Following on from a couple of the replies to a post about dogs and puppies, I was wondering what combinations of dogs and bitches work for people? Our girl is very dominant and dislikes some bitches when they are in 'her' house, so for me I can only presume the best combination would be to add a dog, rather than a bitch. However, many dog folk that I've spoken too strongly believe that same sex works best. Is this down to the individual dog? Owner preference? Just thought I would see what others thought...

I think you will find we will all have opinions on this mainly due to dogs we have owned, but generally speaking having opposite sexes normally works better then same sex particularly with bitches.
Having said that, I had two bitches together with no problems, but the older one was a nervous skittish dog, friendly, but scared of her own shadow type. She benefitted from having another dog to help her overcome her nervousness. If it had been the other way round I would most likely have got a dog with that particular bitch as she didn't get on awfully well with bitches other then the ones she had known from puppyhood.

If two dogs have a spat usually they sort out who's in charge and become friends again, with bitches they more often or not don't ever repair a friendship and it could come down to re homing one or managing them within the household.

I'm sure you will get a number of different opinions on this depending who you speak to.

If two dogs have a spat usually they sort out who's in charge and become friends again,

In my experience I'd say the same for dog and bitch.

A good friend of mine had one of each med/large breed best of friends. 3rd dog was introduced. All well for a few weeks then world war 3 with the original 2. New dog went was re-homed and they lived happily ever after.

with bitches they more often or not don't ever repair a friendship and it could come down to re homing one or managing them within the household.

Abso bloomin lootely, heard more tales about 2 bitches than any other combination.

We have always had girls, "we are the boss dogs" and no one argues with us around!
We have 5 girls and a number 6 comes to stay twice a year when she is in season. They all live in the house with us, just one big "happy" family.
However we did have probably 20 years ago, a dominant bitch, if any of the others dare do anything she thought was out of order she would only have to stand and take one pace toward the others and look at them, whatever they were doing would stop without a word or a growl spoken! She lived until nearly 13 years.

Ours is a very placid, laid back cocker spaniel. My partner's parent's 2 shih tzus came to stay not long ago and we had awful problems. All went well for about 5 days, no toy/ food problems, nothing. Then out of the blue one day while I was at home on my own our cocker went for one of the little ones. This got progressively worse, with one of the shih tzus starting on our dog and now I've just said I'm sorry but we can't have them they quite clearly do not get on.

I asked the question to see what experiences others have had really. Initially I thought the animosity between the dogs may have been because ours has always been an 'only dog', but when we look after a friend's boy cocker and boy miniature schnauzer there isn't any problems. In fact, our girl seems to submit to the schnauzer but is the clear boss when with the cocker. Bizarre!

There is an old saying that dogs fight for the right to breed and bitches fight for the right to breathe and have known same sex multi dog households that have all got on fine and others where there have been huge problems.

I currently have three dogs - but  one of them went to live with my daughter when she bought her own home but comes back on a regular basis. The two fully resident dogs interact very rarely. The older dog is friendly with all and he and the middle dog ( now living with my daughter) are brilliant together and love to play a lot but the older one will stop the game when he has had enough.

The youngest dog will sometimes push his luck with the older dog who very rarely puts him in his place but when he has had enough he will tell the youngest one off. The younger one gets pushy when over excited - a rescue who came with issues - and having him and the middle dog together is not great. I do separate those two in the house - both happy to walk together on lead but only let one or other of those two off lead at a time to keep it calm. Both of those dogs are quite happy on lead with the other two rushing around but those two off lead together is not a good idea as they raise the excitement level in each other really quickly and a fun chase game can quickly turn into something else. It's easy to spot in the middle dog as he gets lower to the ground and becomes "sharper" in his stance.

The younger dog is fine walking on lead with dogs he has been properly introduced to and can run off lead with them but I do have to watch to make sure that his excitement level doesn't increase too much. If it does he goes back on lead for 5 minutes just until he has calmed down again. I don't think he would be great accepting another dog into his house though unless it was a very calm dog that he knew well.  A friend is able to bring her three dogs into my house and garden but I tend to separate him from the others for a goodly while before letting him mix with them and then it is only under strict supervision.

