[Runswithdogs]

We adopted Osa a month ago and things have been going pretty well for the most part between her and Regen...but my husband I were talking and just wondering, how do you that two dogs actually like each other, not just tolerate each other?

Things we've seen that make us think that they like each other: Sleeping very close to each other, playing chase (reciprocal) on hikes, mouth-wrestling on their sides (very relaxed), playing tug with tails wagging.

Things that sometimes make us question whether Osa is just tolerating Regen: sometimes she growls when Regen wants to play for the umpteenth time or will walk away from her, and Regen seems to most often be the chaser, not the chase-ee in the backyard. Osa is almost a year older than Regen.

What do you look for in deciding if your dogs really enjoy each other's company?

Having two GSDs is wonderful! :wub:

 

[Davey Benson]

You really know it, when one passes away after being together for years... and the other one looks for her for days afterwards.

 

[krystyne73]

Sadly, I do not treat all my dogs equal and I think the GSD's pick that up. My 2 GSD are very spoiled, they practically joined at the hip. I take them out with me all the time.
I also have this dreadfully fat golden retriever mix that I shoved off to my husband lol and the other dogs really snub her. She doesn't interact with them and if she tries they bully her, then she gets bully them....you can feel the tension, and I think it is all my fault. (working on equality and Leadership training now)
Every one of the dogs treats my Great Dane like he is God and they even bring him toys to his bed while he is sleeping, like a sacrifice left at the alter.
so i would say that I know 3 out of 4 of my dogs get along well.

 

[Lilie]

My Golden is the old man. He tolerates my GSD. He initiates all play, and when they play they play hard. When the Golden is done, the game is over and the toy remains with him...never to be stolen. During the game is a free for all, but when it's over, it's over.

My mini doxie is the princess. She ignores the boys and they fawn all over her. If she creeps in and takes the toy, there will be no attempt to take it back. She never plays with the Golden. When she is in the mood she'll play with the GSD. But that just mostly means the GSD can take her head in his mouth and hold it while she squeaks.

As my GSD matures, I've noticed the beginings of a small shift in power between the doxie and the GSD. There is a slight hesitation from the GSD now when she comes to demonstrate her power over the boys. I'm having to re-think some of our games.

 

[Emoore]

Rocky and Cash were good buddies. Cash was the only dog who could entice the grumpy (not so) old man to play. They would lie close together and even sleep with their heads on each other on car trips. Scaredy-cat Rocky was a lot more confident with his big/little brother around. When Cash passed, a little something went out of Rocky. . . well went out of all of us really. I'm hoping he grows to love his new baby brother like that.

 

[VomBlack]

Odin and Noire really seem to have a good bond with each other. I haven't really had any problems with Odin and other dogs, when we dog sit or foster he's more than happy to welcome a new dog into the house. Noire has been a bit more particular on what dogs she likes, but Odin apparently can do no wrong as far as she is concerned.. she puts up with all of his hyperactive antics, she will actually run around outside with him, and they often curl up together and sleep. It's really nice to see them like to be around each other almost as much as they like being around you.

 

[JudynRich]

By some odd twist of fate we ended up w/ two females that adore each other. We found Bella on the freeway and we guess she was about 4 months old, Mia was 8 months old. It was love at first sight. They play together, eat together and bring us tremendous joy. They kiss each other's muzzles when they greet each other. When I get home I sit on the floor and they both kiss my cheek and then kiss each other...quite charming.

 

[Whiteshepherds]

They've never had a fight. They share. They'll eat from the same dish at the same time. When one of them comes back from a walk or training the other one acts like they've just found their long lost relative.

They don't spend all of their time together but they definitely have a bond.

 

[Chicagocanine]

Well Bianca is an "only child" right now (not counting the cats) but my previous two dogs definitely liked each other. They were not interested in playing together, neither one ever would wrestle or play chase or anything with other dogs. However I could tell they liked each other because of how they greeted each other, tolerated each other and how they behaved when they were separated (such as if we went to an event with two people each holding one dog, and we walked the dogs away from each other.)
Of course, my Golden was tolerant of everything and liked any dog she met, so really the main way I could tell that they were attached to each other was by the last point, how they acted when separated or when separated and then reunited.
The only time they ever growled is if my Golden had a REALLY good chewie/bone and my terrier approached and seemed like he wanted to take it. That was only with really high-value bones though, anything else my terrier could grab right out of her mouth if he wanted to.

 

[DCluver33]

You really know it, when one passes away after being together for years... and the other one looks for her for days afterwards.

That's not always true, I recently lost my 17 year old Border Collie and my 12 year old Border Collie mix only looked for him for one day despite being with him and only him since she was 8 weeks old. they've never been separated until the day he died. Granted it may have helped that we have Dodger, but they're not as bonded as Chopper and Molly were. Molly would freak out if Chopper was on the other side of the gate, if I do that with Dodger she could care less.

 

[King&Skylar]

All of my dogs get along, except cleo- she doesn't like any of the others, doesn't bother with king and skylar but will get into fights with maui, so we watch them closely. They're both girls, i'm never, ever getting 2 girls again.

