 2013)

I don't know. I never met my pup's parents or littermates. She does recognize a playmate she's known from baby puppyhood. They were in their first puppy class together at 10 weeks and did basic together as well. But that's not really the same thing.

Said playmate also had her sister in puppy class with us, and those two definitely recognized each other - but they'd been separated a mere 2 weeks earlier by the time the class started.


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