keeping males and females together

[Tug]

I have only had male dogs and was thinking about getting a female. I keep them all together in one pen and would like to continue doing it this way. Thinking I would just separate them when she came into heat. Am I just asking for fights and stuck together dogs or can you accurately predict their cycles, any thoughts

[twist]

You are just creating a time bomb and a bunch of unexpected pups. jmo later, Andy

[FullCryHounds]

You can successfully keep many dogs together but NOT males and females. I've kept all males together for over 11 years now without a single incident. I'd have to agree with Twist on this one though. I would never keep any females around my males, your asking for troubles.

[Daniel Tremblay]

It can be done, but like said. Its not fun! I'm renting a place in town while my wife finishes college and we keep the dogs in the back yard. I'll just make the story short. My male dog is fixed now. Way too much work!

[buckshot]

Besides females in heat, what other kind of troubles are you asking for?

I keep females and males, small and large together.........I have 2 females in the heat pen right now. I have a male and female kenneled together and all the rest are free roam in fenced in yard and sleep together at night in the inside kennel.

Then again, I won't own ill dogs so I don't have any issues.

[FullCryHounds]

I think you hit the nail on the head Drew. 'Ill dogs'. I'm an advocate for keeping all your dogs together only because I've seen how much better it is. I believe I'm successful because of one dog I had years ago that all of my dogs grew up with. He was a redbone with an extremely gently nature. All my pups since have grown up with his same temperment and it is spread throughout my kennel to this day. If you have aggressive dogs, then keeping them together would be a time bomb as mentioned earlier. Its definately not for everyone but only you know weather your dogs would be OK together.

[twist]

Hey guys Im not saying it cant be done because it can be you guys are doing it but there is always a chance things can go wrong you start putting a few males in with females and when in heat if you happen to not catch it the fight (could) be on and that is not good. I would like to know the pluses of keeping dogs together as to keeping them apart. I have never owned an ill dog and never would. My cull plan is way stronger than most, believe me on that. As for saying dogs bond better being together I can not hardly believe that as I have 4 females that are chained seperate but when hunting they load together and hunt together like a well oiled machine. So What really are the pluses? later., Andy

[FullCryHounds]

Andy, I think the best thing I've found is that my dogs never bark anymore. When I had all the dogs in small kennels, they were bored and so they barked out of bordom. My dogs run and play all day with each other. I have not had a bloody foot since I began keeping my dogs in a one acre run because their feet are always tough now. Also, not having to clean 10 kennels every day and washing down thier urine. I believe a larger run is much healthier not only physically but also mentally. I hate chains because they are so unsanitary with the chain always dragging through thier crap, then the chain is coated in it. I have one heated water bucket to clean and fill each day instead of ten. Feeding takes about a minute since they all eat within 3 feet of each other. You do have to teach the new pups that finishing first they trying to feed out of another dogs bowel isn't allowed but that only takes a couple of lessons. Basically everything is easier, faster and healthier overall. When you raise your pups with the older dogs, they take on the same personality as the rest of them. And in my case that is a very gentle nature.
I don't think I would personally try keeping males and females together. I think you would have problems. I have no interest in breeding dogs so I have no reason to have any females around. But with only males (I have two uncut and three cut males right now) they all get along great. I've never had any problems at all. Now you sure couldn't give them a bone to chew on, something like that could cause problems.