# Can two male dogs live together, uncrated in peace?



## nemefeme (Jan 10, 2013)

Does anyone here own two male dogs together? If so, have you ever encountered any issues?


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## reynosa_k9's (Dec 14, 2007)

I have 6 males (and 4 females) living together quite peacefully. 3 of them are neutered, 3 intact, ranging in age from almost 1yr up to 9yrs, 2 GSD's, 2 GD's and 1 GR.
Nobody is ever crated.
The only one who ever had issues was the GR. He can be mean as heck but he has long learned to live happily as part of a very large family. No issues from any of the others ever.


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## nemefeme (Jan 10, 2013)

reynosa_k9's said:


> I have 6 males (and 4 females) living together quite peacefully. 3 of them are neutered, 3 intact, ranging in age from almost 1yr up to 9yrs, 2 GSD's, 2 GD's and 1 GR.
> Nobody is ever crated.
> The only one who ever had issues was the GR. He can be mean as heck but he has long learned to live happily as part of a very large family. No issues from any of the others ever.


That makes me feel a lot better. Right now I have a boy and I often see other boys that I want but I'm so nervous; Jack is really timid and submissive to other dogs so I don't want to get a dog that will dominate or pick on him.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

It is generally recommended that you have opposite sex pairs. That said, we have had several different combinations of multiple males and females and not had a problem. HOWEVER, it highly depends on the breed. Some breeds are known for being same sex aggressive and so it is almost necessary that you do not have multiple males unless you want to crate and rotate.

Any time you have multiple dogs there's always a risk that they will not get along. You can stack the odds as much as you can but there's always a risk.


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## nemefeme (Jan 10, 2013)

I would need to introduce them, for sure. I just have everyone telling me that two male dogs will never work.


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## reynosa_k9's (Dec 14, 2007)

Our GR used to be quite the butthead with other males but as time passed and he was exposed to more new males he learned to simply co-exist, in the beginning, and even eventually be happy with his 'brothers'. 
We have had several breeds but mostly GD's and GSD's but have had dobermans, a pitbull and others come through the home. In my experience I have noticed that the dogs that were kept as only dogs, or maybe 1 other in the home, had a more difficult time getting along with others. The ones exposed to more learned to get along with more.
I also think it depends on how much time is spent with training your dogs too. Mine are all a very big part of a very large family, our home is small so rules abound and are strictly enforced. That has made all the difference in the world on everyone co-existing peacefully and happily.


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## ThoseWordsAtBest (Mar 18, 2009)

Three males, though the intact one is crated. The other two have no interest in each other but they're on different floors when we leave, largely because Jonas prefers the company of Smalls.


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

I have four male dogs, currently. One is a foster. Two are intact, two are neutered. We dog sit an intact female a few times a week. No issues. 

Two are left loose together unsupervised over night, they are all loose together during the day.


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## nemefeme (Jan 10, 2013)

I think at this point I may not. Jack was rescued under a year ago; lived in a neglectful household with no other dogs. He came here, and loves to play with dogs but usually pisses them off because he's not used to socializing so he does some things to aggravate them... like licking them in the wrong spot or jumping on top of them... plus the fact that some of the dogs around here are really aggressive. I want to get Jack neutered; that's been a long going argument in the house since he's six now and I seem to be the only one that wants that. But since he's never lived with another dog uncrated (he lived with Rambo for a short time but Rambo bullied the crap out of him and needed to be crated) I don't want to go through that again.


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## nemefeme (Jan 10, 2013)

DJEtzel said:


> I have four male dogs, currently. One is a foster. Two are intact, two are neutered. We dog sit an intact female a few times a week. No issues.
> 
> Two are left loose together unsupervised over night, they are all loose together during the day.


Did they grow up together, or how long have they been together?


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

I have 4 dogs - 2 males, 2 females. 1 male and 1 female each came in as a puppy, and they are both still under a year old. I don't anticipate problems, but I also don't intend to leave them alone, uncrated, pretty much ever, either. Just tooling around the house or whatever, is fine with me. Dogs left with access to each other, regardless of gender, makes me nervous.


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## nemefeme (Jan 10, 2013)

CptJack said:


> I have 4 dogs - 2 males, 2 females. 1 male and 1 female each came in as a puppy, and they are both still under a year old. I don't anticipate problems, but I also don't intend to leave them alone, uncrated, pretty much ever, either. Just tooling around the house or whatever, is fine with me. Dogs left with access to each other, regardless of gender, makes me nervous.


By the way, I remember when you first got Thud and he's growing beautifully.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

nemefeme said:


> By the way, I remember when you first got Thud and he's growing beautifully.


Aw thanks. This is where we are now:










I'm kinda nutty about that puppy, now.


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## reynosa_k9's (Dec 14, 2007)

nemefeme said:


> I think at this point I may not......


