I have a questions for those who have had experience with raising two GSD's at the same time. I currently have a great six month old male who is turning out better than I could have ever hoped. Really great dog. I also have been given the opportunity to purchase what I feel is going to be a great pup from a very strong working bloodline. Line bred on Fado, Ory. Strong dogs with clear heads and good drive. To me it's an ideal breeding because it fits my lifestyle - the sire and dam are exactly what I look for in a working dog. But I've never attempted to raise two simultaneously. The puppies will be available in late February. That will put my current guy at around 8 almost 9 months. I'd love to have two males. Is this insane? I'm I asking for trouble? Can two male GSD's coincide and live in harmony? I wouldn't jeopardize the quality of life for either of the dogs for my own selfishness, but really would like to have the other pup as well. My current pup plays really well with other dogs, rough, but all fun and has never shown any signs of dog aggression. However my mother who lives out a ways in the country rescued a puppy about a week ago, maybe - maybe 6/7 weeks old. Someone apparently abandoned it. While she's getting this little mix of a dog back on his feet I decided to visit. I had my pup with me. Of course he barked initially at the puppy and then proceeded to forget about it. But when I would pick it up he would growl at a steady low volume at the puppy. He didn't like me holding it. I corrected him and introduced him as easy as possible so as not to traumatize the little rescue puppy. He calmed down but still seemed uncertain. Which obviously made me question our future situation. I'm not ready to make a decision based on one encounter but it made me think. Long and short of it - Is there anyway to successfully pull off this type of living arrangement? Will it constantly be a battle for pack supremacy or will they eventually accept one another? I don't allow my dogs to be too doggy. I have to be who they look to as I'm sure most of you do the same - can I be the focal point of both of their lives and them still be o.k. with each other? If so is there a "ideal" or best way of introducing a new puppy to your existing dog? Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

Generally the ideal 2 dog household is a male and a female. Chances are better that they will get along. (Though still not a guarantee.) There is really no way to know how your situation would turn out until the youngest is an adult. I have had 2 at once that got along great until the youngest was 2yo. Then all H3ll broke loose. (Though there WERE females which tend to be MUCH worse than males.)
If I HAD to have 2 of the same sex, it would be males EVERY time.

Is a female pup not an option?

I don't think females are worse than males. The worst fights I have ever seen were between males. Bitchy to each other maybe, but serious conflicts IME have always been between males.

Chad, if the first male gets along with other dogs and the new male pup also gets along with other dogs you won't have a problem. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> If one dog is obviously dominate and the other is more submissive in nature you won't have a problem.

If you have problems get used to crates and kennels fast. The two should never be together if problems start to manifest.


We had two males and a female living free in our home for about 5 years. I selected the second male very carefully. I wanted a nice non-dominate, non-dog aggressive male who would let my original very dominate dog aggressive male run the household without question. It worked out well, but it all had to do with their temperaments and dealing with them correctly. You treat the #1 dog like the #1 dog and the #2 dog like the #2.

#1 eats first and always alone

#2 eats second and always alone

#1 goes out first, comes out of the crate/kennel/house first, always gets attention first. . . .etc etc etc etc


You get the point?

i would have to agree with most of the sentiment on this thread. I do not have GSD's by choice, though I am constantly around them for work and such.

I do however have two "gamey" APBT bitches who live together in relative harmony. When I am not there, my younger one is in her crate. The other dog is a dream for any owner and has never been a problem. The younger one is HYPER dog defensive and it took a lot of work to get the aggression/attack thinking out of her, but when I first got her, I had to "wolf roll" her a couple of times (about 3) to establish that this is MY house, MY pack and they exist in it because I allow it. Since then there was only one incident where she tried to steal a bone from my other APBT and that turned into about 15 seconds of hell, but since that time, in which she was reprimanded, "wolf-rolled" and scolded (which is one of the harshest things to do to a Pittie) she has beena dream with the other. They both sleep on my bed with me and cannot be seperated for any length of time or there is much whining from the little one. You must however determine dominance issues in the "other" ranks of your pack so that there will not be rank wars in the house...That gets old quick...

Very good points made above about how to choose and deal with two dogs. I have two males, about 6 months apart. Younger is dominant. They are fine for the most part until the dominant one is tired then he turns into a giant badger and growls and starts fights if the other touches him or his bed. The best part is the companionship the two of them have, they play together all day long and keep eachother company while I am gone. The spend a lot more energy playing so when I am home they are much calmer. Only one point to mention, I would suggest training them separetly, they get too distracted with eachother to pay attention to you or the one you are not paying attention to keeps trying to get your attention by showing you all the stuff he has learned... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

If you are looking for working dogs why would you want to have a submisssive dog if you just want dogs to get along then its ok. working dogs should be in a kennel i would think

sooner or later the two badest boys on the block are gonna fight. I have had unaltered males living openly in my household with my bitches. Both are protection and police dogs. then out of nowwhere (In my eyes...not the dogs) wammo fight <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> so my opinion...let the bad boys be teh bad boys. if you are training them for work you always want to work on thier mental wellbeing as well as everything else. If they start loosing fights they will start to loosen up those screws you have worked so hard to tighten by training them.

We have 4 males and 1 female - at one point we had 6 males, all intact, all crazy. Not a single one ever comes into contact with another... but then once they reach 'jumping off the bed and peeing on the carpet' age, they meet their outside kennels, and that is where they stay!

I have 5 dogs, 4 GSD's and a finnish spitz, 2 males, 3 females, right now all five are hanging out in my 2 bedroom house, as they all run together during the day. Fights do break out, but you must establish yourself alpha. Because all I have to do is say "hey" and they quit. For the most part it has been a harmonious relationship for the last 9 years. When introducing any dog, do it slowly and always be present. Use your common sense when problems arise. You'll be alright.