Depends on the individual dogs involved, with breed having some influence.

I started out with a dog and bitch and since then my household has always been bitch-heavy - presently I have one dog and 7 bitches, and a daycare bitch who comes every day.  I have had some issues between some of the girls but the individuals involved have been natural bullies - they get on with some and bully others but with a lot of work, they rub along fine for the most part.  These days I only have to watch the one bitch but she is much, much better than she used to be.

My first male, though, was a problem with other males for a long time - mainly out on walks but it did mean that I didn't find another male who could live with him happily until he was 7.  That male is much better though - he actually has almost identical issues with boys as the first one but indoors, is much easier.  He was completely in love with my foster boy (and heartbroken for weeks after he left), and I'm confident that he'll be fine with the male I've got arriving in a week.

In both their cases, there are dobermann genes at play - the breed is known for same-sex aggression particularly between the boys, although I believe that both being neutered too early played its part as well.

We have 4 dogs - a male and 3 females. My lot get on very well between themselves and although the 'alpha' bitch can sometimes be domineering  and pushy, the other girls are quite happy for her to take the lead and it is usually her way or the highway.

My boy is pretty hen pecked by this lot and practically a big girl's blouse at home - not so in the outside world. He can be a handful now with other un neutered male dogs but this only really occurred after he was attacked on the park by two springers he  grew up playing with. Someone brought an in-season bitch on the park and sent all the other dogs loopy. Him being a bit of a pro, he didn't bat an eyelid and I later presumed it was because he could tell she wasn't ready. Anyway, we were playing ball and these two boys came out of nowhere and roughed him up. He didn't fight back - just a single swat- to a face and they both backed off but the damage had been done and the white of his right eye was spurting blood like a fountain. Since then, he's been ruined and I can no longer show him - huge dark brown scar under his iris.

The other issue I have is when his full brother from the same litter comes to stay. They were best buddies until the first girl came along and as soon as she hit maturity, they went from brothers in arms to enemies. they will growl, circle each other, tails up, posture etc but it has never resulted in a full on fight. Spats yes but nothing lasting more than a few seconds. My boy would win through sheer bulk but he won't fight because he knows its a telling off offence so we have to live with it. His brother has now taken to marking in my house - won't do it at his own home, and since moving my boy thinks it's ok to retaliate - obviously it isn't and he now knows this. Incidentally, I sent him to his brother last time my girl came in and once the initial postering occurred over the first day, they were like best buds to the rest of the 2 weeks! No marking what so ever from either of them. Obviously its all because of the girls.

We have decided that he will be our one one and only ever boy - unless someone hands a puppy back and we cannot home him. My boy is loving, daft and full of beans but I can no longer take the p-mail stench in the garden, his constant need to 'water' my peas and tomatoes and the frequent stopping and sniffing that goes on during walks - the girls are much, much easier in that respect.

My eldest dog is  a neutred male  which btw made ni difference to this .he was neutred due to an undescended testicle. He has  alwas been a handful outside the home but a delight to live with and train . When he was around 18 months he was joined by our  tiny pom x.he us 45 kg she is 4 kg .  He took to her from day one and apart from a lot of supervision  due to their size is brilliant. I dont know if he is unusal but I don't have problems with him weeing everywhere. He is trained to use one area in the garden and nevery tried indoors .I don't allow leg cocking on walks unless we are in the woods. When he was  4 we had another bitch a flat coat and fortunately all.3.get on really well youngest bitch sometimes tries to push it but backs off pretty quickly . I think my first choice would.be a bitch and a dog which ever order suited and if one or the other was neutered before the seconds arrival .as for  a.3rd possibbly more likely a dog due tobitches more likely to fight even though I've had no problems .

If you only aim to keep two dogs the best combination is one of each sex as dogs and bitches do not compete for status.

If your aiming to have more than two then single sex is best, or just one male and more bitches, as you won't have the males competing for the favours of the bitch/es.

Otherwise it is likely you may at some point need to keep dogs separated, not ideal, in the average home.

> due tobitches more likely to fight

actually bitches are LESS likely to fight, it is that if they do it is more likely to be a serious/permanent dislike.

