# Buying #2, girl or boy?



## Sarah O. (Jul 22, 2010)

My husband and I are seriously thinking about getting another GSD, but don't know what sex would be the best match with our current dog, Maverick. 

To give you a little background, Maverick will be 9 in October and is our only child and/or dog . My husband bought him in college from a show dog breeder in NC at 8 weeks old, though he had no intentions of ever showing him, and we never have. My husband did a lot of research on hip and health ratings before he bought, and found that both of Maverick's parents had excellent hip and health ratings, but said that the mom was very aggressive and "foaming at the mouth" when he touched the puppies. 

I came into the picture when Maverick was 6. It took a few months of me coming around consistently, feeding him, training with him, playing with him, etc for him to accept me into what we call "the circle of trust" (haha). Now there is no question that I am his mommy and we take good care of each other. :wub: Maverick is very territorial of the house and we have to put him away when we have friends over due to his anxiety. The only people who can come into the house unannounced without receiving a unfriendly welcome are my n-laws, and my brother-n-law because Maverick has known them since infancy. My parents are creeping into the circle of trust slowly, but they don't visit enough to be there quite yet.

Maverick is a sweetie outside of the house and is great with other dogs at the dog park, etc. We board him at a local kennel and the owner only ever has good things to say about him. My mother-n-law has a 3 lb pomeranian/poodle that she brings with her whenever she visits and Maverick is very gentle with her. He has never shown any aggression towards her. My n-laws bought their dog during a period of time that Maverick was living at their house, so for all intents and purposes, that is his little sister. 

So now to my question! My husband has been dropping not-so-subtle hints over the past few weeks that he wants another GSD. I knew it was coming, as he's always wanted more than one some day. We're not sure what sex to get that would be most compatible with Maverick, so I thought I'd start here. I've been doing some research and it seems most people say a girl/boy combo works really well, but I was reading through "Expert Obedience Training for Dogs" by Winifred Gibson Strickland last night and she had 3 boys at the same time and had only good things to say. We looked at a little boy and girl GSD last night, and they were adorable, I fell in love! This time we are looking for good temperament more than anything else. The dogs we looked at last night are bred for temperament and both had excellent drive. We met the mom and she was very sweet, and did not show any signs of anxiety with us petting the dogs or towards us in general. She came right up to us and played ball and let us pet her. 

Any advice is greatly appreciated!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I think, because of Mavericks age, a female may fit better so he won't be challenged by a young male as the pup would mature. But you can manage two males with strong leadership.
As Maverick is a senior, I would not let the pup(whichever sex you go with) pester him. He may not tolerate it and grow to dislike the exhuberant little baby.
I'd let Maverick decide when he's had enough. I got a pup when my senior girl was 12, and she got a spring in her step with the addition of Onyx(two females).


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

I'd have to agree that a female would probably be best. Maverick just might fall in love too!


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

We have 4 boys and 1 girl. Everyone is intact.

What's nice about the girl is that she gets along with everyone. All of the boys like her and she can hold her own without any fear of consequence. 

I have to be more careful with the boys. My oldest male came to us as an adult, and he is pretty dominant. So he doesn't really get along with our older males. He does well with the male puppy though and our female. My other 3 boys are also good together...Cade is starting to challenge Argos a little...but nothing unmanageable. But I wouldn't leave them alone unsupervised either.


So I would agree Male/Female is best. But I have a personal preference for males over females...and I have not found it to be unmanageable. I think it also depends on your expectations for interaction. Do you plan on crate training the puppy? Do you expect the 2 dogs to spend the majority of their time together unsupervised? Or are you willing to crate the puppy when you are gone and continue to give Maverick run of the house? These kind of questions can help you focus your thinking about how you want your pack to work.

Also, regardless of what sex you get, with Maverick being territorial of his house I would take a lot of time letting him get used to the idea of another dog in the house. I usually crate my pups for a couple of days in the house and don't let them interact with the adult dogs until everyone is used to the new smells and sounds of the new puppy.


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## paulag1955 (Jun 29, 2010)

JKlatsky said:


> But I have a personal preference for males over females...


I'm curious about why, if it's something you can articulate. Or is it just one of those things?


