Female German Shepherds are friendly dogs that bond quickly with other dogs and family members. They’re such good picks for both first-time and experienced dog-owners that you may even think of getting two of them. But can two female German Shepherds live together?
Two female German Shepherds should not live together, as it is highly unlikely that they will get along well. They can get aggressive while establishing dominance and trying to get the top breeding place. If they start fighting, you should either re-home one or keep them separate permanently.
Read on to learn why it’s not a good idea to keep two female German Shepherds at home, how to stop or prevent the fights, and how to introduce a new German Shepherd.
Why Can’t Two Female German Shepherds Get Along?
It might be surprising to see your female German Shepherds, who are famously calm and gentle, get into bitter fights, and it’s not uncommon to see your female canine showing aggression towards other female dogs when you take them out for a walk.
But why does the female German Shepherd have a hard time having another female dog around?
Establish Breeding Dominance
The most important reason why two female dogs can’t get along has to do with how nature works. Female dogs aged one to three years become socially mature and start competing for breeding rights. If a male dog is living with them in the same house, things can get even uglier.
That’s why you never see two same-aged female dogs of any breed in the same pack. In the wild, females accept each other’s breeding right and move away to find another male to start their own pack.
But humans create forced domestic packs by ignoring this natural tendency and try keeping two female dogs together.
Fights for Pecking Order
Dogs are highly social animals with social hierarchies within their packs. If you keep more than one dog in your home, there should be a ranking system including an alpha and other subordinates respecting its dominance.
With two dogs in the same home, you’ll always see them fighting to attain the top position. In natural settings, those who fail to attain the top rank will simply leave the pack to form their own. They fight to get the best toys, sleeping places, treats, or even being the first ones to greet the owner when they come home.
Fights for top positions aren’t limited to dogs of the same age. When an alpha dog gets older, a younger dog may try to claim the superior position, which can lead to aggressive fights between the current alpha and the new claimant.
Going Into Heat
Another reason why female dogs get aggressive is the behavioral changes they experience during their heat. They feel agitated, aggressive, or nervous while expressing other physical signs.
Depending on your German Shepherd’s size and age, she may go through a heat cycle once, twice, or three times a year. She may be receptive to male dogs but aggressive to other female canines.
How To Stop Female German Shepherds From Fighting
Fights between female German Shepherds can get ugly and lead to injuries, especially for the submissive one. More often than not, when these clashes start, the primary way is to re-home one of them, but before doing so, contact an animal behaviorist to assess their personalities and identify causes for aggression. Sometimes what triggers the fight is simply a toy, chewing bone, or treat that you can remove from the scene.
You could also put them in separate spaces, giving them private boundaries. Make time to spend time with you or other family members exclusively. Feed them separately because when the dominant one finishes her food, she’ll decide to eat the other one’s food.
Try to work out a routine to exercise your dogs separately so that they can use up their excess energy. Your behavior as the owner can help desensitize them and create a peaceful environment for them, but many experienced dog owners and breeders believe when the fights start, there’s no going back. The only solution is to separate them, or one of them will get hurt.
So, you may want to save yourself and the dogs the trouble and get it over with by re-homing one of them or separating them permanently.
Some people believe that spaying your female dogs can prevent them from getting aggressive. But there’s no scientific proof for that. On the contrary, a study conducted on more than 10,000 dogs found that spaying or neutering dogs will make them more aggressive, excitable, and less trainable.
If your German Shepherds get into fights, never try to use your body to intervene, or you’ll get bitten. Instead, stop the fight by using a chair or broom or spraying water on them, and don’t show excitement by shouting at the dogs because it will agitate them more.
Take them to separate rooms after the fight and keep them there for a few hours.
How To Introduce A New German Shepherd
If you insist on having two German Shepherds, it’s better to have two opposite sexes. Although you can’t be sure there won’t be any fights, you can take steps to ensure introducing a new dog goes as smoothly as possible.
Before adding a second German Shepherd to your home, consider how your current pooch will react if a new one comes around. If she isn’t the best at following commands, has difficulty getting trained, or has a history of showing aggressive behavior, you may want to reconsider your decision.
Consider Their Personalities
The new dog’s personality is an important factor. Pay careful attention to its behavior and breeding, and talk to the breeder to make sure she has the right personality to match your current dog before adopting a new dog. Try to find a dog that has similar temperaments to your current dog, as a shy dog won’t be an excellent match to an outgoing one.
Introduce Them in Nature
The best place for introducing new dogs is in nature because your current dog will feel protective of her place at home and get defensive and territorial. This way, you’re also putting them in a neutral environment. Make sure both are on a leash and have a sturdy collar.
Keep Them Calm
Look for signs of negative feelings, such as their hair standing up. Try to calm them down through positive reinforcement, giving them treats, and encouraging them verbally, while letting them interact, sniff, and greet each other. Give them commands to divert their attention after a few minutes.
Bring Them Home
When you see the dogs are familiar and comfortable with each other, take them home in separate cars. Let the new dog go in first to prevent the old dog from getting territorial.
Once they’re home, make sure to give them equal attention so that the old one doesn’t feel threatened, and feed them in separate bowls while keeping them in individual crates.
Final Thoughts
Female German Shepherds make perfect family dogs for their docile, friendly, and pleasant temperaments.
However, it’s not a good idea to have two of them in the same home. They may get into fights over their social ranks and breeding orders, especially if there’s a male dog around, and tend to get more aggressive when they’re into heat, leading to aggressive fights.
When the fights start, the only solution seems to be separating them. However, contacting an animal behaviorist may help get to the roots of the fights and eliminate them.