Breeds That Run Together

[Rebanne]

Personally I think far too many people are either ignorant of the original function of their chosen breed or choose to ignore it and experience difficulties as a result. Of course combining dogs of very different function into crossbreds creates a whole new level of potential behavioural challenges.

I always advise potential breed owners to study the original function of their dog and to be sure they actually want to live with a dog that has those traits.

We developed breeds with varying levels of bite threshold, bite inhibition, people focus, independence AND tolerance of other animals. Its dogs that suffer when people ignore those characteristics in the dog they choose.

[Dogs4Fun]

Cairns and Standard Poodles get along great here.

[FHRP]

I have a friend whose BC bitch I would never run with mine...they just don't get along. I find it interesting a couple of years ago that we sent them around the same large mob of sheep. Not only did they tolerate each others presence & proximity, but they were clearly working as a team.

Interesting to see the difference when in work mode isn't it? I've run my boy in the field with a dog that he doesn't particularly like (both entire males of similar age) and when they are working birds they don't take any notice of each other, apart from in regards to bird work

[Rebanne]

what about the sight houds? I have heard when they are drive they don't get along. Do they live together well in a pet/house situation?

I muzzle Miller when I run him with Fern, away from home, he can nip and a nip can mean several stitches. But at home they are fine, including very fast games of chasey in the back yard.

[wuffles]

I've had similar observations as everyone else regarding herding breeds. BCs and kelpies seem to like hanging out together. Neither seem to like Aussies too much, the Aussies prefer to body slam and rumble whereas BCs and kelpies like a bit more decorum

My Aussie is a little tart and would play with any dog you put near her (not really typical of her breed).

Edited to add: At any dog parks I've been to, I'd have to say the beagles in general have the best social skills. They don't annoy any of the other dogs, are happy to play bow and instigate play but are also happy just to sniff around. No other dogs seem to take offence to the beagles.

Edited July 30, 2010 by wuffles

[Jacquiboss&scoop]

sighthounds are for the most part very old breeds , the original purpose was to chase and take down large fleet footed game , this requires at least 2 dogs to work together , if the breeds have retained the original requirements they should be able to tolerate other sight hounds , I dont think anyone would breed from a dog that went its pack mate in the middle of the hunt , you would loose the game .

[poodlefan]

what about the sight houds? I have heard when they are drive they don't get along. Do they live together well in a pet/house situation?

I dont think you can lump all the sighthounds in together.. they come from very different areas/cultures and husbandry practices varied accordingly. My understanding is that some did perform a guarding/protection function in addition to hunting.

I know in Whippets that is its very common at a show to see dogs that have never met being held in groups on leashes by strangers while other dogs and handlers are busy. People would look askance at any serious display of aggression between Whippets, including entire males. Nonetheless, when running many are muzzled but I'd suggest this would be due to the high levels of arousal of dogs and the potential for that arousal to result in transferred aggression. For hare coursing, the dogs are hunted as a brace and expected to give chase and catch together.

Whippets often love to sleep in a grouping known as a "pile"

Saluki folk know better than I but I have read that male and female dogs were kept separate, with the bitches often housed with a family's women (in a harem if wealthy enough). Amongst other things, this totally prevented accidental matings.

Nonetheless, I believe sighthounds are generally regarded as fairly tolerant of both strange dogs and people but may be somewhat aloof with both.

Edited July 30, 2010 by poodlefan

[Kavik]

I've also noticed Kelpies and BCs seem to get along together in general. Certainly Kaos prefers other Kelpies to other breeds. They don't tend to body slam in play, prefer a bit more space (though Kaos will body slam and play rough with Diesel, but that is more Diesel's style of play. He won't with any other dog).

[Kavik]

Edited to add: At any dog parks I've been to, I'd have to say the beagles in general have the best social skills. They don't annoy any of the other dogs, are happy to play bow and instigate play but are also happy just to sniff around. No other dogs seem to take offence to the beagles.

I've met some pretty rude Beagles.

[megan_]

Thanks. I have only ever seen an aggressive whippet once - but she has an owner who treats her like a baby so it is no real surprise.

I know many people with 2 mini schnauzers and they seem to get along well, even though they are terriorists.

[Diva]

what about the sight houds? I have heard when they are drive they don't get along. Do they live together well in a pet/house situation?

Mine do, and have for over 20 years (not the same dogs of course ).

They are all the same breed, Borzoi, and I have never had an argument between them that needed vet attention in all that time.

I have had older dogs put a cheeky puppy in its place, but it would be a single telling off and maybe a single tooth mark - I have not had more of an issue than that between them.

But that doesn't mean it won't happen one day, I'd never say never. Even breeds that usually get on in groups can have individuals that don't.

And I do have the issue that one of the current young dogs is too rough in play and has caused her playmate to see a chiropractor. In that case I wish the dog getting injured would tell the other one off, but she doesn't.

I'm talking here about dogs living together, which has been very harmonious. But with strange dogs many of mine as adults have been pretty uninterested or preferred they keep their distance. As youngsters they'd play with anyone.