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

Definately a female. Don't forget a young pup will want to play a lot more than the older dog and the older dog will correct the pup for it. Chazzy (female) was about 8 when we got Apache (male) 8wks old. She came back to life, we had just lost our male GSD Cheyenne, I think she was lonely and we never had a problem. Then about 1-1/2 years later I got another female, Kiya, she was about 14 wks old. No problems. 
Present day, Apache is 7-1/2 & Kiya is 6. We got Lakota back in March she was 8 wks old. Turns out my male, after 4 months still hasn't bonded with the puppy. Kiya has a spark in her now, playing like a pup herself.


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

paulag1955 said:


> I'm curious about why, if it's something you can articulate. Or is it just one of those things?



Just straight up personal preference. It's really hard to generalize because there are people I know whose females I like...and there are males that I don't.

For me, The boys seems a little more goofy, a little more resilient to correction, a little tougher, and a little more snuggley. The are generally more forgiving in errors made in training. 

My DH works our female. As a puppy I think she was a little more spastic than the boys, and more "busy" in general. She's also sharper. She wasn't into affection, rather she much preferred to actively play. She stinks when she goes into heat, which isn't much fun. I like her better now that she's matured at 2.5yrs.  She's sweeter now and more manageable for me. She was always Daddy's Princess.


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## Baersmama (Jun 15, 2010)

I agree with the idea of getting a female. We have a boy and girl and they get along great. A male may try to challenge your boy as he gets older. Our boy is an alpha male, and I think he would constantly be challenging another male. With our female...well he just lets her boss him around!


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## KristenMD (Jul 22, 2010)

I'm in the same predicament looking to possibly get another dog. My GSD just turned 1 in May and is a boy. Our dog that we had since the day we brought him home just passed away and was a female. Our dog has had a tough time transitioning without his play mate. Our previous dog was from a rescue and was a terrier mix and super fiesty but they loved playing together. We'd like to get another GSD but are torn as to whether we should get a female (which is what he's used to) or another male.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

I have a 16 month old male GSD and next year I am getting another male.

My male plays and gets along well with both males and females. He is not dominant, he is very submissive and very gentle. 

I just do not want a female. I hear they tend to have attitude problems and I already have 3 female cats that are ******* and I can be one too, so I want another male.


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## AgileGSD (Jan 17, 2006)

LaRen616 said:


> I have a 16 month old male GSD and next year I am getting another male.
> 
> My male plays and gets along well with both males and females. He is not dominant, he is very submissive and very gentle.


 You may want to space them out a bit more than that in age if you are set on having only males (I thought you posted a couple weeks ago that you wanted a girl next though?). In general, four years between dogs seems to be a good average. Same sex dogs that are closer in age are much more at risk of fighting than ones which are more spaced out. And by waiting untilt he first dog is at least four, that dog will be mature and should be done with the early training/socialization phase. And I know you've been told this a bunch on here but just because your dog enjoys playing with all other dogs as an adolescant, that may not hold true once he matures. By waiting, you will ensure that he doesn't show signs towards same sex aggression as an adult. 

For the OP, I agree with most everyone else - it is generally safest to get an opposite sex dog for your second dog. Given Maverick's age, the risk of having fighting issues is much less likely but a girl is more of a sure thing. Once she's grown up, if you want another one, a male would be the best bet. I would really restrict the puppy's exposure to Maverick around guests though or she will learn to act just the same way when people come over.

I always preferred male dogs to females and some what I still do. But I have a pack of girls now and just one boy (well, two if you count the neutered corgi). I have two girl GSDs and had a male, one of the girls is by far the smartest, easiest to train and most level headed of the three and probably the very easiest dog I've ever trained, of any breed. While there are some generalizations people can make about males vs. females, so very much of it depends on the individual dog. So I wouldn't worry too much about people who say they would only have girls for X reason or only have boys for X reason. Everyone has their opinions  What matters way more is getting a puppy from a breeder who is selecting for proper temperament and who is good at matching puppies with owners.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I think it depends more on the temperament vs gender. In other words, if I had a pushy female dog, there is no way I want another pushy male or female puppy..

That's where the breeder comes in, being able to really peg her puppies temperaments tho nothing is ever in stone

I have had 3 males at one time, one intact, and a female intact...I had no problems whatsoever and they all lived in the house (which I insist on

With Maverick being 9, and getting along with all dogs, I think your best bet is to go with a "go with the flow" type of puppy,,not pushy, not a moosh..

And yes, remember puppies of ANY temperament can be a pain in the butt to the older dogs in the house..But then again, maybe maverick could teach the puppy a few doggie manners..

