Well not sure if you remember but a couple of weeks back i asked for advice on having my dogs litter brother coming to stay for a week and best to introduce them.
Well all of your advice paid off and things seem to be going well. initial meeting was very loud (as Dobes tend to be :rolleyes: ) The first day didn't let them meet off lead at all as I wasn't sure what would happen and have kept them completely seperate (well a stair gate inbetween) so can still socialise. My dog is being a very good boy and not bothered by his brother at all, now his brother is a different story, apart from the constant humping of his brother he is fine.  I have managed to have them in the garden together for short periods of play ( they are nearly 10 months) so still pups really. Is this ok just to leave it as short periods or do you think they would be ok for longer? They are very good now and there is now growling or noise from either when playing (even when Blade is getting humped to within an inch of his life if i don't get to storm quick enough!)
He will be going back on Sat but with it being such nice weather here, I thought it would be nice to let them out for longer at the same time, what do you think?

Since you have settled the brother in well and they appear to be getting along, I see no problem with that at all.  As long as you keep an eye on them and make sure that play does not turn into overplay and gets too aggressive.

They may very well just sit and lounge around in the garden if they start to become boystorous play ball or another liked game with them.

I often have my adult litters return for visits with the stud dog I use too and they all get along great, male and female, but I do watch carefully, that is all you need to do.

Well the play is what I describe pretty rough! like on hind legs etc  I haven't left them out of my site when together just incase.  it is nice that they can still get along at this age considering they don't see each other very often! Storm (my inlaws one) i find to be harder work, he was rehomed just after or around the time his socialisation window closed. So what little socialisation he has had has involved humping of dogs and the like without him being corrected as he has done it from day one! it has got better over the couple of days he is here. The recall is non existant even from a garden (when on his own too) as he is always on lead (he lives in a pub that doesn't have a garden) so gets walked regularly throughout the day, but have no where to practice a recall to start off with! I am finding that part hard and the constant counter surfing lol, I have never known a dog do this so much

I will try and see how they play for half hour sessions at a time as they have been having just 10 mins here and there. I just didn't want it to start to turn nasty and me not pick up on it till it's too late :rolleyes:

Emz, I think you're doing everything just fine so far, but I wouldn't let them play for extended periods of time if the play is rough like that.  Sometimes rough play can just tip over into fighting when one dog or the other takes things too far.  I would supervise them when together all the time and keep their play sessions short.  If it gets particularly rough, separate them and have a time out.  It's really excellent for them, as 10 month old males, to have such a positive experience with another male and have so much fun playing, so it's important to keep it positive and not let it tip over into a spat.

Sounds like you're handling things pretty well, but I agree to keep them supervised and don't let the play get any rougher. You don't want things to get out of hand when they're going so well, and it's not like you'll have the dogs for a long time and need them to be bosom friends, as long as they get on well for short periods. :-)

Thanks guys,
They are sleeping peacefully at the moment in there own spaces!! so perhaps keeping it short would be better as the play does seem rough!! but then they are both big dogs so wouldn't expect them to be lightfooted about it ;-)
I have surprised myself too at how smoothly things have gone! Blade has never had to share his house with another of his kind before or even had anyone too play so i am very proud of my boy at the moment :-D
so maybe in another year or so I may think about another it is lovely to see them play together