I have a 2 year old German Shpherd. I'm thinking of buyin another pup, and was wondering if they wud get along

Question

the puppy i'm going to buy is also a german shepherd. Both are males. Do you think they would get along? or would they fight. I have a doberman and it fights with the GSD although they grew up together. They are seperated now. I'm going to keep the new GSD puppy with the 2 yr old one.

Please let me know soon. Im planning on buying the pup in about another 3 weeks.

Thanks

Answer 1

Even if they get along at first when the pup reaches maturity it may well change. 2 unfixed male dogs in the same house can work but it is based on BOTH of the dogs personalities at maturity. Odds are your current 2 got along well for a while but as they got older the hormones kick in. Male on male aggression is common and while it can be managed the happy home life of both of the dogs lounging around in peaceful bliss is rare. Again it would be totally based on the personalities of both dogs and how well disciplined they are as to whether they choose to get along or can be managed while in your line of sight only. Even fixing one or all of them does not ensure they will not fight. Dominance is less prominent in a fixed dog but still natural as they try to up their posistion within the pack order.

You already know your shepherd will fight, is he or the dobe the obvious aggressor or both? It can work and I have had more than one male at a time myself but again it is more common to find same gender fights. Females and females will fight often doing more damage than male on male.

Puppies have a 'puppy license' of hormones they release until about 4mths old that identifies them as a pup by scent and appeases adult pack members into not being as aggressive. Dont let because they get along the day they meet (especially if its not on your dogs home turf) fool you into thinking they will always get along. There is also not enough age difference by the time the pup reaches maturity for the current 2yr old, sometimes an older male will tolerate a younger if the older male is over 6-8. If your wanting a playmate for your shepherd I would look for a female rather than take the chance. You already know what its like with 2 having to keep them seperate, will your yard/house/lifestyle allow for 3 to be kept apart? Even if you spend time with each someone is getting the short end of the stick by being seperated from you.

I have also had a female GSD that would not get along with any dog close to her size male or female. She would tolerate them as a pup but once they approached her size it became a rivalry. She was a very possisve personality, as far as she was concerned I was HER mom and would eventually get jealous. She did great in public or around other visiting dogs.

Answer 2

I have a three year old spayed GSD female and we just got a male GSD pup about four months ago. I did have a female basset that passed away before the pup arrived. The basset was female and as many people know, two females have a difficult time getting along sometimes. The pup we brought home is male. We haven't had any type of aggression or jealousy issues since getting him. The female treats him like her pup. They rough house and stuff, but no true aggressive behavior. My older dog loves the company and likes having someone her size she can play with. I guess my only suggestion would be to get a male dog if your other dog is female or vice versa. This will help alleviate the tension created by two same gender dogs fighting for their place in the pack.

Answer 3

Are the males neutered? That may be the whole problem. Before you get the new puppy I would hire a behavorist to deal with the issue between your adult GSD and the doberman - it sounds like you are not the pack leader in the house - they shouldn't fight if you tell them to stop.

It would really be hard on you to try to keep three dogs seperate in the same house and it's not good for these dogs either - the seperation from humans and being cooped up isn't good for the psychy of these very powerful breeds.

You cannot count on the fact that the older dog will accept the new puppy.

Answer 4

we just got a 2nd puppy in our house and I had the same questions before. I did a lot of research on our current dogs breed and tempermant (she is a staffordshire terrier mix) I went to various different websites to look for information on how to get a second dog that would get along. I would research about german shepards before getting another one. Some good sites include www.petfinder.com and www.aspca.com Also watch the Dog Whisperer and Animal Heros. If you need more help contact a local trainer, you can probably find one at your local ASPCA.

Answer 5

Introduce them first to see. But, usually, male dogs prefer to have females around them and females prefer male. Otherwise, there tends to be constant dominance issues- just like you have had with the doberman and the GSD.

Answer 6

Its not advised to have 2 males, as its more likely they'll fight, especially if the male gsd isn't neutered.

If it isn't and you have no intention of doing so, be on the safe side and get a female, then neuter the female to avoid puppies.

Answer 7

Female labs are 55-70 pounds and 21-24 inches tall. Males labs are 65-80 pounds and 22-25 inches tall.

Answer 8

They should get along. Let them meet the first time on "neutral ground" a park, friend's house, not where they will live together. This should prevent territorial issues for them to meet neutrally and become acquainted.

congrats. good luck

Answer 9

if they are neutered it shouldnt be a problem but some dogs are more dominant than others so it depends...YOU must make sure YOU are the dominant dog...

the biggest problem will be FEEDING - since pups require puppy food for up to 18 months (large breeds) and adults need adult food.. how will you feed them seperately?

Answer 10

I had the same situation years ago. Both Shepards and both males, they got along very well. Seems the older one thought he was the "brother".