3 Chow Chow females a recipe for disaster?

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CptBK
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3 Chow Chow females a recipe for disaster?

Post by CptBK »

Hi Folks,

We currently have a Blonde and Red Chow chow both females. We were wanting to get a black female to add into the mix.
Didn't want a male because of the boy's pissing on everything/tree trunks etc when you take them for walks marking there Territory.

Long story short I approached a breeder, who's website appeared to have a bit of an attitude problem as she was the only one that had a black puppy at the moment. She refused to sell us one on the grounds that there would be a fight and one of the dogs would end up mangled.

Our 2 current puppies play together walk around the yard together the come and see me throughout the day, when we are not home they wait on Guard at the front Verandah. Basically they get along fine even play wrestle with each other.

What's the chance another one into the mix is going to cause a 'huge issue'.
Currenly Vixen is going on 9-10 months Rossie 8-9 Months.

Thanks
BK
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Laura
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Re: 3 Chow Chow females a recipe for disaster?

Post by Laura »

I have a male and a female. On walks it is Chloe who has to smell every mailbox and what seems like every blade of grass. She does pee to mark territory but of course I try to avoid that in yards around the neighborhood. She is also the only one who kicks up her back legs all over the place which is another marking instinct I believe? My male will also mark/pee at times but I guess my point is that this is not a male thing. It's a dog thing. My male never does the back leg kicking thing either.
As far as same genders well you already have that going on so I hope it continues to work out fine for you with no fighting. I personally understand the breeders issue with it due to my own heart breaking experience but others have multiple chows/same genders and no issues.
I would say don't rule out males because they pee on trees. Male chows in my experience are very loving and loyal companions.
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Chloe (left) Shuggy (right)
sue
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Re: 3 Chow Chow females a recipe for disaster?

Post by sue »

I would say it goes on personality I have had 3 females together but one chow a corgi & a cairn terrier.As with any dogs whatever breed one will be pack leader.If you have 2 or 3 they will have to sort themselves out to which one its going to be.You might get a few run in's with them till they do it could get aggressive but don't interfere if they do fight one will merge as pack leader & then it's done that's nature's way in the wild.I didn't have that problem though Teddy a dominant female stood her ground one afternoon with Vanti she was only about 3 months old there was a lot of growling & high pitched noise's no fighting but it was Vanti that walked away & it was all done in about 10 minutes.The only other thing I would say is when they come in to heat if your walking all 3 together if a male comes up you could find all 3 of them will go for the male snapping at him to send him on his way.Over all they got on very well but it was 3 very different personality's that gelled together.So whether you choose a male or a female look at the personality not the appearance look at body language when viewing the dog you go to see are they dominant,submissive,quiet & shy,bouncy & out going which will fit in best with the 2 you already have
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Sirchow
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Re: 3 Chow Chow females a recipe for disaster?

Post by Sirchow »

Our three girls (all chows) got along perfectly till about a year ago when Bramble and Isla began to argue and then to fight to the point that Bramble put Isla in the vets several times even though we took great care with pack leader etc and they were all well trained. I always said it would not happen to us and felt slightly smug tbh that our three got on so well. Not any more. After Bramble twice bit Isla so badly on her eye she nearly lost her eye we have had to keep them completely separate. They dont even get to see each other any more and we have to live like this now. We have thought about re-homing so many times but how do you choose which of your furkids to give away!? I would think about a male if I was in this situation now!
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Siriol, Bramble, Izzie and Isla.
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Laura
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Re: 3 Chow Chow females a recipe for disaster?

Post by Laura »

Sirchow I am so sorry to hear this. Having lived through it myself I know how heart breaking it is! I had no idea you were going through it! So tough!
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Chloe (left) Shuggy (right)
Rory's Dad
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Re: 3 Chow Chow females a recipe for disaster?

Post by Rory's Dad »

SirChow, very sad to hear of the issues between your girls. I now have 2 males and a female, and fully expect that at some point there will be a competition for her affections.

I personally have found the difference between male and female personalities that I would not even consider a 2nd female. My preference alone, but I really do find the males to be so much mellower and accepting.

I would also disagree with Sue's handling of the disagreements. You should never just let them sort it out. Arguments will happen, but if possible you can't just stand by and let them happen. You do need to step in and assert YOUR leadership. As SirChow has stated, serious injury can occur if the squabbles escalate. I never leave my dogs together when I am not home. They are delegated to separate rooms to avoid any problems that can't be supervised (since I have mixed genders this also 'trains' them for when the female is in heat). When I am home, I closely watch any interactions and intervene when play gets too rough or whenever any sort of advantage is gained. This keeps ME in charge and doesn't allow any challenges to the leadership chain.
sue
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Re: 3 Chow Chow females a recipe for disaster?