Good luck on your choice


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

AgileGSD said:


> You may want to space them out a bit more than that in age if you are set on having only males *(I thought you posted a couple weeks ago that you wanted a girl next though?).* In general, four years between dogs seems to be a good average. Same sex dogs that are closer in age are much more at risk of fighting than ones which are more spaced out. And by waiting untilt he first dog is at least four, that dog will be mature and should be done with the early training/socialization phase. And I know you've been told this a bunch on here but just because your dog enjoys playing with all other dogs as an adolescant, that may not hold true once he matures. By waiting, you will ensure that he doesn't show signs towards same sex aggression as an adult.


I never wanted a girl, I was told by people on here that I had to get a girl because I already have a boy. After speaking with my breeder and speaking to others that have 2 males or 2 females and hearing that their dogs get along just fine I decided that I am going to have 2 males. I understand that "some" dogs change their personality when they mature but I honestly dont think Sin will become dominant, ever. He is extremely submissive. He gets bossed around by other dogs and he doesn't mind at all. He is a follower not a leader and I heavily socialize him and I doubt he will ever have a problem with another dog wether it's a male or female. 

When I get my puppy next year my current dog will be 2 1/2 years old. I am not going to wait 4 years for another puppy.


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## AgileGSD (Jan 17, 2006)

LaRen616 said:


> I never wanted a girl, I was told by people on here that I had to get a girl because I already have a boy. After speaking with my breeder




Isn't your breeder a "BYB"?




LaRen616 said:


> nd speaking to others that have 2 males or 2 females and hearing that their dogs get along just fine




That's great but there are many people who have issues too. When keeping same sex dogs, especially close in age same sex dogs of this breed, you have to be prepared that they may not always get along. That may mean separating them totally or it may mean that they have to be carefully managed in certain situations, such as at doorways or when visitors are coming in.




LaRen616 said:


> I understand that "some" dogs change their personality when they mature but I honestly dont think Sin will become dominant, ever.


 It isn't about "becoming dominant". This is a breed that changes a lot as they mature. You yourself commented that recently, for the first time Sinister reacted to someone he felt was threatening. GSDs generally become more protective and more reserved as they get older. 




LaRen616 said:


> He is extremely submissive. He gets bossed around by other dogs and he doesn't mind at all. He is a follower not a leader and I heavily socialize him and I doubt he will ever have a problem with another dog wether it's a male or female.


 I very strongly doubted that my extremely well socialized girl would ever fight with my other GSD girl, no matter what GSD people I knew said. They were best buddies, loved to play together and went everywhere together. When they were around 3, they started fighting and injuring each other. My male dog was a fairly laid back, mild mannered boy but as he matured, he didn't always tolerate other male dogs that well although he was polite when out and about. I never thought that dog would not be able to come to daycare with me but he reached a point when it was no longer appropriate for him, after he was 2.



LaRen616 said:


> When I get my puppy next year my current dog will be 2 1/2 years old. I am not going to wait 4 years for another puppy.


 Since you just have a pet dog, what is the rush to bring another dog into the house so soon? Aren't you planning to then get a third dog in another year or so? At 2 1/2 your dog will just barely have hit social maturity for this breed. 

Another issue that you should be aware of, since going to the dog park is really important to you, is that once you have two dogs it will change the dynamic of how dog park visits go. Regardless of breed, taking two dogs to the dog park is very different than taking one. We had multiple daycare dogs who were really good until the owners got a second dog then became much more difficult to manage. Two dogs are more willing to become territorial of places they are familiar with, more willing to gang up against another dog, more likely to show predatory tendencies towards smaller dogs, etc. These things are often worse when the two dogs are closer in age, probably due to "pack mentality" and also because with dogs close in age, the oldest was not as likely to have been trained to a higher level before the second dog came in.


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

AgileGSD said:


> Another issue that you should be aware of, since going to the dog park is really important to you, is that once you have two dogs it will change the dynamic of how dog park visits go. Regardless of breed, taking two dogs to the dog park is very different than taking one. We had multiple daycare dogs who were really good until the owners got a second dog then became much more difficult to manage. Two dogs are more willing to become territorial of places they are familiar with, more willing to gang up against another dog, more likely to show predatory tendencies towards smaller dogs, etc. These things are often worse when the two dogs are closer in age, probably due to "pack mentality" and also because with dogs close in age, the oldest was not as likely to have been trained to a higher level before the second dog came in.


