50 Dogs Who Had Their Perfect Lives Ruined After Their Owners Got Them A Younger Sibling

Humans and dogs are best friends for a reason—we are all too similar. Both we and our pet puppies often struggle with sibling rivalry. For dogs, though, it may be for many reasons, from territory to personality. But the most important territory for any pet is their owner. And the access to your attention can be a biggie.

Bored Panda contacted Ryan Neile, the head of animal behavior at Blue Cross, to find out why some dog siblings don’t get along that well. It turns out, just like human families, "sibling dogs don’t always get along.”

The reason is partly that these family pets do crave their owner’s attention and love the company of their humans. Ryan explained: “Puppies may compete with each other for anything they consider to be important so try and make sure the needs of all dogs in the household are all treated equally—it’s fun to share play, games, and training with all the family to make sure no one is getting left out.”

Most of the sibling rivalry is, contrary to what we think, very subtle. “Owners may not understand the puppy’s paw placed on top of a toy—or your foot—that claims ownership,” writes dog behavior expert Amy in a piece for The Spruce Pets. She reminds us that “the world of dogs is not a democracy.” And this mean there’s likely to be a pet that comes out on top and “the winner may be different from room to room.”

If you’re thinking of introducing a new dog to the household, make sure you do it carefully. “If you have an older dog and are getting a new puppy, it is important to make sure your existing dog isn’t getting tired out or bothered by a super active young puppy,” warns Ryan. It’s up to owners to keep an eye on play and make sure if play gets too excitable, it’s time out. “Excitement and high stimulation can sometimes turn when one dog gets fed up.”