raising two males

[winniecnm]

Originally Posted by Judi W

What is too often missed in the equasion is the dogs themselves. While everyone discusses can you do this or can you do that, can you live with this or can you live with that, the dogs themselves are living with tension all the time. Even with a peace agreement in place they must be aware of deferring to the other, or maintaining position all the time. If there has been a war and they live separated, there is still constant tension as they are always aware of the "enemy" right around the corner or behind the kennel fence or in the crate in the next room. While separation keeps the blood from flowing, it does not keep the tension from existence in the very air they breath.

I agree whole heartedly with you Judy. I was very reluctant to try to place Nik in a home after the blowout due to the fact that where we were living at the time (NM) offered few suitable homes IMO. I kind of wish we had been able to rehome her at 9 mo. but now at 6 years old it seems so impossible. Having two same aged/same sex dogs was a gamble I will not take again.

Though the vendetta has eased up a bit if the girls are in the same room in different crates they still have one eye on each other at all times. Even in different outdoor kennels seperated by 500 feet they would still get into barking and growling matches. You can feel and see the hate these two have for each other there is no nuzzling or sweetness between the two even now in our "peacetime era".

Thankfully we are moving very soon and I hope that Nik will stay here part time with my mother, who has really taken a liking to her. That would be a real load off my mind.

[Dresden]

I owned father and son at one point.
All was sweetness and light until the son turned 18 months old.
The fight was savage and completely unexpected, no warning at all.
It was all we could do to pull them apart.
We kept them totally seperate after that, always with 2 doors between them.
The son actually jumped through a second story window to get at the father in the back yard once.
He was uninjured, luckily, but at every chance, they were willing to fight to the death.
We had to completely isolate them and it was NOT easy.
We eventually lost the son to unrelated medical problems, and a huge weight was lifted off of our household.
You never know when or if the rivalry will begin to see who is "King of the Rottweilers".

[haya13]

I guess males and females react differently... sorry you guys if I was giving any 'bad' advice - it was only what I experienced.

Dresden - sorry to hear that. It must have been a shock to you. I guess we always have to remember that no matter how domesticated dogs have become, their animal instincts kick in when it comes to showing who's the alpha dog. My female (sheeba) put a male mastiff the other day in his place for just smelling her a little longer than she liked. Sheeba is not a large female - about 90 pounds - but the mastiff was over 170 pounds!!! I was TERRIFIED. Thankfully he backed off, But that's just the way certain dogs are. And this is something we as Rottie owners have to know and be ready for. I'm not saying your dog is gonna flip on YOU as an owner..... but with other animals, Rotties like knowing that they are in control... and they will show it.