Sort of off-topic...but ABSOLUTELY true in my experience. We had a rescued WGSD that we would take to the dog park and she was great. This was a dog that was certified for elementary schools to read with kids, worked with abused children, acted as a spokes-dog for rescues at events. Never gave any trouble until we brought in the puppy (and they were 4 years apart and male/female). Then all of a sudden she was getting into trouble. Picking fights, jumping in where normally she would have stayed out of it...I think she was trying to protect "her" puppy. If she started playing with another dog the puppy (50lb 5 months old) would jump in and grab the other dog by the neck and while perhaps just playing, the other dog's owner was not pleased. 

I also noticed an increase in this aggressive protective behavior on lead. If we were in PetsMart and someone came over with their puppy to meet our puppy...she would start growling at the other puppy. She usually had to be taken away into another aisle. Those two spent a lot of time together and bonded pretty closely. 

Not saying it necessarily always happens...but certainly not uncommon and something to be aware of when you start to create your pack. 

And it is a valid point. If Sin is submissive that might be why he does well at the park...but what if your new dog is not? (And males are more likely to have this trouble than females) Will you forgo the park with the new dog and just take Sin? Or will you try to make it work? Are you also comfortable with the new dog dominating Sin? I ask because in my pack Argos is my Heart dog- but Cade is 2 years younger and definitely more dominant. I have a hard time letting Cade take Argos' toys and show dominance displays because shouldn't the oldest have all the privileges?...part of me wants to snatch them back and make him stop but that would be putting in a false pack order which can sometimes only create more confusion and problems.

These are just things to consider when adding in a new dog and it's always helpful to have a plan in place so you know how to act proactively and not after the fact when there is already a problem.


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## gsdraven (Jul 8, 2009)

LaRen616 said:


> I understand that "some" dogs change their personality when they mature but I honestly dont think Sin will become dominant, ever. He is extremely submissive. He gets bossed around by other dogs and he doesn't mind at all. He is a follower not a leader and I heavily socialize him and I doubt he will ever have a problem with another dog wether it's a male or female.


I just wanted to share my experience with this.... my Raven is also very submissive, always was. We used to go to the dog park all the time until she was 1.5yrs old and I started fostering. She would go belly up and submissively lick every dog there.

She still is submissive with dogs when out and about but not in my home. She will never be "dominant" because it is not in her personality but in my home, with foster dogs, she is the boss and she makes it known. My point is, Sinister's personality will change when you add another dog to the mix in his own home. Will it be a huge change? Probably not, but he will react to the competition.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

AgileGSD said:


> *Isn't your breeder a "BYB"? *


Sinister's breeder was a BYB, my next puppy is coming from a reputable breeder




AgileGSD said:


> That's great but there are many people who have issues too. When keeping same sex dogs, especially close in age same sex dogs of this breed, you have to be prepared that they may not always get along. *That may mean separating them totally or it may mean that they have to be carefully managed in certain situations, such as at doorways or when visitors are coming in. *


If they do not get along later in life, I am willing to either seperate them or find a professional to come in and help me get them to at least live together.



AgileGSD said:


> It isn't about "becoming dominant". This is a breed that changes a lot as they mature. *You yourself commented that recently, for the first time Sinister reacted to someone he felt was threatening.* GSDs generally become more protective and more reserved as they get older.


That is the first time he ever met a person that was weird, bad, intimidating. We have never met someone like that when he has been with me. Everyone he has ever met has been good or nice. Those 2 men were the first "bad" people he ever met.

I very strongly doubted that my extremely well socialized girl would ever fight with my other GSD girl, no matter what GSD people I knew said. They were best buddies, loved to play together and went everywhere together. When they were around 3, they started fighting and injuring each other. My male dog was a fairly laid back, mild mannered boy but as he matured, he didn't always tolerate other male dogs that well although he was polite when out and about. I never thought that dog would not be able to come to daycare with me but he reached a point when it was no longer appropriate for him, after he was 2.





AgileGSD said:


> *Since you just have a pet dog, what is the rush to bring another dog into the house so soon? Aren't you planning to then get a third dog in another year or so? At 2 1/2 your dog will just barely have hit social maturity for this breed.*


I want another dog, because I want another dog. No, I am not planning on getting a third dog in the next year or so. I would wait until the second dog is 3 before I would get another dog, if I even get a 3rd. I would make sure I could absolutely handle 2 dogs before I would even consider or look into a 3rd dog.



