What two genders do you consider are the best pair?

[Gemmy4ever]

Hi, I'm just wondering what two genders are the best together. A male and a male, a female and a female, or a male and a female? --thanks so much!

[Pearse]

for the most part, an it and another it.

[Patty Abel]

I've had little problem with adding neutered male border collies to my family. One girl stirs things up. Another person's experience may be different.

[Janba]

I have a neutered boy and an entire boy who have no problems with each other - the neutered boy is boss. I also have a spayed bitch who does not tolerate other bitches in her house but is fine with the boys. I think a lot depends on the individual dogs.

[Root Beer]

I have three boys and a girl and all do well.

 

If I were to have only two, I would go with either two boys or a boy and a girl.

[Bordercentrics]

I think it really depends more on the individual dogs than on what gender they are. We have three girls, and although it can be a bit of a soap opera at times, the hierarchy is very clear. Meg is the queen, Ruby is really pretty independent, and Molly is the newcomer at the bottom.

 

HOWEVER, Ruby and Molly are very soft, deferential girls, and that's what makes it all work. Ruby did challenge Meg a couple of times early in her stay, but we supported Meg and she stopped doing that. Molly has never challenged anybody and almost certainly never will.

 

It gets interesting when we have a foster or a visiting BC. As always, Meg is the queen. If she likes the dog, we can have it around. We fostered Maisie, a wonderful puppy for a couple of months and she drove Ruby nuts. Ruby couldn't bring herself to correct the little devil, who pestered her unmercifully. Meg did two corrections and got perfect respect thereafter. Meg has also liked several males who have visited, though Ruby wasn't much interested in them.

 

Whatever you get, the interaction between them will be endlessly interesting!

[kate40541]

My choice would be a female with a male, if a third dog is added it would be another male. But reality has been a male and two females, two times... The boys we've had have been easy-going while the females have been the ones who are willing to try to stir things up. Ultimately it would depend on the personality of the individual dogs though, we've just been lucky enough to get bossy, strong-willed bitches.

 

Suzanne

[MaggieDog]

I have two females (both spayed). but before Z came into the picture I wanted a M/F pair. Maggie has had interbitch aggression issues in the past and always seemed to do best with male fosters, so I figured a male would be the safest choice. Z had other plans - she was an intact 5.5mo female when she came home as a foster and Maggie has *never* bonded with another dog so fast. That fast bond was one of the key reasons why I flexed on my gender requirement for a second dog.

[bc4pack]

Standard reply is usually a male and a female. Some bitches don't get a long with other bitches. I haven't seen much

interbitch aggression in BCs (within the 'pack') ... I have seen bitches that did't get along with 'outside' bitches.

Boys tend to fight for points, girls fight for keeps

 

Now.... having said all that...

I have mother/daughter (now both spayed) and 2 intact brothers...a little bit different since there was no introduction of

a new member.

[urge to herd]

I've got two girls who have to be managed a bit around each other, and it took a couple trips to the vet for torn ears to be repaired before I got it. My vet says the worst dog to dog conflicts he's had to repair were bitch to bitch in the same home.

 

It does depend on the individual dogs, though, no guarantee either way. I'll go for boy/girl from now on, don't want to take any more chances.

 

Ruth n the BC3

[herdcentral]

I have always had 3 speyed bitches with no problems. I think it would depend on the mix of personalities and individual dogs. My mother also has 2 bitches and all 5 bitches get on great with no management required.

[Scout's Mom]

I think it's all based on the dogs' personalities and the hierarchy they enter into/how it changes. For example, My four dogs (three labs, one BC) all got along well until we lost our alpha boy in August. Even in his old age he disciplined the younger girl dogs and kept them in their "proper" roles.

 

Post-alpha loss I have three girls. The two labs had a lot of awful fights right after Cooper died. The fights are fewer between now, but there's still some tension about who the queen dog is. Scout the BC could care less -- she runs and hides when the growling and posturing start.

[berocca]

Like others have said it really depends on the personalities of the dogs. Also to an extent depends on your leadership, if you are the clear leader it makes a big difference whatever combination you have.

 

I always like to have 1 male and 1 female. I just find that they seem to get along the best. If I was to get a third dog it would be another male. I'm not picky when it comes to fosters though, as either sex seems to fit in fine with my dogs. At the moment I have a male and a female foster in with my 2 and there are no dramas at all. Mind you the female is only a pup.

[lrayburn]

Depends on the individuals of course but as a general rule I recommend 1 male and 1 female, followed by two (neutered) males. That said, I have two girls and a boy but the second girl only stayed because she was able to fit into the pecking order (on the bottom!). My dogs spend most of the days that I'm at work with a friend, John, who has a male Aussie. John wants a puppy and he will be getting a male because there isn't room for another female in our extended pack. Mine don't seem to have the same problems adding another male - a spayed female, however, is still a bitch .

Lisa

[Beth G]

I'v e got a male and a female. Both 2yrs. Both fixed. They get on the best I've ever seen two dogs get along!

[Dixie_Girl]

I don't know. I have a female muttly that really doesn't care for other dogs, any dogs. She just wants them to leave her be. She is not aggresive towards them unless they annoy her. Skip and Jackson fight all the time. Sometimes Jackson is the boss, sometimes Skip. They just growl. They don't get into it. My foster girl, well she didn't like Missy, Lucy or Cheyenne. She likes the boys. Skip and Holly are the only ones really to cause any probs.

 

I think it just has to do with a dogs temperment. Jackson, Lucy and Missy can get along with any dogs. Skip is a butthead. Holly just likes the boys. I think Skip is a bully and Holly is a hussy!

[Greylite]

I live with two intact males and it is not a bed of roses. They are brothers who have been with each other since birth. I didn't originally own the one brother but I landed up with him after babysitting him. Their personalities usually do not mesh together decently. We get by just fine though.

[BustopherJones]

We have always had two spayed females (of varying breeds) in the house, and it has worked out fine. With that said, I should note that there has always been a significant age difference between the two dogs, which might have an impact on the relationship between them.

[HighDesertSpice]

I have one of each, by design. They're a good compliment and the differences helps to soften / helps them sort out the conflicts. They are close in age, although I would have preferred a bigger age difference. If I get a 3rd, it will most likely be a girl....as I'd prefer the predictable spats over possible fights.

[Sassy Girl]

As everyone has already stated - it really does depend on the individual's personalities...We have 3 girls and 3 boys, not the same breed but I'll tell you by far the females rule the roost, even all the way down to Miss Vandal, the 1 1/2 yr old border jack.

 

Personally, I've found that females exhibit so much more drama than males, so if I had to make a choice, personally I think two males is easier.

[Skyler]

I have just recently added another boy (10 months) that is neutered and my other is a 5 month old intact boy - well, until next month. They get along great except around food bowls, which I control by crating seperately. Koda has challenged a few times over the water bowl as well but loses quickly after a touchless scuffle, and backs off. Zak drinks then Koda comes in and drinks and all is well.

 

That said, I also believe its all about the dogs themselves. Some dogs just dont get along. When I was searching for another dog (who ended up being Zak) many mixes simply didnt work and that was boy with boy and mix of female and male. Dogs are like people. Although my friend may love his wife to death and have a wonderful marriage, I would sooner shoot myself in the head than be her husband Simply put, personalities are what they are and they dont always mix.