Hi all,
I have been a dog owner for a while now but I have only ever owned one dog at a time.I am seroiusly considering adding another dog to our family .As I know this is the place to talk to people with lots of dogs I thought I would ask for some advice from the experts!.Firstly I have only ever owned dogs not bitches,I know it would depend on the individual dogs but can 2 dogs  realisticly live in harmony or would I be better thinking about a bitch?I have read other threads about having one nutered,but which one?Should I get my dog done before I get a new puppy?He will be around 18 months old and he's a very dog friendly Boxer who has been well socialised and trained.
I realise it is going to be hard work for a while and they will need alot of supervision but I hope with the help of a crate it will make things a bit easier for all of us!
I would realy apreciate any advice on introducing the new pup,what problems may come up and anything else I should be aware of?All your expert advice and experience will be gratefully received,many thanks,
Hazel

Can I just add another question to my post(sorry it wouldn't let me edit) , do you find that it makes a difference if they are of the same breed?Do you think they know they are the same breed?sorry if it's a silly question but this is all new ground to me and I realy want to get it right,many thanks again,
Hazel

Hi Hazel,

Having two (or more) dogs is certainly a wonderful experience, as long as the first one is reasonably well trained when you get the second. If your boy is friendly and well-socialised, then I can see no reason why he wouldn't get on perfectly well with another dog (or bitch either). I have 2 entire males (and 2 spayed bitches) - the difference being that my boys are littermates who have been together all their lives, so I haven't ever introduced another dog to an established male. But my boys get on fine, apart from the usual posturing and muttering evilly at each other if they think the other is getting favoured!

I personally don't think what breed you get matters in the slightest - I have seen some very strange combinations, for example the Great Dane who shares a house with a JRT! Boxers have reputation for being active clowns, so ideally you'd want a breed that's fairly robust - nothing too fragile!

Good luck!
:)

Personally I find two (or preferably more) dogs a far more fullfilling experience :)  Regards the question of breed - I don't think breed is as important as type - a confident outgoing dog is a good compliment to a less boisterous bitch - I actually keep two bitches who actually sleep in the same bed and play together - one is a shy rescue pure bred ESS - the other a confident 'everybodies friend' ESS x BC, and between them they make a good team (NOT that I am suggesting a novice owner should get two bitches ;))  It's also important that both dogs are not going to find the same resources important to them - so maybe two collies who are both inclined to race up and down the garden fence when next doors kids are playing football may come into conflict, or two foodie Spaniels could also come to blows unless carefully managed ;)

Hi Digger,
I had been thinking along those lines,dogs that compliment each other.Wonderful as they are in every way I don't think I want 2 Boxers .I was thinking about something a little bit calmer but able to cope with our lifestyle.It is very reasuring to know that another male is a possibility and I am very interested to know how different breeds live together,many thanks again,
Hazel

Hi Hazel,  I'm sure you'll have no problems having 2 boys if your boy is good with other dogs.  My advice to anyone getting a new puppy is that for every 10 minutes they spend with the older dog they should spend half an hour with you.  I would walk them separately as much as possible up until a year old, just the occasional outing together. 
Sally

Thank you so much for your replys.Yes I certainly do need a breed that would be able to cope with a Boxer and a 6 year old boy(both boistrous but lovely with it).I am going to Crufts next weekend and will proberbly spend all afternoon in discover dogs asking lots of questions.I have one or 2 breeds in mind,(nothing too small or fragile!).
I would never have considered it with my last Boxer,lovely as he was, he was a bit of a handful and always needed to be the boss with other dogs.Charlie however couldn't be more different.My husband and son complain that he gets preferential treatment over them and I keep telling them it's because Charlies the only one that listens to me and does what he's told!
Seriously though he has been joy to train and I couldn't ask for a more well balanced dog,I am sure we would all enjoy a new addition and I see it as a possibility now.
Many thanks again for all your advice.
Hazel

Hazel.  Can you help me my boxer is a complete nutter jumping up is his worst trait how do I solve this?

Hi Emma,
I have PM'd you

At the moment I have 3 dogs and 1 bitch, have no problem beyond the odd staring out match to make sure that everyone know where they stand. Never had a problem with males as they seem to accept what I say as law, must admit to have little control of the bitch and have in the past had to re-home a bitch due to bitch on bitch aggression. Accept that may be a problem with me, but I did do my best, to no avail.

I have 3 boys all living in harmony.

Taz is top dog and the others respect that totally.  They work together, play together, sleep toghther, eat together.

