[Bellesdad0417]

I've had as many as 3 dogs at the same time but I've never had two males together.

I've have six dogs in my adult life and only two have been males i've always liked my females as they tended to be less needy which works for me but males are starting to really grow on me because as everyone says they are sweet as the day is long but they do try you and I'm kind of digging that too.

My question is I guess is do you have two males and does it work? Is it really any different then having two females?

 

[Indiana]

I have heard the same, and I'm an active single mom so I enjoy an independent female (like me!); however, 2 of my 3 females are EXTREMELY attached and affectionate! I love them all, but just saying, they're not independent at all. Some part of them must be touching me at all times. I'll say this, grooming is very easy because they love it; they feel cared for and petted, and melt in my arms while I comb, shave and whatnot. So based on my 3 bitches, they don't fight with each other and they are very loving. I'm getting a fourth soon Will let you know how THAT goes!

 

[Bellesdad0417]

Holly crap 4 :adore: you rock

 

[Indiana]

But 2 of my 3 are coming up 4 years old and my fun is obedience/agility, so they're getting easier and easier

 

[frecklesdmk]

I've always had spayed females. Personally, I've never been comfortable with the "outside equipment" of males.

Shotzy was our first. She came from a breeder that had 2 large litters 3 weeks apart and we got Shotzy when she was 7 months. She was very independent I think because she was in a "pack" until we got her. Ruby 2 years later. They were together for 4 years until we lost Shotzy to cancer. I only had trouble with them once. It was right before Ruby was being spayed and the vet said she was close to going in heat. The vet thought Shotzy sensed that.

Brandy came 3 months after Shotzy passed and she and Ruby were together. They were together for 6 yeRs until we lost Ruby in July 2012 to Arthritis and Brandy in March 2013 to bloat. The only time I had trouble with them was when Brandy came home from somewhere and Ruby didn't get to go and stayed home. Ruby would growl when Brandy returned and get snippy for the return greeting. 5 minutes later all was fine.

We got Lexi in April of 2013.

It is nice having two. We were so used to having to that we feel guilty leaving Lexi home by herself at times. Lexi was the youngest one we got (8 weeks) and I don't know if I have the energy for another puppy. If an older one would come along that would be ideal. Because I've had good experiences, I would prefer another female.

All our females have been affectionate. Ruby the most and Shotzy the least. The only time I've been around two males was when I was helping out Shotzy's breeder. Her 2 males were not fixed. Her females were not spayed. The two males had to be kept apart.

 

[N2Mischief]

Gosh, I have had males, females, mixtures of both, tons of foster dogs in and out, and I used to pug sit for all my past fosters. One week I had 11 pugs!

I think it depends on the individual dogs. I had one foster, Fanny, and she was a bossy little thing. Then there was Jette, another female, loved to hump everyone which would sometime start spats. But for the most part everyone else got along and I never had problems.

 

[Mfmst]

I have always been interested in the gender dynamics of homes with more than one dog. Sadly, I have a one dog limit. And I always pick a male. The whole "heat" business turns me off. With terriers, I would predict two females and a male would be the only way to go. My Scots crushed on every female they met. With males, it would have to be a careful matching of temperaments, and I would expect some aggression.

11 pugs in one weekend! I would love to have seen a picture of that!

 

[outwest]

I have two males and a female. My males get along great and they are both intact, one tiny and one big. I do think it depends on how 'male' your male is. If he is neutered and you plan to neuter the new one it should be a nonissue. If they aren't neutered it depends on their personalities and if you are top dog in the house.

 

[lily cd re]

I don't think there is a universal answer to this question. We have one of each at the moment. I really don't think Lily would stand for having another bitch under her roof. Most people who know her agree with me. My next poodle will be a dog because of this. I know someone who has two bitches and a dog and the bitches fight if they are allowed to access each other and are not being watched. I have family members with four dogs (2 and 2) so far so good, but the youngest one is a girl and their older girl is a bit of a boss with other dogs. I have friends who have three spoos all males who get along great.

 

[Bellesdad0417]

I kind of though the answer would be it depends.

I've just never had two males together and I'm pretty smitten by this one and I know I'm going to be getting another Spoo in a year or so.

I think i'm going be trying out silvers this time around

 

[nifty]

Thanks for this post Bellesdad0417! I can't believe I am even thinking of a second SPOO, but I am and your post brings up the question I was just beginning to ponder.

