Months after welcoming a new puppy, a family found themselves facing an unexpected choice involving his littermate.
A family first welcomed home an 8-week-old Rottweiler named Stitch, adopting him directly from the owner of the puppy’s mother, the owner told Newsweek via Instagram. They quickly fell in love with him, and as he settled in, they believed their journey ended with one adoption.
Then, four months later, they heard the puppy’s littermate was in trouble when his owner no longer wanted him. Knowing his brother needed saving, they immediately stepped in to save him before he ended up in an animal shelter.
In this week’s TikTok video posted to the account @rottienamed_stitc, the owner picked up the second dog, Lilo, and drove him back to live with his brother and them forever. But for Lilo, his life turned upside down. He sat in the car with his head down, stressed and confused, unaware he was about to be reunited with his brother.
However, the pup’s stress and anxiety spilled over into the reunion. Lilo took a few days to feel comfortable around Stitch, as even playing with him felt overwhelming.
Dogs adopted from the same litter can sometimes lead to issues, often referred to as littermate syndrome. Those raising littermates together may become overly dependent on each other, potentially leading to behavioral problems, according to an American Kennel Club article.
The family knew he just needed time to settle in because now the two dogs are inseparable.
“Now I have a real-life Lilo and Stitch at home,” the owner said.
With over 389,000 views and 12,600 likes as of Friday, TikTok users celebrated the reunion, flooding the comments with praise and requests for more videos of the brothers together, especially when they first met, but the owner said she focused on a proper introduction rather than keeping her camera out.
“Awww, thank you for saving him. Rottweilers are the BEST,” said a viewer.
A second person commented: “Aw, what a lovely story. I’m so glad how it turned out.”
Another wrote: “Means you’ll be perfecting the art of the dual cuddle with two Rotties in the house.”
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