# Do you keep them seperated?



## Haz Othman (Mar 25, 2013)

Curious what people on here do when raising working pups. Do you keep them seperate from your other dogs to keep them from going doggy? The female I used to have was older and did not take to much crap from pups. The current female is young and still dumb and will play for hours with the pup if I allow it. Which I rarely do. I find the rotation annoying so thinking about letting them be together more but dont want to end up with an overly doggy dog that places the value of interacting with other dogs over working for me. 

I know people around here that do it different ways just wondering what folks on here do. This is in the context of raising working pups for sport or LE not pets or whatever else. 

My current competition dog will forget about distractors including other dogs when I pull a toy out but there is a lot of foundation on her.


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Personally I keep puppies and dogs separated (for the most part), but do let them have some time together. Once they're grown, I don't keep them separated.


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## John Wolf (Dec 12, 2009)

With my dogs, I allow them out together, however, I will usually tether my puppy to a piece of furniture or something. I also discourage the older dog from interacting too much. I will allow sniffing, but no roughhousing. I will also do some training with the older dog outside the reach of the puppy to build a little frustration, and I think they do learn some things by observing.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

My two are together 24/7. 

I've always done this regardless of any of my dogs being show, work, hunting, obedience competition, pets, etc.


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## Niomi Smith (Jan 15, 2010)

For the most part mine are separated when I am not in their direct presence, with the exception of my adult male/female. Sometimes I will allow them free play in the 1/2 acre dog pen together, collars off.

All of my dogs walk together (no real playing), we train together (group and individual sessions) and have some free time in the house together.

I don't find any of my dogs "doggy", even the Poms who have far more interaction with each other than the Shepherds do. They all value me much more than each other. They will definitely play with each other, but when I am ready to do something they will stop what they are doing and run to see what I am doing and if they can participate.


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

My dogs spend some time together, and some time apart. I like to let them run as a pack, even play fetch as a group, this doesn't happen easily if they haven't spent time together while the pups are growing up. I've been able to integrate adults into the group, but I see no reason to keep a pup separated until it's an adult then try to re-integrate it.

If this type of living situation causes a dog to be to doggy, or otherwise causes problems in the dogs ability to work, then I find it a more appropriate home and work something else. My dogs enjoy each other, but when I come out, I am their focus.


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## Haz Othman (Mar 25, 2013)

Thanks for the input folks. Seems like people do it different ways on here as with everywhere. I suppose if they were loose together more the novelty would likely wear off.
Would be easier if the female were a bit stronger and would shut him down instead of egging him on..lol.


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