AgileGSD said:


> *Another issue that you should be aware of, since going to the dog park is really important to you, is that once you have two dogs it will change the dynamic of how dog park visits go.*


I would not bring both dogs to the dog park at the same time. It would be too much for me to keep a close eye on both of them, not only that but I know the dangers of the 2 of them ganging up on another dog.



AgileGSD said:


> Regardless of breed, taking two dogs to the dog park is very different than taking one. We had multiple daycare dogs who were really good until the owners got a second dog then became much more difficult to manage. Two dogs are more willing to become territorial of places they are familiar with, more willing to gang up against another dog, more likely to show predatory tendencies towards smaller dogs, etc. These things are often worse when the two dogs are closer in age, probably due to "pack mentality" and also because with dogs close in age, *the oldest was not as likely to have been trained to a higher level before the second dog came in*.


My dog is very well trained. I have been working with him since he was 11 weeks old and we continue to do training everyday. He looks at me to direct him and tell him what to do, he listens very well.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

JKlatsky said:


> Sort of off-topic...but ABSOLUTELY true in my experience. We had a rescued WGSD that we would take to the dog park and she was great. This was a dog that was certified for elementary schools to read with kids, worked with abused children, acted as a spokes-dog for rescues at events. Never gave any trouble until we brought in the puppy (and they were 4 years apart and male/female). Then all of a sudden she was getting into trouble. Picking fights, jumping in where normally she would have stayed out of it...I think she was trying to protect "her" puppy. If she started playing with another dog the puppy (50lb 5 months old) would jump in and grab the other dog by the neck and while perhaps just playing, the other dog's owner was not pleased.
> 
> I also noticed an increase in this aggressive protective behavior on lead. If we were in PetsMart and someone came over with their puppy to meet our puppy...she would start growling at the other puppy. She usually had to be taken away into another aisle. Those two spent a lot of time together and bonded pretty closely.
> 
> ...


I would not take both dogs to the dog park at the same time. If the new dog doesn't play nice with others I would not take him to the dog park, I would only take Sin. But I think I might give the dog park up once I get my 2nd dog. The main reason I take Sin to the dog park is so he can be social with other dogs because he loves running around with them, when I get the 2nd dog he can run around with his brother instead of strange dogs at the dog park.


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## ruger (May 25, 2010)

LaRen616 said:


> I want another dog, because I want another dog. No, I am not planning on getting a third dog in the next year or so. I would wait until the second dog is 3 before I would get another dog, if I even get a 3rd. I would make sure I could absolutely handle 2 dogs before I would even consider or look into a 3rd dog.
> 
> My dog is very well trained. I have been working with him since he was 11 weeks old and we continue to do training everyday. He looks at me to direct him and tell him what to do, he listens very well.


I think the point people are trying to makes is not for you to not get another male but to think it through and be realistic. If Sinister is truly submissive there is a good chance another male may challenge him and it may happen sooner than you think. That being said it could be the same with a female although IMO male/female fights are more rare. With the addition of any new dog to your pack your existing dog's personality WILL change. It's similar to having a one on one conversation with a close friend in private and another friend shows up. The dynamics of the group change it just happens. 

For 10 years we had two males, one was a schnauzer (bigger than a mini) about 25lbs, the other our Belgian\GSD most times they got along great, but there were times when the schnauzer would do something the bigger dog didn't agree with and blood was shed before I could break it up. My point being that even submissive dogs will fight for certain things, and breaking up a scuffle between a small dog and large dog is much different than breaking up one between two 70lb + dogs. 

I'm certainly not trying to discourage you, it sounds like you're a great owner, but delaying or even reconsidering another male may be justified.

JMO


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## GSDAlphaMom (Jul 20, 2010)

If they are both neutered your chances are better but still not guaranteed. In tact, % drops drastically though it is possible. Once the 2nd one hits 12-18 months is when the true test will come.

Is there any particular reason you do not want a female? I have both and while there is a difference they are equally wonderful. I've had two males before as well, both laid back but still could never ever leave them together unsupervised. In my experience life has been much easier without two males. (I currently have 1 male and 2 females).

I would encourage you to visit some adult females and talk with their owners about your hesitation for a girl. You might change your mind about them. I know some people are set on males strictly because they are 'bigger'.