It's better to be safe than sorry. I couldn't imagine anything worse than having 2 dogs (or more) that hated each other.
Whichever you decide I do hope the best for you. Owning multiples is not for everyone. Or maybe you can look for a non-assertive female????
I may sometimes push others for getting more dogs because I am so absolutely thrilled with my large wild bunch and love how they can all get along so well. I can’t even begin to explain how it makes me feel to watch them outside each evening during play time all wrestling and running around, the young and the old, the giant breeds with the normal sized breeds (lol). Actually, although they are my dogs, it never ceases to amaze me how well they all get along.

Oh, and the only ones of mine that grew up together are the youngest 2; Galahad, a male GSD who will be 1 year tomorrow and Ambrosius, a male GD that turned 1 in February. All the others came in at different ages over the years. Helios was 1yr when we got him, Brutus, was just under 1, Merlin 3 1/2 and Uther was 7.
My girls were the same; different ages coming into the family different years.


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## reynosa_k9's (Dec 14, 2007)

CptJack said:


> Aw thanks. This is where we are now:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


And this is another one I wouldn't mind adding to my family!!!! If you ever get tired of Thud you can send him my way. I'll even drive to pick him up!


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## hueyeats (Apr 2, 2013)

Size of territories?
Will the dogs be fixed?

How much time as owner do you have to properly train?
Socialize? If not money for trainers n training sessions etc. So they are properly conditioned to live together?

Is this a situation you are well prepared for?
Time & money, commitments & otherwise.


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## nemefeme (Jan 10, 2013)

CptJack said:


> Aw thanks. This is where we are now:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


He's gorg. Getting so big!


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

I don't, but my close friends have two - both sharpei mixes, one with pug and one with boston terrier (from the same breeder, though I'm not sure if the sharpei parent was the same dog). They are great buddies and live together uncrated without any issues. The older one is 4 I think, and the younger one 2. Both neutered and got as puppies. They haven't been crated for years during the day or night, but they do actually crate them in one large crate together occasionally when they take the dogs with them to volleyball games.


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

nemefeme said:


> Did they grow up together, or how long have they been together?


I had Frag first. Neutered him at 2 years, adopted Sir (1 y/o) right after that. They lived together while Sir was intact for a week. Then Sir got neutered. 4 months later I brought Recon, and he has grown up with the two. He is 8 months now and still intact. The puppy is only 6 weeks and is intact. I've had him for two weeks.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Do you mean uncrated as in, no need to crate and rotate? Uncrated together when there is a person home?

Or uncrated as in left alone during the day both loose in the house together?

There are plenty of male dogs that are fine with other males and being loose while supervised is no big deal. Especially if neither is of a breed known for same-sex aggression or dog aggression in general. Chester gets along fine with male dogs but he does distinctly prefer the company of the female dogs. I don't leave 2 dogs alone and loose together though, so that question would never even be an issue on selecting a second dog the way I look at things. 
I _might_ think differently on 2 dogs alone together if I didn't deal mainly with bully breeds, but not if one dog was much larger than the other or if one had a tendency towards being fearful or pushy.


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

Shell said:


> Do you mean uncrated as in, no need to crate and rotate? Uncrated together when there is a person home?
> 
> Or uncrated as in left alone during the day both loose in the house together?
> 
> ...


This is good to point out and I was also sort of wondering your question.

Frag and Recon can be left together unsupervised for hours; no big deal. They each just want to sleep. Sir can't be left with Frag unsupervised at all because he's an instigator. He can be left out of direct site with Recon in the house while I'm going to the bathroom, showering, etc. but not for long periods while we're gone; they play too roughly and he IS a pit, after all.


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## dagwall (Mar 17, 2011)

I had Duncan a male foster dog for 9 months and he peacefully co-existed with Jubel. I didn't leave them alone together when I left the house but I did come home to my brother leaving them alone together numerous times. There was never an issue but I viewed Duncan as too much of an unknown with some poor social graces and therefore didn't like taking the risk. In some respects I think it's better to be safe than sorry. 

The biggest factor would be the dogs themselves. How well do they know each other, how do they get along, their temperaments, size difference, breeds known for dog aggression/same sex aggression, etc There are some dogs Jubel knows who I'd have no issues leaving them alone together while I was gone, some I know I never would.


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## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

I got Monty when he was a year old and Remmy was raised with him. They are together all the time, sleep on the bed at night with me and my little spayed female. I never leave them together when I go out, Remmy is crated. They are both intact and get along great and I want it to stay that way so don't take the chance that they might decide to squabble when I am not home, even though they have never shown any signs of not getting along. Remmy is quite happy to go in the crate so why take a chance.