Edited July 30, 2010 by Diva

[claireybell]

Question for you guys, what would an acd and a cocker and a beagle be like together do you think?

[poodlefan]

Question for you guys, what would an acd and a cocker and a beagle be like together do you think?

With so many variables (age, gender, temperament of individual dogs, owner knowledge), I'd not like to predict an outcome.

Edited July 30, 2010 by poodlefan

[claireybell]

Cocker:

Female, 3 years old, the eternal puppy who has no idea what nasty is! Nicknamed the happy idiot

Beagle X Cocker:

Female, 2 years old, total sook who wants nothing more than a big cuddle and lots of food

They are fed seperately cause the beagle is a gutz

[Jacquiboss&scoop]

ACD tend to be a hard dog , but with family they are ok , most will ignore unknown dogs they also are in no hurry to back down from a challenge , If you bring one in be aware of sex, age and personalities .

remember that they are supposed to get cattle that have been in the bush for 2 years moving , they will work with other dogs and live with family dogs well but are often bossy in personality

[RallyValley]

. Gundogs are not bred to work as packs, but rather in braces or with a couple of other dogs. They are also bred to work under the control of their owners, so it also stands to reason that Gundogs should be able to get along with other dogs and be highly trainable. The exception in the Gundog world might be the Chesapeake and the Curly Coated Retriever, that were also bred to be guard dogs. These breeds are known to have a sharper temperament and are less likely to be friendly to unknown dogs.

Yes Chessies and Curly Coats are the exception to most gundog rules. However Lincoln arrived in Melbourne Wednesday and settled in with his breeders pack of 7 dogs that are 3 other Chessie, 2 hounds and a terrie, so socialzation plays a hand too.

However Chessies (and maybe Curly Coats) were poachers dog and will guard belongings and although over the last 20 years the tempraments have become softer they still have a protective and anti social streak that runs through the breed that wa. However Lincolns granddam, grandsire and great granddam are all Delta dogs in the states so they can have polar opposite tempraments too.

[Cosmolo]

I agree with what everyone else has said but would like to add that much will depend on the ability of the owner as to whether they can have a harmonious multi dog household of any breed or breed mix. I know some people who could run a variety of dogs without issue, others would create problems accidentally- even with breeds and individuals that are inherently friendly.

Normally we have our pack of 5- none are breeds known for their overt friendliness and sociability with other dogs but all 5 have an excellent relationship with each other.

[Greytmate]

Great post Poodlefan.

what about the sight houds? I have heard when they are drive they don't get along. Do they live together well in a pet/house situation?

Small packs of the right combination are really brilliant. The wrong combination is worse than bad, it's deadly.

Greyhounds tend to accept new strange dogs really well without getting too defensive. It is one of the great aspects of the breed. They have a natural tendency not to aggravate dogs that are behaving defensively towards them.

Different drives have different effects on their ability to get along. Defence drive isn't strong in greyhounds, but you do get all the other drives that dogs have.

In greyhounds there is a trait known colloquially as 'honesty'. An 'honest' dog is a dog working as hard as it can in full prey drive, that does not interfere in any way with its competitors. That is the ideal that is bred for, but there are many dogs that don't live up to this. They will quite happily attempt to take out the opposition. This trait is usually culled out if it is so severe it interferes with racing.

You can occasionally get misdirected aggression in sight hounds. That is when dogs see something that triggers full prey drive and they are physically restricted from satisfying the drive by chasing the trigger. Some may attempt to satisfy the drive by chomping on their lead or something else close by instead - Maybe another dog's head. The way that this can be avoided is to desensitise ex-racers to be less reactive around likely triggers, screen out dogs that are too driven, and by providing an environment that dulls the drive. It is this phenomenon of misdirected aggression that means that you can have a group of twenty greyhounds lying peacefully around together 99% of the time, but if a serious trigger occurs, a fight could break out. Greyhounds generally have a high tolerance or threshold for going into drive (because its an effort and greyhounds are lazy), but once they are in it, they are real 'joiners in' of whatever the pack is doing.

If I wanted a pack of ten dogs to run together, I would get pugs. And a king-sized four-poster bed to run them together in.

The right two, three or four greyhounds can be a really harmonious pack. I would never only have one of them.

[Jacquiboss&scoop]

HI claireybell

I would be very careful with this , would not go for a bitch in this situation at all , also you may want to meet and greet a few at shows and trials as an ACD may well be way too much for your current softies and a whole new learning curve for you they are good dogs and smart as tacks but they are hard headed working dogs their teenage period can be hell.

[W Sibs]

My 2 loves each other, and love being with each other.

Charlie doesn't play with any other dogs.. he rather sit back and watch. Whereas Emmy will (when her gets confident enough to give it a go).. run a muck with other dogs. Doesn't matter the breed.. although she has a thing for Kelpies and BCs (that's because in obedience it's mostly Kelpies and BCs.. there is a kelpie that's in love with her). Last Saturday, she met a greyhound for the first time and had a great time running with it (they weren't playing.. just running). The greyhound is scary fast but Emmy is a little pocket rocket, and did her hardest to keep up with him.