# Introducing a new puppy to the family



## NTexFoster (Jul 18, 2013)

Will the gender of a puppy make any difference in the long run to the harmony of my little pack?

We already have 2 boxers in the house. Sparkles are female is about 8 or 9 years old and Hawk our male is about 5 years old. Both are fixed, healthy and active. 

With fostering I've noticed that Sparkles tends to get 'annoyed' with female dogs that stay with us. Right now we're watching Jasmine, a lab we helped place (her family went on a trip). No fights have broken out, but there will be occasional showing of teeth and growling back and forth. I'm not a dog whisperer so I have no idea what is going on, I just prefer to not have it.
Male dogs don't seem to bother her. In fact with Gatsby (a male Dutch Shepherd) she was quite happy to play with him and Hawk.

Hawk so far has not cared who we brought in - he just wants to play. Jasmine is pretty lazy so he ignores her. But he and Gatsby were at it until both collapsed in exhaustion. The stuffing from the shredded toys was everywhere (good will is the ultimate pet toy store).

My current thinking is that if I bring in a male puppy 8wks - 6mo old (probably going to be a rescue) will go over better than bringing in a female of the same age. Or am I over thinking this? Will a puppy, regardless of gender, just be integrated in to the pack and things just automatically sort themselves out?


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Get a male BUT...........

you also need to be super careful with your choice of a responsible breeder who really knows THEIR dogs when they are adults and how they get along with other dogs. As a puppy things should go fine but issues may crop up at about a year if the lines are too 'sharp' or dog aggressive. 

Make sure you really read thru --> http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/choosing-breeder/137533-things-look-responsible-breeder.html so know your breeder is reliable and has the knowledge and background to really know their dogs.

A real dog fight is a nightmare. As is keeping dogs crated and separated their entire lives to prevent a fight. So doing your part before the pup hits the house is a great idea.


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