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

Growing up my grandparents had 2 Belgian Shepherds, they were brothers. One was kinder, Lightning, I have a picture of me sitting on him when I was about 3, I remember snuggling with him. Bucky did not like to snuggle, I remember he growled at me once. I didn't want him to get in trouble and I didn't say anything to anyone. When they were young they were together no problems but when they got older they fought. I don't remember the details but my grandmother separated them and after that they could never be together. I'm sure she made it worse by separating them and I'm sure there was no formal obedience training. I do remember her being afraid they would get together and fight, and she was always after me to make sure I closed doors. It would not be the way I would want to live now. 
In my current world of 3 dogs, a female is 6 months that has very dominant behaviors, does well with my 6 yr old female but my 7-1/2 yr old male still hasn't bonded with her. Its been 4 months and I am just starting to see him warm up to her. I never would have thought he would be so snarly with her. I thought I would have a problem with my female.
I guess you never know how things will be.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

GSDAlphaMom said:


> If they are both neutered your chances are better but still not guaranteed. In tact, % drops drastically though it is possible. Once the 2nd one hits 12-18 months is when the true test will come.
> 
> Is there any particular reason you do not want a female? I have both and while there is a difference they are equally wonderful. I've had two males before as well, both laid back but still could never ever leave them together unsupervised. In my experience life has been much easier without two males. (I currently have 1 male and 2 females).
> 
> I would encourage you to visit some adult females and talk with their owners about your hesitation for a girl. You might change your mind about them. I know some people are set on males strictly because they are 'bigger'.


It's not just because males are bigger. I have heard from numerous people that females are more serious and they can have attitude problems. I have 3 female cats and they are all . My male is big and goofy and I enjoy his silly personality. I also wouldn't spay/neuter until he/she was 18 months to 2 years old and I dont want to deal with the blood.


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## AgileGSD (Jan 17, 2006)

LaRen616 said:


> It's not just because males are bigger. I have heard from numerous people that females are more serious and they can have attitude problems. I have 3 female cats and they are all . My male is big and goofy and I enjoy his silly personality. I also wouldn't spay/neuter until he/she was 18 months to 2 years old and I dont want to deal with the blood.


 I dunno my girl GSD is pretty silly with us. GSDs as a breed are more serious than some dogs but both sexes still tend to be pretty outwardly joyful with their people. Males dogs can have attitude problems without a doubt. Of my three GSDs, my male was the only one I had to worry about with people. Come to think of it the only dogs I have personally known to have what I would consider true "dominance aggression" (aggression aimed mostly towards their owners, wouldn't tolerate restraint, corrections, certain touching, etc from the owner) were all neutered male dogs. And one of the scariest dogs I have ever seen was an 8 month old male GSD. Male dogs are not immune to having "attitude problems" or issues.


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## Sarah O. (Jul 22, 2010)

Awww, so sorry for your loss. I dread that day, we call it "dooms day" around our house because we can't bring ourselves to say the words!  It sounds to me like a female is our best bet. I think out of this litter of dogs that any one of them would get along fine with Maverick, they are such sweet dogs! Now I just have to keep her from learning all of Maverick's bad habits!  Thanks for the feedback!


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## IllinoisNative (Feb 2, 2010)

I have to say, I'm a fan of the males. Like others, I find them more forgiving, more snuggly, more goofy. I had females all my life until I rescued a male shep/rottie mix puppy. It was the BEST decision I've ever made. He's my heart dog. But he was a middle of the road dog. Very play motivated, loved other dogs, neither submissive or dominant. He doesn't start fights but doesn't really back down.

I rescued my second dog as a puppy three years after that. He was also a male and a chow/lab/aussie mix. This dog was ridiculously submissive.

They've never had a cross bark between them and they are almost five and eight. They love each other to death. They groom each other, play with each other, sleep with each other.

Their personalities/temperaments compliment each other despite being the same sex. I know most people say to get a male/female combo to stack the odds in your favor (and that most likely is true), but I've found that compatible temperaments are the key...and it allows me to have multiple males which is my preference.

I have two males who get along great. My dad has two females (GSD and a terrier) who get along great. I have a sister who has a male/female (Husky and lab/boxer) combo and they don't.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

could this be due to his training and
socializing.

i think you can get a male or female.

the dogs attitude/temperament has a lot to do
with your training, socializing and general care
of your dog.


Sarah O. said:


> :wub: Maverick is very territorial of the house and we have to put him away when we have friends over due to his anxiety.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

GIRLDOGS RULE!!!

Plus, while you can have a bunch of girldogs that get along, or a bunch of boy dogs that get along........... the tendency of the opposite sex getting along the easiest is true. So to make the new pup even easier for your older boy, I'd get the female.


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