Looking at Arreau's gorgeous puppies - and knowing that I will be doing yearly driving trips through Canada - I am quietly thinking - hmm, look at Arreau's pups snuggled together; it is lovely for a poodle to have doggy companionship as well as human! gee an apricot or red from Arreau ...

 

[Bellesdad0417]

When we first went to go see the litter we got Finn from I actually put a deposit down on both him and a female. I came to my senses over the next few hours and I'm pretty glag I did and had the breeder transfer the whole amount over to Finn's deposit.

I know I what another I've had two Spoos before but only one started as a puppy I got the other as a rescue after Belle was about 2 years old.

I think that is how I'm going to play this one as well, I'll wait until he has been with us for a full year (that will make him 14 months) and will start looking then. He deserves a good start and all my attention before I bring another one on board.

I may still start looking now and leave a deposit with a breeder and let it keep rolling until i'm ready I figure that way I'll get closer to the top of the list.

However like the topic of this thread states I don't know what gender to get.

This is a picture of my other two Spoo's who have since passed over. Noah is on the left and Belle on the right.

 

[lily cd re]

I have to say that spoos don't always collect their brains until they are about three years old. I had thought I wanted another puppy when Lily and Peeves were two-ish, but am very glad now that I have waited. I want my older dogs to be assets in developing a puppy not dogs who say "oh but the puppy did it, so I thought I could too!" They are like potato chips (understand strongly the need for more than one), but one shouldn't eat too many potato chips too fast, just as one shouldn't rush to have another puppy too fast. If Lily and Peeves hadn't been so close in age that we went through developmental phases in tandem I think I really would have wanted to kill myself ().

 

[JudyD]

I've posted this story before, but I'll repeat it. Years ago we had a Cardigan Welsh Corgi bitch. When she was a year or two old, we got a second corgi bitch. They were fine at first, but after the second dog matured, they started fighting. These weren't short disagreements. These were serious, snarling, sometimes bloody fights that required my husband and me to each get a dog by the hind legs and walk them apart until we could separate them. (There was no way we were going to put a hand in the middle of that to grab collars.) Eventually it escalated to the point that we had to rehome the younger dog, because we were afraid we'd come home and find one of them dead or maimed.

Sometime later I read that two bitches are more likely to fight than two dogs or two of opposite sexes. I swore I'd never have two bitches again. That's why, when we decided to get a second poodle, it had to be a male. Jazz is two now, Blue is almost 5 months. So far, they're getting along really, really well, and I have no reason to think that will change. I don't recall the corgis ever playing together like these two do.

Incidentally, we have an intact male Lab. We frequently kept our son's intact pointer mix when he was in school or out of town. At first we kept them separated, but at some point we started letting them hang out together. There was never so much as a fuss between them.

 

[Indiana]

I'm so glad none of my dogs fight, but also, one of my sisters has 5 and my other sister has 7! A mixture of bitches and dogs. None of theirs fight either. So it's really true that it's dependent on the individual animals.

 

[Carley's Mom]

I have had two dogs at a time for many years, male and female. Everyone got along and it was no issue. This last time I put two adult females together and it was a huge issue. They get along now, but I would not go as far as to say that they like each other. The blame falls on my younger dog , so when she becomes an only child, she will stay that way. I prefer female dogs myself, but I have never had but one that was independent... mine have been every bit of the lap dogs that my males were.

 

[Feelingdoc]

As I'm reading through this I am sort of laughing to myself. My 2 (lifetime) males were/are independent and snobs while my 1 female is clingy and needy. I had 2 males together and have currently a male and a female. My first male was neutered and my second male was intact for 8 years (I only neutered him to gain some weight).. I've never had so much as an argument between either set of dogs...Perhaps and this seems to be somewhat consistent with other posts...introducing a puppy to a mature well adjusted dog or bitch seems to go well. Introducing an adult dog or bitch to an adult dog or bitch takes more adjustment time; perhaps especially bitches to bitches.

 

[georgiapeach]

I've heard of more issues between 2 females than 2 males, assuming all are neutered/spayed. I've had 2 males together or male/female with few issues. I won't have two females. There are some rescues that won't adopt female/female. The very few issues I have had, the female caused the problems - wanting to be large and in charge. All of mine have been spayed or neutered. If they're intact, that can be a whole different ballgame, IMO.