I have owned 10 bitches, up to six at a time, and presently only have issues with two, but it doesn't go beyond squabbles.  My 7 year old was pushy with her grandmother once she hit puberty, but I was able to stop he5r from pushing things too far.  After her death she did try to depose her mother from top spot a couple of years ago, again I kept on top of her and the other dogs would have none of it and would intervene when she postured.

When her Mum gave up the top spot one of the younger ones came to the fore much to her dissatisfaction, and she tries to challenge/wind up the younger bitch, but gets put in her place and submits when it gets beyond handbags. 

If I have to intervene then they both get an ear bashing.

I am fortunate that generally as a breed they are more about bluff than serious intent when they have a disagreement, rare to have any physical damage unless it's the odd accidental nipped ear/nose.

With my house layout if serious fighting occurred someone would have to be re-homed.

Thank you for confirming that Brainless I see the difference and its important to know that difference

I also think that dog experience goes a long way here.  With no disrespect to new dog owners intended.  A novice dog owner, being a bit unsure, would communicate that hesitance to the dogs.  They ain't daft!

Brainless, having humungous dog experience sorts it with an ear bashing.    Don't you just love her way with words?  But seriously, it pays to know your breeds, and to be on top of any altercations.

Having such a lot of dogs, all living in the house, I often get asked "what do you do when they start fighting?"  My reply never, ever changes.

Any growling to be done, and I'll do it.  That isn't so much about dominance, but more about being "in charge."  If I had breeds that I am frightened of it just wouldn't work.  I only have experience of Pastoral breeds and Toys.  It's what I'm comfortable with, and I am sure that the dogs feel that.

If I could only have 2 dogs, yes it would be one of each sex.  Although I find males so much more affectionate than the girls. 

Any growling to be done, and I'll do it. 

Daughters Rott could be a bit of a madam at times, both home and when out, Daughter perfected an almost under her breath 'growl' - Madam took notice and behaved. she took being shouted at as winding up for a game and a thump (she DIDN'T get any) would have been seen as a heavy pat

Reading everyone's comments it seems a mix of girl and boy best. I'd  sort of looked at having two boys but will reconsider. ...

It was supposed to be this year but we took ourselves off the list after a long discussion. My health and only 11 weeks post op from major surgery we felt it would be best

Not you specifically but there are breeds where two of the same sex will invariably be a problem, most often two males, but also bitches, these are usually the very dog dominant breeds.

I have always preferred bitches to dogs, and currently have 3 females to one male. Up to 13 years ago I had never had a male but as I had a  bossy Mini Schnauzer I thought she would get on better with a male. I think it is due to her influence (definitely not my training!) that made him scared to make any unwanted advances to females, not scent mark anywhere and is a great temperament apart from the odd stubborn days! I just don't like the male bits when I am grooming....yuk!

I always have been lucky in that most of my dogs have been calm and got on well, but I have avoided breeds that are known to be manic or that are known to have dog/same sex aggression issues.

My main breed, of which we had numbers, do live together well, male or female although of course, there can be spats as in any family!    The trouble is males fight to mate but it doesn't last.   The old saying that bitches fight to survive may well be right as once two bitches take against each other, there is less likliehood of getting them back together again.   Having said that, in all the years with our lot, we only had to home A MALE after he started challenging his uncle for top dog when he reached around 18 months.   He'd not been used at stud, but the uncle had and I was having none of that nonsense, never mind him - he didn't instigate the fights which because increasingly more serious despite my every effort to get them to sort it out.   Much to my sorry, because when we keep a puppy it's usually for life, warts and all, I couldn't let this continue so found him a really good home.   Peace returned to my pack.

Provided you choose a less dominant male, if you have a female now, go for a him - bitches rule and he will have to be able to back off when she tells him!

No question, this does depend on how well you control the situation when bringing in a second, third etc. dog, the breed and the individual within that breed.

Very interesting replies, thank you. Definitely some food for thought! In the future I would like to add a male to our family and now thinking this would be the wisest decision!

Opposite here we will add a girl for our household with our boy. Hopefully we will find another breeder but not yet. 12 months at least