Why does a dog’s age and gender matter when living together?
While you may think that bringing two puppies home at the same time would be the best idea, you might want to reconsider.
Littermate Syndrome is a real thing. “What’s that?” you might ask. Simply put, this is what occurs when two dogs from the same litter are so attached to each other that they can’t function on their own, thus preventing themselves from reaching their full potential. It causes the pair to be nearly impossible to train, they can suffer separation anxiety due to their co-dependence and almost definitely make it harder for them to socialize with other dogs or people.
Even if they come from the same mother and father, they have different wants, needs and desires. They have their own adorable personalities.
Two puppies require twice as much money, attention and time. You’ll want to train them separately (even if training in a group teaches them socialization skills). These newfound family members need time to form their own bonds and become confident in themselves.
This is before we talk about housetraining… Accidents are a thing. And two puppies could have twice as many accidents. You’ve heard the term “alpha” and “beta.” The alpha is in charge.
They set the hierarchy for the rest of the pack. They look for esteem and regard themselves as the top dog. Betas generally are still happy and, even though they take the lead and enforce the rules set up by the alpha, they lead well-rounded lives themselves.
As you might expect, males can be aggressive and territorial. As long as they have their own spaces, places to eat, their own beds and don’t feel like one can roam more freely than the other, no serious brawls should break out.
Why Two Female Dogs May Not Be the Best Combination
You just visited a local breeder and fell in love with two puppies. They are two adorable female pups that seem to love to play together. You inquired about adopting one, but your heart is split in half between the two. You finally decide that you want both, and the breeder seems quite content to double their profits.
If you find yourself considering this sort of same-sex adoption scenario, think again. As cute and playful same-sex sibling puppies are, chances are that once they mature, they will engage in some serious discussions that could turn bloody.
Thinking that both ladies may work it out together is not a good choice. Very likely, fights may escalate, and one dog may severely injure or kill the other. This seems to happen most often when the two dogs are close in age or when one dog is older and a newer dog is introduced to the pack.
When two females are close in age, there is often a lot of competition. They will fight over several competing elements. Such fights seem to occur the most in the presence of the owner. They may fight over who walks first up a ramp of stairs or through the door, or they may fight over sleeping areas, foods, treats, and toys. Sometimes a cause may not be completely visible in the owners eyes, but one dog may have felt challenged by the other and felt the need to send her back down the ladder.
Adopting a younger female dog while owning an older female is also high risk. The newer dog may perceive the older dog as weak and may try to take over. Unfortunately, such fights may have a sad ending.
However, not all female dogs tend to have such fights. There are cases where owners are able to allow them to peacefully coexist with no problems. A big role is played by the owner, applying a “no fight” policy and intervening if something looks like more than a minor squabble. Through desensitization and counterconditioning, a lot of progress can be achieved.
However, should a fight still disrupt, owners must be very careful in their attempts in separating the two fighting dogs. The chances of redirected aggression” are high. In such cases, the fighting dogs will get confused by the fight and over-aroused up to a point where they may attack the owner attempting to bring peace back.
It is best, therefore, to separate the two by startling them. This is accomplished by tossing a blanket over them, watering them with a hose, making a sudden loud noise or grabbing one dog by the rear legs and pulling away as if the dog was a wheelbarrow. Youll need to be very careful.
Even if they seem to hit it off from the start, resentments and territorial spats can arise even months later. Everything likely will be fine, but it’s always good to be prepared.
DEAR CLAUDIA: There are instances when two female dogs or two males get along fabulously in a home, and there are cases where a male and female pairing has gone very wrong. Speaking generally, however, you’ll reduce the odds of problems if you bring another male into your home.
Same sex pairs can feel more pressure to assert themselves and be the dominant, or alpha, in the pack, which can lead to conflicts and, sometimes, vicious fights that can leave one pet, or both, with serious injuries.
Do this a few times before bringing both dogs back to your home. Getting to know each other first should ease any feelings in your 8-year-old that her territory is being taken over.
By having one of each, then the male gets to be the alpha for the boys, and the female is alpha among the girls.
What You SHOULD Know Before getting 2 Female Dogs
âIn my opinion, when you are looking to add a second dog to your home, first and foremost, youâve got to look at your dogâs personality,â says Brad Phifer, CPDT-KA, director of pet behavior services for Broad Ripple Animal Clinic and Wellness Center in Indianapolis. This includes knowing your dogâs play style, energy and socialization level, and playmate preferences.
Before you decide to add a second (or third, or more) dog, hereâs what you need to know to make all your dogs feel comfortable.
For starters, Phifer tells WebMD that there are no set rules about good dog matches because all dogs – even within the same breed – are individuals. So its not necessarily true that female dogs match well with male dogs, younger dogs or older dogs make better second dogs, or that two puppies always do well together.