Also a 2 Female Household Question

[MyaandLaney]

Hi, I just posted in the introductions and would like any advice. Like the previous post i have two female boxers. one is 2 and a half, the other is 4.5 months. both spayed. they are both rescues and both were in kill shelters, so i didnt have the option of choosing the sex. I got them both at puppyhood

they get along perfectly fine now with Laney still being a puppy. Mya at 2-1/2 is very submissive and already will give in to the puppy whether its toys, or affection.

With Mya's temperament i don't foresee any problems when Laney reaches maturity.

I was just looking for any advice on what i could start doing now to help prevent any issues in the future.

thank you
Adam, new poster, Illinois

 

[hurleygirl]

That I can't tell you. I thought mine would beat the odds and then all of a sudden when the youngest was 4 it so terribly changed. If I knew what to do to avoid it I would certainly have done it. They were best buds and then I finally just had to separate them. Will never have 2 females together in a household again. Wish I could be more positive, but my experience has not been good. My prayers r with u.

 

[TwoDogs]

I was just looking for any advice on what i could start doing now to help prevent any issues in the future.

A lot of the issues tend to be with regard to resources or access to resources so the more you can manage these two things the better off you will be. Males will argue over the same things, but females tend to hold grudges more.

Start getting them used to taking turns for stuff. This might be your affection/attention, going through doorways, and when giving out treats. They should both get in the habit of having you decide who goes first, who gets a snack first, who gets a belly rub first. Whoever goes second needs to learn to wait patiently back a couple of feet. Switch up who gets to go first so neither starts to feel as they have priority access to the good stuff.

Monitor high-value food and toys. If one is enjoying a tasty bone on their bed, make sure you are there to keep the other from trying to take it away. Remove all high-value foodstuffs or super great toys if you aren't going to be able to supervise them.

Even if they enjoy each other's company and will sleep on the same bed and share toys, make sure you provide multiple beds and multiples of toys so that there isn't "one best" that they could potentially argue over.

 

[Sansal]

The only times my two females have fought was over raw meaty bones. They now always get separated for any kind of chew item and I make sure to communicate that rule to any friends they stay with, dogsitter etc.

 

[MyaandLaney]

thanks

thank you for the replies, i was just curious. I have heard many stories of 2 females never having any problems, then i've heard probably just as many where it didn't work out so well