posted 11-11-2003 10:17 AM         

My sister's male dog is the alpha dog. He was also the first dog in the household. He is an old and crotchety medium-sized dog who now has a young, huge Golden in the family. The Golden could rip him to shreds if she wanted to, but she is subordinate both to him and the other medium-sized female (who has also been in the family much longer than the Golden).

Dogs tend to work things out on their own. I have never had two unrelated dogs struggling for dominance, and I don't envy getting in the middle of that!

My sister was told when she was getting the Golden that she should get a female, since her male was alpha. The breeder told her there would be a lot less trouble introducing a female than another male.

All her dogs are altered, by the way.