[Snowflake]

Have you found that having more than one intact male living together and interacting/playing can cause aggression issues? To the point of actually fighting....the kind of fighting that causes bites/wounds/stitches.

Is this normal for intact males? (I'm not referring to any aggression issues over in-season females....just playing together.)

 

[rayluckgoo]

A friend of mine had two intact males (and a spayed female) for years and about every 2 years there was a major blow-out that resulted in stitches a couple of times. We have two intact males but one is only 9 months. They had a play session where the older one got pinched or something and told the young one in no uncertain terms (and a little scrape on the ear) that he had to be gentler. We'll see what time brings because Ben (the younger) is already bigger than Jack.

 

[Luvmydog2much]

I have friends with several intact males living together (Ruby's breeder has one big kennel run, with 5 intact boys and 4 intact girls living all together (they take turns being inside). I've never heard of them fighting or even a scuffle. I talk to her everyday. When I bring my intacts over, they all just play.

 

[CaliforniaLabLover]

We often take care of our friend's show dog (intact male) in our home, where we have one of our own (along with a spayed girl). The boys are fine together.

After the initial "tough guy" postures or growls (which get corrected around here- since WE are the alphas, not them, and they aren't allowed to push each other around like that), they usually errupt into bouts of butt-tucking and play-bowing with one another and life goes on as usual...but with a fun "friend" visiting.

They are 100% fine to leave alone together and most of the time they all get penned up with a baby gate in our office...just because the visitor will occasionally try to urinate on a couch or something before realizing this is a house just like his own. Never would I be nervous that they'd get into a fight or cause each other any injuries other than just from normal rough-housing (the same rough-housing our boy and girl do together, too).

 

[labby]

Not here. My boys play together all the time. I keep a watch to make sure that neither try to hump the other. One word from me and they stop what they're doing and look at me. Jake and Seamus play wonderfully together. I've even had bitches in season here and neither boy has ever growled at the other.

 

[Canyon Labradors]

No problems here. We have our nearly 8 y/o and the 2 13 month old boys, and everything is fine. The ONLY time anything happened was a few weeks when Grace was in heat, the 2 boys were circling Grace's crate and bumped each other a few too many times, and they were about to let each other have it, but I just yelled "Quit it" and Jed went to his crate and Jack jumped into my lap.

 

[kaznalf]

I have friends with several intact males living together (Ruby's breeder has one big kennel run, with 5 intact boys and 4 intact girls living all together (they take turns being inside). I've never heard of them fighting or even a scuffle. I talk to her everyday. When I bring my intacts over, they all just play.

I think thats a sign of very very good temprament. When Alfie had his jewels he was constantly being attacked by other males

 

[nicole]

An intact dog (of either sex) in my house that was aggressive with the other dogs (for any reason) wouldn't be left intact very long

I currently have 3 intact boys (Darwin-6, Bono-2, and Spielberg-11mo) and I've never heard so much as a growl between them They all play wonderfully and Darwin and Bono are kennelmates.

 

[labby]

Plus Darwin and Seamus are buds.

 

[Snowflake]

For any of you who are familiar with field labs, so you think the males would be more prone to being aggressive when intact?

 

[Baloo317]

Not a breeder, but I think regardless of whether a lab is field or show, they *should* display the correct lab temperament, which would dictate that they not act in an aggressive manner. Especially if they are intact, and therefore being considered for breeding. JMO.

 

[kaznalf]

For any of you who are familiar with field labs, so you think the males would be more prone to being aggressive when intact?

I dont know about aggressive but alfie is a field lab and we has such issues with him growling while on a lead when he was intact..he never did it to a human but with other dogs it was a risk i suppose

 

[Luvmydog2much]

What I do find funny is how some will make no exceptions for males who are aggressive but continue to breed girls who are bitchy. There are certain breeders who's dogs I avoid like wildfire, because we've been attacked or gotten too close in the ring and waiting to go into the ring at shows before.

I wonder why that is.

 

[labby]

I know of some dog aggressive bitches being bred. The bitches can't run in the yard the same time the rest of the dogs do, but hey she's got a uterus and maybe some points, though mostly I think it's just the fact she has a uterus, so she gets bred.

 

[3VTLabs]

Our two intact boys(brothers from the same litter) get along great with each other and any other dog they have encountered on walks. They are both pretty friendly with anyone. Our little girl is fixed so I don't know how they would be around one in heat. She is by far the most aggressive one of the 3. She barks and growls at everything when she is hanging out the car window flying.(esspecially Harleys)

We have never had a fight in roughly 3 years. Just big goofy lap dogs.

 

[theoconbrio]

Certainly in the protection breeds this is often true (GSDs being the breed I know best of these), but I also know Lab people who, like the breeders here, let intact boys live and play together and never have problems.