 

[DarkStars]

Your two sound like they have similar behaviors as mine, and I think mine are very close. They cuddle up and sleep together and if one goes outside the other goes two - if one goes upstairs the other follows - they're attached at the hip!

Like you said my female is usually the one doing the chasing (mainly because that's the way Kane likes it!) And they've never fought, however Kiah does give Kane warning growls. For instance, Kiah is chewing on a toy - most days Kane can just walk up and snatch the toy away from Kiah:shocked:; however every now and then she doesn't put up with his crap and gives him a warning growl and its then that he knows not to mess with her and he leaves the toy...

And I could not agree with you more - two GSD's are incredibly wonderful!

 

[Runswithdogs]

Those doggie snuggling pictures are priceless- I hope we capture some of those moments soon!

 

[JakodaCD OA]

Of my three, the two girls are very much connected, probably because they are constantly playing together, will sleep on top of each other. The male aussie, Jag, well he's more or less a loner, he is not a fan of having the girls get physical with him and he lets them know it, therefore, they pretty much stay out of his space.

He was very attached to my passed away female gsd, I use to call them Adolph and Eva LOL,,they were/are both such HUGE control freaks, always butting in, but got along famously with each other.

 

[Chicagocanine]

Just to clarify, the photo I posted was not actually snuggling... Ginger (the Golden) was lying on the chair and Pooch jumped up on top of her and started to play with the ball ON her. :crazy: I was trying to show the tolerance level.

As far as them missing each other, I didn't notice that a lot when Pooch died... The two had been together 10 years plus, but I didn't see a lot if any of Ginger looking for him, and she did not seem to respond when I showed him to her(he passed away at home.) They definitely liked and were attached to each other though. So not all dogs will react in those ways. Of course Ginger was 12 and was having health problems when I lost Pooch so that may have had an effect. Sadly, she passed away within 3 months of Pooch (cancer.)

 

[CassandGunnar]

My two are also attached at the hip. In April of last year we lost Ruger to a seizure disorder. (When we got Ruger he was about 2 1/2 years old. We got Gunnar at the same time and he was 7 weeks old.) Gunnar was a wreck. When the vet came to put Ruger to sleep, Gunnar was there and lay next to him the entire time.
After that, Gunnar wouldn't eat, didn't want to work or play at all. We even took him to the dog park and he would lay under a picinic table. It was horrible for all of us.
We decided to get another dog and found Cassie. She was a rescue and had just lost her partner, a 4 year old male GSD.
When we went to check Cass out and adopt her, we took Gunnar so they could meet. He didn't seem real interested, but they didn't hate each other so we brought her home. It took about 3 days for both of them to perk up at all.
I remember taking the day they bonded. About noon one day, I took them both outside with me because I was working in the back yard. Usually they would both lay on the deck and pout. I went into the shed and was putting some stuff away and I heard barking. I came out of the shed like a shot and found them playing chase and rolling around with each other like they had known each other forever.

They each get their own work/training time every day and when one of them is gone, the other one lays at home and pouts.

 

[onyx'girl]

I have 3, they all get along but when they are out playing two get along much better than three. They enjoy each other when out patrolling or just playing.
As far as strong bond with each other, I'm not sure, they all would rather be with me than each other. But they do need each other for playtime, so an only dog in my house would get bored. And when I had two it wasn't as fun as having 3 around!

 

[FG167]

Madix likes Midas a lot. Midas tolerates Madix lol. He's my old man and he is really, really chill. He's been through rescue dogs living with us, random dog-sitting situations and when I was a foster for a GSP rescue for awhile. Not a lot gets to him.

they all would rather be with me than each other.

That's how it is in my household - and how I like it!

I am planning my next pup carefully - I want Madix to be fully mature and absolutely solid on all the things I do with him. Hoping that he will be like Midas is now - tolerant of new puppy but not necessarily in love - which lends itself wonderfully to new puppy relying on me for fun time

 

[Larien]

Honestly, they really don't. Rem LOVES all of the dogs, he is crazy about Cooper and Beau especially, but they don't really like him. They'll play with him outside sometimes, but otherwise, they act annoyed. I think it may change when he's older and not such a puppy. My mom's bitches hate each other. Lexie is having problems with being nasty lately, as the bite I received breaking her and Cooper up a few weeks ago proved, but we are working hard on it and she hasn't done it since. But we do keep the bitches separated, they're spayed, but do not get along. Beau and Cooper don't really seem to even acknowledge each other, sometimes they play outside. I wish they'd be friends - sometimes it pains me that they're not one big happy family, but not all people get along, so I guess that's the way it is.

 

[Good_Karma]

Niko and Rosa have always been best friends. As puppies, we kept them mostly apart, but it was obvious how much they enjoyed the hour a day we gave them to play together. Mealtimes have never been a problem, they eat side by side and leave the kitchen when finished eating.

Rosa will steal Niko's toys if he stops playing with them, but half the time I think he likes when she does that. He has even brought his toy over near her and dropped it, then pawed at it a bit, trying to get her to try and take it.

They don't sleep together, but we don't have dog beds big enough for two yet. They have never hurt each other intentionally. Any disagreements are just a lot of barky-bitey face noises and no contact. They can argue, walk away, shake off, and go back to playing in seconds.