----- Original Message -----
From: "amcaree" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Hi there,
> 1. I have a 5 year old dominant neutered male rottie at present. We want
> to bring home a bernese pup very soon! He is excellent with non dominant
> dogs and puppies. Our concern is would he accept it when the new addition
> grows bigger than him and is not neutered . We are hoping to show our new
> male pup depending on how he turns out. Is there a good way of insuring a
> peaceful household?
If you want the *best* chance at having a pair of dogs which do not have to
be separated 24 hours a day, seven days a week, get a bitch, NOT a male.
Even quite aggressive dogs will usually accept an opposite sex companion.
> 2. Do Bernese brought up with territorial dogs become like there
surrogate
> brothers or do they just stand back and watch?
My Berner is territory protective verging on territory aggressive. He is
also quite dominant and will not co-exist with another male on his property.
He is ok with our girls and also with female flaters. We gave up fostering
male dogs, even young ones, since he was too upset and aggressive about it.
His personality is not completely typical of Berners, but is a type which
shows up regularly in Berners.
> 3. Would it be a better choice for us to get a female or would we have
the
> same outcome?
Male-female pairs work out even in very dog aggressive breeds, usually. For
instance, when I lived with an Akita breeder (used for pit fighting,
hunting, guarding, and war) the dogs came into the house in rotating
dog-bitch pairs. Bitch-bitch and dog-dog did not work out well. In Pyrs,
another breed I live with, dog aggression is often a fact of life (livestock
guardians would be no good if they let stray dogs in with the flock!). While
bitches sometimes are fine with other bitches, very few dog-dog households
work out well. Dog-bitch pairs are strongly recommended by good breeders.
Hope that helps!
Eileen Morgan
The Mare's Nest
http://www.enter.net/~edlehman
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