I did have a 4th, but he didn't fit in and the tension was BAD.  But now he has been rehomed, peace reigns.

I am probably about to get another, but it will depend on whether he gets on with Taz - we shall see.

It depends entirely on the nature of the dogs involved

My boys all live in harmony.  The older bitches however do not. :(  The last two rescue girls that joined our family were subject to Aimee's approval.  ;)

Hiya..........i have a real mix!!........3 beagles 1 entire male....1 entire female.......1 spayed female.
1 entire female weimaraner
1 entire male american cocker.all are (or have been )show dogs.the only time we get stress is food time,they are all fed separately,or it would be one free for all.......they all play together and it gets quite rough at times but they are all very hardy.........i only have to intervene if they all have a bit each of the americans coat or there would be nothing left to show!
i may see you at crufts then as we are taking turns to man the discover dogs beagle stand.........good luck on your choice!
kind regards
Pauline

I have 3 entire males GSD, GSP and a little terrier.  The GSD is very dominant with other males but the breeder of the terrier suggested we got a male. The GSD was 3 when we got the terrier and the terrier was 9 months when we got the GSP. 
The GSD was great with both puppies, very gentle but told them in a nice way when they were pushing it a bit.  The terrier is also dominant with other males but not with our GSD, should he be doing something that the GSD thinks is a bit out of place he will come, growl and the terrier goes and lies on his back (with other males he usually takes this as a sign of a good fight coming!)

They do get on very well, I always make a point of feeding the most dominant first etc but they will happily lie on a rug, each with a bone and there are no problems.

The GSP is a the bottom end of the hierarchy and we had a few problems with him as he was scared of other dogs.  At puppy classes he would not play with the other puppies, the toys and the people interested him though.  He is getting better but we have been trying to build up his confidence by walking him on his own, by taking him to obedience on his own, so he is not always with his 'housemates'.  He is getting better and is more confident.  Its possibly just his character though.

Sometimes they do have a growl but it is usually just a warning while they try and sort something out. 

Hi Pauline,
We'll definatly come and see the Beagle stand,they are one of my sons favourites.We went last year and found everyone on the stands to be so friendly and helpful.My son is absolutely dog mad and always has been.He watches breed all about it and every night he asks"can we get one of those?"His favourites so far have been Bloodhounds,Beagles and yorkshire terriers so it is a good job I get to chose our new dog -he'd want them all!He even sat through a bulldog having a cesarian facinated by the whole thing while I couldn't watch.We're realy looking forward to next weekend,hope to see you there,
Hazel

I have a border collie bitch and 2 entire males, a border collie and a Neapolitain Mastiff. My other dogs were 2 and 10 months when my mastiff age 2 came to live with us and have had no problems at all. Good luck with what ever you decide.

Tracy

Hi I have 3 dogs (1 hybrid and 2 boston terriers) and 2 bitches (boston terriers) spayed... One dog is intact...I did have problems when my one bitch was intact between my hybrid and my boston when she came into heat, but now since she is spayed they get along great :) I also can not leave toys out because my intact boston who is alpha thinks he is the only one that is alowed toys-so all toys are only giving when they are kenneled....Mind you they can eat and drink together with out a problem and Taz my hybrid plays with Junior (intact male) great now. :) Now we are all happy :)

Hybrid?????????  Do you mean cross bred?  A Hybrid is the offspring of two genetically dissimilar parents (normally two different species as in Donkey and horse)

No, dollface's Taz is a wolf/rott hybrid.
:)

LOl I have never heard a hybrid as that :D Yup Taz is a wolf/rott...His dad is a Timber and his mom is a Rotty :)

We have 2 newfoundlands 1 entire male and a female, 2 Dogue de Bordeaux 1 male and 1 female and untill recently 2 Tibetan Mastiffs male and female and 1 yorkie and 1 Tibetan Spaniel the 2 little ones cuddle up  between the Bordeaux for the warmth there is never a wrong word between them, they just take it for granted that they all have there own space

Hi! I think owning 2 or more dogs can be either the best experience in the world or a totall hell. There are some breeds that live better with the same breed (like Chihuahuas love the same breed, but don't really like other dogs as much). Though it all depends on an individual dog. My friend has a Chihuahua and a Dogo Argentino (both males) and live together as best friends. So I'd say depends how you train them and how you prepare the first dog for the new one......

As canines are social creatures I tend to think of dogs plural not dog.  I tend to think no matter how we try we cannot give them what they can get from one of their own species in terms of companionship and understanding.