Keeping 2 male rotties - help please

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sonjafoers

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I currently have 2 rotties, a bitch and a full male, who get on brilliantly. The bitch is 9 and the male 6.

My husband & I were looking to get another dog before our bitch gets too old and were in the process of taking on an english bull which needed re-homing but she is now going to stay with her owners.

It has come to light today that a friend of ours is ill-treating a rottie he has and without really thinking it through we have offered to take him. The owner won't give him to us so we will be paying for him but to be honest we just want to get him away from where he is, not only is he completely under-nourished and never walked but as we always suspected he is being treated violently and that has turned out to be true.

He is by the same stud dog as our male so they are half brothers with a few months difference in age. At the moment the new dog is also a full male but would be castrated the minute we take him.

Both males are very soft, subserviant dogs and our bitch is very dominant.

I know we are going to have problems bringing another male into our home but we can't see him being treated as he is so can anyone out there offer any advice as to how we can make this work please.

Thank you
 
you might need to get your boy done as well. tho if the bitch is dominent she should keep them in line. plenty of exercise, individual training and brain work will help, and seperate kenneling unless supervised. if house dogs you will need enough space to give each one their own space or crate when unattended. are your 2 dog friendly and well trained? if your 2 are good and dog friendly and not possesive then in time a pack of 3 will work but it will take time. the new rottie may well have social issues if he has had a hard life and taken a beating. he could well be subserviant which will make things easier. if he has become retalient then you will have problems. good luck.
 
Thank you for replying ofcourseyoucan - what you have said makes complete sense and I'm relieved to hear it could work in time.

The new dog is very subserviant, and has been treated violently at times but I have never seen him retaliate in any way. In fact he just wants to please and is happy to be around his owner despite being treated harshly.

He hasn't been socialised with other dogs and from what I have seen he has hidden behind his owner when other dogs have approached him.

Our two are very well trained and well socialised and get on with other dogs. They get 3 good walks a day off the lead so don't have any excess energy which will hopefully keep things a bit calmer. They are house dogs & each have their own favourite space, but we will be getting a crate for the new one in the short term.
 
Crate training might be the way forward for him, just to keep him safe and separate for the mean time.
I wouldn't say him being related to your existing male will make things any easier, and I say that from experience!

But keep things easy and calm and keep the pressure off, maybe PM Cayla who is a whizz with crate training, introducing new dogs to packs and she has a rottie herself.

Well done for doing your best for him.
 
Hi,I know exactly were you are coming from.I have two Stafford in-neutered and farther and son,i found that as the son Levi became older he was challenging my older stuffy tye,not always fighting but even just stand offs till one day I came home and tye had a nasty puncture wound in his face so off to the vets we went with a decent bill later.I did speak to the vet there and then about neutering and she strongly advised me to get the more dominant one done as tye was not aggressive in that manner and things would become alot worse.anyway now with a decent routine banishing playfights of any kind and leaving my back door open(silly I know)whilst I am out gives them a lot more room to get away from each other but 9 times out of ten there inseparable and go everywhere together, how ever I would advise to get one neutered like you said especially if adults as my two have been together since Levi was a pup and I do agree that if they are related for some reason there's that tension,hope this makes sense and I don't sound like a nagging old cow,ha,ha,but totally understand what you are saying and feeling.Doesn't help that breeds like rotties and staffys are classed as gladiators of the dog world,but just as beautiful and honest a dog as any other breed.anyway good luck and keep us updated.xxx
 
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Thanks everyone, CaveCanem I have PM'd Cayla as you suggested & had some really good advice from her some of which we have already put into practice.

Storm has now arrived & so far so good - although it is very early days! He has had the 1st proper walk of his life to wear him out, been fed a small meal & also been walked with our 2 with them all being on the lead. We are now all sat in the lounge with him settled in his crate.

Tomorrow he has a trip to the vet for castration, microchip, wormer, blood test & vaccinations. Poor boy!
 
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