I live with my parents and their 2 giant schnaussers. I read in an article a few weeks ago that said you should never get two puppies from the same litter. The reason being it will always cause one to come out ahead or at least for their to be that competition to see whos top dog. My two schnaussers sound exactly like your shephards. One runs the other runs after, competitive barking, and when other dogs are around the "dominant" one (Ithink)is very apparent(possessiveness etc). Even if you are the pack leader there will still be problems in the lower heirarchy of the pack between the two of them even before you get them home to your house as pups. They will have a place in their previous pack that they will try to uphold. When getting a new puppy it is best to do so one at a time with at least a 6 month period (if not longer) between them. It also said if you are too late in reading the article to do things with them seperately giving them both the chance to fall into the follower positions of the pack, and grow as individuals. Walking them seperately(whether you or a dog walker), training them seperately, etc. try seperating them and teaching them front door manners individually and then after several "lessons" on door manners move on to them togther at the door.

We took a fifth dog into our home, a stray, we believe he has some pit in him, he's gorgeous, about 83#, however he is quite dominant and has become increasingly aggressive toward two of our other dogs. We have divided our house with a tall gate, and feed and "potty" in shifts, but we have two geriatric dogs with medical issues, one of which is blind with three legs (bone cancer), so separation has become increasingly difficult. It is not clear what Beauregard's trigger is; he is generally loving and obedient with humans, and at first we thought the problem was just with our one dog, Moondance, a black lab, but we weren't sure why. Beau attacked Mooney viciously a couple of times, requiring staples, and they now "hate" one another, snarling and growling at one another through the gate. But most recently Beau attacked Blue Bayou, our blind dog, who cannot defend himself at all. So I am writing to empathize with Sheba's owner and to say never let your guard down, and purchase a tall gate! But I am also writing hoping that someone out there may know of a good home for Beauregard.....we have tried unsuccessfully to re-home him, he needs a to be an only dog.....and we can no longer maintain him in our home safely.....

I am long time Shepherd lover/owner. Currently I have an American Bulldog, a Golden Retriever, and two female German Shepherds. The situation you are describing with your two boys is very serious. These two guys think they own your house, your family and you. First of all they need to burn off some physical energy. If you have to hire a dog walker initially until you can get a handle on them, then so be it. Secondly, there are MANY things you can do to let them understand that you are the human and they are beloved pets. You should always control the food, the boys should NEVER be allowed to jump all over people. You can put a leash on them to keep them from jumping when someone comes in. If necessary you can put one in another room or a bathroom for a few minutes when someone enters. Also, we have found a muzzle to be a wonderful training device for one of our Shepherds. For some reason she understands that she has lost her control when wearing the muzzle. So if there is a problem situation, i.e. your wife returning home from work you can try muzzling the dog until your wife is inside and settled in. After a few minutes when the desired behavior is attained, the muzzle can be removed. Lastly, you said that you can not walk the dogs. But you can challenge and stimulate them mentally. Shepherds are VERY smart and get bored easily. Try extra training. They would love to be a help to you, if only they knew how. Start showing them. Work on one thing for awhile and then move on to the next. Don't underestimate their ability to learn. But please do something. The situation as it exists is a recipe for disaster, you have two bored, pent up, powerful, dogs that are not respectful toward you or other humans. If you really love them as you say, and I believe you do, you must manage this situation quickly--for their sake and yours. Good luck!! Have fun, and make them work, they love work more than anything else, after all, they are Shepherds!!

I have had many dogs, but only one soulmate: Sasha, a female malamute. When I first saw her at a local shelter, she looked me right in the eye and went "Woo-woo-woo", as if to say, "Where have you been? I've been waiting for you!" She was 5 years old and terribly underweight. I was newly divorced and in the same state. We bonded immediately and she lived to 14 despite some persistent health issues. We were inseparable. When Sasha finally passed on, I vowed to honor her memory by giving another dog a "forever home". There are just too many homeless pets out there, too many dogs waiting for that special someone to love them. So I kept my vow to Sasha, and I have kept it with every dog-friend that has passed on since. I have four dogs now, and the legacy of Sasha lives on in each one of their happy, furry faces.
Ellen, Portsmouth NH

We have two (2) two year old German Shepherd dogs, they were litter mates and we purchased them when they were 10 weeks old. One is Jerome, he weighs about 98 lbs. and is very level-headed, calm and somewhat obedient. His brother Hines weighs in at 78 lbs., and both, for the most part, are very loveable dogs until another dog walks by at which point Hines goes Ballistic, clawing at the door, barking running from window to window and at one point destroying the screen.

The next big problem is when people try to come in the house. When this happens both dogs jump at them madly and won't settle down for 10 to 15 minutes. They do it with a lesser degree to my youngest daughter and my wife but rarely to me.

We love these animals to the point we refer to them as "the kids". One neighbor suggested we get rid of them or at least one and I told her just what I thought of her idea. Both my wife and I are disabled but she still works. I cannot so I am home all day with the kids, but am unable to walk them on a regular basis due to heart and foot problems. Walking the two of them together would take a Herculean effort and trying to get out the door and leave one behind takes two people. Is there anything you can suggest to bring these guys into line?