Post by sue »

Rorys Dad we shall have to agree to disagree on our views in the wild there is no human to step in.The pack sorts its self out.I can only say what we do at are training club when a new group starts in the first class at the end of the lesson the trainers will say drop your leads on the floor.Humans walk to the other side of the room & talk let all the dogs mingle there maybe some growling & snapping don't interfere.They have spent the first hour of the lesson checking each other out.Within that 5 minutes of mingling they will have established the hierarchy without human interference
I would also suggest to CptBK to ring one of the local training clubs to book some lessons then she will see how her 2 interact with others & the trainers would give her an assessment on what personality would fit in the best with 2 she already has
Sir Chow I am sorry to here Bramble & Isla are not getting on maybe calling in a trainer to do a few home visits could help you out
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Re: 3 Chow Chow females a recipe for disaster?

Post by rmb »

I would definitely not bring in another female. I hope that your two girls continue to be friends but - they are still very young, things may change. Judging by the girls I've had, I would not ask them to share a home with another girl. The boys I've had have been more mellow than the girls, allowing the ladies first dibs on everything, even when the male was here first. Two is the right number for my home but if I had to have another, it would be a boy, as long as my female is around. I would definitely not allow dogs to fight and I would keep them separate when not available to monitor them until I was certain they got along well. In the first week of Buddy2 (at 13 mohths old) settling in with our then 9 year old Suzy, there was one stare down that worried me. I stood and gave a loud UH UH! and they split up. Buddy2 was crated while we were gone or asleep for the first few weeks. Since then, all interactions have been friendly.
My boys have always been neutered and made great loving dogs.
Ingen
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Re: 3 Chow Chow females a recipe for disaster?

Post by Ingen »

Sirchow wrote:Our three girls (all chows) got along perfectly till about a year ago when Bramble and Isla began to argue and then to fight to the point that Bramble put Isla in the vets several times even though we took great care with pack leader etc and they were all well trained. I always said it would not happen to us and felt slightly smug tbh that our three got on so well. Not any more. After Bramble twice bit Isla so badly on her eye she nearly lost her eye we have had to keep them completely separate. They dont even get to see each other any more and we have to live like this now. We have thought about re-homing so many times but how do you choose which of your furkids to give away!? I would think about a male if I was in this situation now!
I'm in a similar situation too, mine is a female chow and a japanese spitz. My spitz was bitten and needed minor surgery to clean and stitch up the wound during a thunderstorm when everyone was asleep in the same room. Ever since that fateful night, my chow will go after the spitz whenever she gets anxious or loud noises from the apartment above me. It has evolved to a situation where I had to separate them using baby gates to give them space of their own. Switch sides daily to avoid them claiming it as their space. They still get to see each other and sniff each other through the gates.

We thought about re-homing too and like you said, how to choose which one to give away! We just can't do it...
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Judy Fox
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Re: 3 Chow Chow females a recipe for disaster?

Post by Judy Fox »

We had two chow litter sisters, Milly and Mabel and just as they were a couple of weeks off their 9th birthday, Milly had to be put to sleep as she had a large tumour. Mabel was broken hearted and we immediately looked for a puppy for her. We brought Matilda home and Mabel loved her at once. Then when Matilda was 5 months old we brought her litter sister Maisie home and the three of them lived happy as can be until Mabel died when she was 13 yrs. We now just have Matilda and Maisie and they just adore each other.
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Sirchow
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Re: 3 Chow Chow females a recipe for disaster?

Post by Sirchow »

Hello Judy....how lovely to see your name here. I thought of you when I saw this post here. I wish ours had continued to get on like yours do. It was the Ms that gave me the confidence to have three females together and as I said they got on for a long time and I have many photos of them all together sleeping within feet of each other. I felt smug because I had succeeded where others had not. Oh well we muddle along but it is not how I would choose to spend my life with permanent baby gates and visitors think we are mad!

Ours fight seriously even through the baby gate Ingen...I am glad that works for you.

Sue we have had two trainers who both thought they could easily fix the problem and neither could. If I let them fight as you suggest it would solve the problem as Isla would be dead....but that is not how I want to fix it even if in the wild it would solve it. I am not at all for letting animals fight...vet bills apart from anything else can be high if puncture wounds fester :(

I think the difference in dropping leads at a training class is that they are all off their own territory and it is not personal as it is between Bramble and Isla.
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Siriol, Bramble, Izzie and Isla.
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