Male rottweiler and male doberman.Will it work?

[pulse]

Hello. I have a question about compatibility between two adult males. I have a 8 year old male Doberman and had a female Rottweiler that I lost recently to cancer. The Doberman seems really distressed about losing his companion. I wanted to get another female Rottweiler or Doberman but have not found any in my area at the shelters,but I have found a male Rottie. The people at the shelter say he is a stray and think he is about 5 years old. I have not introduced them yet but was wondering if they would ever get along or am I just dreaming that this will go smoothly? I would like to save him if possible but don't want to stress out the Doberman any more than he already is. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[RottiMomCT]

Where are you located?? Have you done a search via www.petfinder.com ? What about adopting from a rescue organization? I did a quick search on PetFinder and found 83 female Rotties (some were mixes) in NY state...

As for adding another male to the house, I would not recommend it unless ALL avenues for getting a female have been exhausted. Two males of close age will sometimes fight for dominance and it ain't a pretty sight. NOT saying it WILL happen, but opposite sex dogs are usually a better match.

Sending hugs to you and your dog to help soothe the loss of your friend & companion rottie. So sad when they leave us. :(

[spidey]

I agree with Anne - same-sex dogs of a similar age can be a recipe for disaster. Sometimes it can work out well, but I certainly wouldn't do it on purpose, myself (I lived with two males who hated each other and had to be kept separated, I wouldn't want to live like that again, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, either - keep in mind that even the smallest things can become a big hassle under these circumstances, it adds a whole extra level of stress to your life that you just don't need). I'd keep looking for a female, if there isn't one now, there may be one in a few weeks, or perhaps a male puppy.

I'd spend this time letting your Dobie enjoy having you all to himself. Spoil him a bit, I'm sure he won't mind. ;)

Pats to your Dobie.

[TrishB]

Just so we're clear - the problem isn't that they're both male, it's that they're so close in age and that they're adults.

Although males can get along, it's typically when one has been raised with the other. Same thing with females. And since you don't know the Rottie's history - it is too risky. :(

As a general rule, dog #2 should be the opposite sex to dog #1. :)

Thank you for rescuing!

[Joanne in NJ]

You would probably want to hold out for a female. I do dobie rescue and this breed is very typical for male dog aggression. It's in their standard so no suprises there. To the point where the good breeders will not place a male puppy where there already is a resident male of any breed.

[JD102175]

Our trainer used to breed and show Dobes before he got into Rottweilers. He told us at one class that none of his males ever got along with other males, even some that had been raised together. They would get along with most females great, but he always had to keep the males apart.


Jaime

[LavenderRott]

I would check Petfinder. I was on there yesterday looking at male rottweilers because I have a female. There were many more females listed then males. A lot of them are in kill shelters.

A friend of mine, who is also a member here, had one of her males go through a window to get to her other male. Not a pretty picture.

[Carina43]

Originally posted by LavenderRott
A friend of mine, who is also a member here, had one of her males go through a window to get to her other male. Not a pretty picture.

That would be me. Long story as to how it happened - but I have two male Rottweilers who hate each other. It is GIANT pain in the a$$, and both dogs get a bit short shrift because we have to keep them separate - which means that they can't both be right with us all the time, which of course is where they would like to be.

This may be a very nice Rottie, but I honestly would not chance it. Even if they initially got along, there's the risk of the Rottie getting more domineering once he gets established...or your Dobe deciding he doesn't want to share...or something. Of course they could get along wonderfully! But if they don't, you're really stuck because THEN what do you do?

There are thousands of lovely females out there to save too. I agree with Sandi & others - keep looking for the right female.

[pulse]

Thank you all for your quick responses. I think I will keep looking for a female, but I just hate to see this male put down for lack of a home. Hopefully someone else will adopt him. I did check online for some rescues but it seemed that I'm too far away for a home check. I will investigate it some more. Thanks again.

[chivas]

Depending where you are, look into Southern States Rottweiler Rescue. www.ssrr.org
we have tons of nice females looking for a good home.
Kim

[Carina43]

Originally posted by pulse
Thank you all for your quick responses. I think I will keep looking for a female, but I just hate to see this male put down for lack of a home.

Heartbreaking, isn't it?
The day I got Daphne from the pound, there were seven Rottweilers there. One was an utterly gorgeous and very sweet male...and all the other abandoned dogs sitting in their cages...I wanted to cry.
:(
You just have to harden your heart and try picking the BEST dog for your family. There's such a staggering number of dogs desperately needing homes. Nobody can save them all, though I'm sure many of us would love to.
Bless you for rescuing, at any rate.

[Judy Chrusch]

pulse, what a kind soul you are for even considering taking this rottie boy but I agree to wait for a female especially NOT knowing the history of this particular rottie , what if you find out the hard way that he doesn't get along with other dogs or just some dogs. I'm sure you will be successful in finding a female, just be patient, it will come:) . It's better to have a sure thing then wonder if the rottie could have the potential to turn on your dog, JMO.


Best of luck to you, I'm sure whatever decision you make it will be right for you both.

Judy

[Karnac]

I have 3 dobies, 1 male and 2 female and we recently purchased a male rott puppy. they all get along great except for the oldest female. She is stand offish and doesn't want to be bothered. I would suggest that you get a puppy instead of a five year old dog. The older dogs seem to understand about puppies and don't hurt them. By the time the puppy grows up they are used to him/her and they will probably get along.

[Judi W]

Does it occur to you that the puppy is going to get older??????

[nick teifke]

We tried the male puppy/older male thing, and it wasnt too pretty. The older male was very upset about the puppy being around and later had very major mood swings. I
I dont know how it would have turned out though, because our older male was later pts. Im sure they would have had to have been seperated at all times. I wouldnt have two males in one house under any circumstance. Course, I think people with more than two dogs in the house are nuts :) Been there, done that, never doin' it again!