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## luv mi pets (Feb 5, 2012)

I have 6 males. One male lives totally outside. He is an LGD. So living inside he would not be able to do his 'work'. But when the 'inside' dogs go outside they play with him. One inside male dog totally is with my husband at all times. He could care a less about the other dogs in this household. The rest are uncrated at all times. None of my dogs are crated at anytime. I have crates, but I just have no need to use them. The dogs eat, sleep and play together without anyproblems. All the dogs are neutered except for one. The one that is not neutered is still a pup. I will wait until after his first maybe closer to his second birthday before I neuter him. The reason being on waiting is because of the studies that are out there about early neutering on dogs. I do not want to deal with hormonal issues that come with intact animals. 
I think it depends on the dog's nature whether or not it will get along with other dogs.


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## grab (Sep 26, 2009)

I have 3 males (and 2 females).Everyone is neutered now, but one was intact for over a year after we acquired him as an adult. Everyone gets along. I do crate one male when we're gone, because he can get spazzy if overstimulated and since our neighbor's dogs bark a lot, and he dislikes those dogs, better safe than sorry. He also takes forever to get used to new dogs. However, he's a butthead equally to new males and females. But they all get along together. I've always had more males than females, since I generally prefer male dogs, and I've never had a same sex aggression issue.


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## nemefeme (Jan 10, 2013)

Thanks to everyone for your stories and feedback. I don't have a crate for my current dog at all; he sleeps with us and gets free roam. He sleeps a hell of a lot and is really docile around the house; he doesn't even touch food if its left out. So I don't want to take away from him or introduce a dog I have to crate while not crating another dog. I crated my last dog at night time because of his energy level but he also had free roam. So no crates, supervised or unsupervised. I'm leaning to not adding another fur baby just yet; however I'm open to continuing socialization and if we find a perfect fit I would look into maintenance options for their coexistence. You guys have been really helpful though in comparison to some of the random advice I've been receiving.


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## RyanJ (Dec 23, 2010)

I have two males, and I crate them occasionally. The young one tends to get out of hand with his extra energy. I crate him when I'm not at home, but that has nothing to do with the other dog. He climbs and breaks things if he gets too curious without supervision. The two male dogs get along great.


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## Rowdy (Sep 2, 2007)

I have 2 neutered males, neither one is crated although Cameron was for a short time at night when we first got him. (Cameron is now almost 8 and Toby is almost 9.) I had Toby for a year before I got Cameron. Basically, they get along like brothers. They are fine sometimes, and sometimes they squabble. But if another dog is giving one of them grief, they defend each other.

I should say that before we took Cameron home we did our best to make sure that they'd be OK. We spent most of the day we got Cameron at the breeder's with both dogs together so we could see how they'd get along.


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

luv mi pets said:


> I have 6 males. One male lives totally outside. He is an LGD. So living inside he would not be able to do his 'work'. But when the 'inside' dogs go outside they play with him. One inside male dog totally is with my husband at all times. He could care a less about the other dogs in this household. The rest are uncrated at all times. None of my dogs are crated at anytime. I have crates, but I just have no need to use them. The dogs eat, sleep and play together without anyproblems. All the dogs are neutered except for one. The one that is not neutered is still a pup. I will wait until after his first maybe closer to his second birthday before I neuter him. The reason being on waiting is because of the studies that are out there about early neutering on dogs. I do not want to deal with hormonal issues that come with intact animals.
> I think it depends on the dog's nature whether or not it will get along with other dogs.


WOW I really like your dog philosophy. Seriously.


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

I've always had multiple dogs, always neutered/spayed, and normally 2 boys and a girl. Everyone gets along. I have absolutely no worries that any of them would ever hurt the other. None are breeds known to be dog aggressive.


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## JohnnyBandit (Sep 19, 2008)

I have owned multiple male dogs at the same time all of my life. In fact this is the first time in my life that female dogs outnumbered male dogs in the household. 

I have had as many as 7 at a time. But usually two or three. Mostly intact. I once had two Catahoulas, A Rottie and a Pit Bull all at the same time. All four were intact males.

That being said, I have never been in the habit of leaving multiple dogs together when I am not home. They all learn to stay in crates, different rooms etc. For me that is just safety.


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## Fade (Feb 24, 2012)

2 of my male dogs are best friends. They occasionally get into spats over a bone or toy the other decides they want. but that is pretty normal in any dog household. It took Flash awhile to accept Leo. I think the puppy was just to much for him. but he accepted him and they do super well together.


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## Inga (Jun 16, 2007)

I have Rotties and they are known for same sex aggression. All that said, I have 2 males now that live in peace together. I had 3 females together just before these also without issue. It really depends on the individuals and one must have a good handle on the goings on in ones house. IF I ever thought there would be an issue, they would be crated again. I ALWAYS crate dogs when I first bring them home until I am sure there won't be an issue. These 2 are great together. Oliver thinks he is a human and Carsten seems to agree that Oliver is a human so maybe that is part of the success. ha ha


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## reynosa_k9's (Dec 14, 2007)

Inga said:


> ...... Oliver thinks he is a human and Carsten seems to agree that Oliver is a human so maybe that is part of the success. ha ha


OK, made me laugh. LOL


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