A breeder told me I should split up my dogs

[Geltz]

Hi Everyone,

I have a Border Collie and a Siberian Husky. I've had dogs all my life so I'm not clueless just shocked by the advice that I received recently. My dogs are both girls and they get along really really well. My border collie does intensive training all the time (she's so smart) and my husky does too just to a lesser extent. To me they are best friends. They both get plenty of exercise we go for daily runs through bush land, parks etc. on weekends we go on early morning hikes, they come indoors and outdoors. I've never had any problems at all. I met this breeder at a course I was doing and she was absolutely adamant that border collies and Siberian huskies cannot be friends and that I should split them up immediately because it's a tragedy waiting to happen.... I don't understand why. They both have very similar energy levels, they're approximately the same size, they are great together. Does anyone here also believe this? Am I doing something wrong? Personally I've never heard of such thing and I think it's rubbish, I've had dogs and have been training dogs all my life. It's just been bothering me. What do you think?

[Geltz]

She breeds cavalier king charles spaniels.

[Rebanne]

sometimes bitches who have been best friends end up fighting to the death.  Many stories of people owning two bitches that end up having to keep them apart for life or rehoming one. That's what she most likely meant. I've kept bitches together with nil problems but I am aware it could happen.

[JRG]

I have a yard full of bitches, some get on, others hate the sight of each other. I never leave any of them together if I am not at home because one little spark and it is all on!

[Diva]

That she is a breeder of Cavalier King Charles is kind of irrelevant, she could be very good at that but not great on behaviour of spitz and working breeds. Or she could just be a blowhard, they crop up in any walk of life. When bitches fight they often hold grudges more than males do and some types of dogs have reputations for not getting along because of their different behavioural traits. But that doesn’t mean your girls won’t be friends for life. Just deal with the dogs in front of you and don’t get agitated because of what someone who doesn’t know you or your dogs and whose credentials you don’t know says in a one off meeting somewhere. 

Edited November 2, 2018 by Diva

[asal]

is a case of forewarned is fore armed. it does happen but you can have them get on perfect all their lives but gee if they blow up.. petrifying, only had it happen once with two of mine and had to move super fast . one girl almost had her foreleg bitten off in a matter of seconds her leg was saved because she missed the arteries. but over half the muscles both sides had to be restitched together.

 

another friend had one of her girls kill three of her bitches before she discovered who was the killer.

 

it can happen. 

 

as for males even desexed ones. can too. friend had a 12 yr old lab and her sons kelpie was 18 months, she had a bad migrine and took strong tablets, woke up to find the kelpie dead beside her bed and the lab sleeping beside him. 

Edited November 2, 2018 by asal

[Two Best Dogs!]

You will hear all kinds of horror stories, it's easy to find them. Focus on you and your dogs, you know them best not some random breeder. Be considerate and mindful if one isn't feeling well, but if the going is currently fine I wouldn't worry about how other people's dogs have turned out.

 

The fact one is a husky and one is a border collie...yes different play styles but it sounds like your two have found a compromise that works for them. You have them well trained, well exercised and health checked. Becoming a horror story sounds quite unlikely Just keep looking after them as you do. Even if a tiff happens, grudges are not guaranteed and hurt feelings can be worked through. 

 

Think it is much like illnesses, don't google it because you will only get the diagnosis of death! Focus on your situation in front of you ;) 

[Loving my Oldies]

You’ll get this sort of attitude in all walks of life, as Diva says.  I’ve seen it many times over the years with trainers:  there is one way and one way only .... their way.  Doesn’t matter if the dog is a Great Dane or a Chihuahua, there is only one training way.  Dangerous and stupid.  

 

Lots of examples in just a few posts of dogs killing each other.  How many examples of dogs living together happily all their lives?  

 

It seems to me that your dogs have wonderful lives with you and with each other.  

 

The only thing that worries me here is that that very silly and potentially dangerous woman has planted a seed of doubt in your mind which will be very hard to eradicate and your uncertainty and worry might be projected onto your dogs.   I’d like to bob her over the head frankly and tell her to stick to her breed. 

Edited November 3, 2018 by Dame Danny's Darling

[DogsAndTheMob]

I wouldn’t be concerned, unless the breeder observed the dogs and specifically identified something problematic in body language or behaviour. Over her 13 year life, my husky lived with border collies, German shepherds and a miniature poodle, without any problems. She also visited my mother and played happily with her German Shepherd and border collies. I didn’t usually leave more than two dogs together unattended, and we separated the miniature poodle from the larger dogs when we went out, but that’s my usual practice, not something I did because I had concerns.

[Rascalmyshadow]

Don’t go stressing yourself over what some stranger said, it is a rare occurrence and if the dogs are getting along fine I wouldn’t worry.

 

We have lived with a pack for over 20 years (first time we are now down to one) including lots of fosters, we have had numerous breeds and the only very serious issue we have ever had was between a female American bulldog and a male mini poodle, there was warning signs before it became serious, it’s not often just out of the blue two dogs that get along randomly attack each other.

[tdierikx]

I have 3 bitches here of different breeds/mixes... 2 get on fine with each other, but the 3rd one doesn't get on with the other two... deal with any issues as/when/if they arise I say.

 

Just be aware that if 2 bitches do start niggling at each other regularly, the best action is to separate them when they can't be supervised. If they are getting on fine, don't worry about what other people say, OK?

 

T.

[RuralPug]

If your dogs are already 3 years old or more and get along happily, then don't stress. You are very unlikely to have two "alpha" bitches (nothing to do with pack dominance theory LOL just a name for bitches that need to be boss girls).

It can happen that you have two "alpha" bitches in any breed or combination of breeds and then it is true, you will have trouble.

And as for breeds not getting along with other breeds, although it is true that there can be miscommunication between say, spitz breeds with pricked ears and high tails and flat faced breeds with folded ears and curled or missing tails -  if your girls have lived together happily for 12 months or more it is fair to say that they communicate quite well with each other.