Verified answer

Your dog is protecting his turf in the house and the shepherd thinks that the yard is fair game. Basically you have 2 unstable, untrained dogs. It might help if you put them both on leashes and do controlled walks. In the house or yard you must look for the signs of attack before they escalate and control the dog. If both are posturing, then until you have control you will need 2 people one to control each dog.

I believe your biggest problem is these two don't actually live together. If they did, they would probably have sorted out the pecking order long ago. With one coming and going, this sets up an ongoing confrontational scenario. Basically this needs to be controlled by you. Don't allow them out in the garden together, without being there to stamp on any starting of the behaviour that leads to the snapping, chasing etc. if you know it's going to escalate into a fight. Stop it before it gets that serious. At the end of the day, your place is your Border Collies territory, not the GSDs so what you should be doing is separating him from your BC when the slightest show of dominance starts. Show them you are in charge, not them,.

Incidentally, how is the GSD when the Border visits his house? What happens should decide who is the more dominant.

It might be a castration situation, but if they don't actually live together, I don't think I'd want to put either of them through what could be unnecessary surgery. I think this is up to you to become more the alpha, or maybe look after your daughter's dog, on his property only - without your Border around.

You are bringing your male dog into a situation where there is already a male dog. One is likely to get defensive. You also haven't mentioned if these dogs are fixed. If they are intact then they are going to see each other as rivals.

There is also the possibility that you are mistaking fighting for playing. Difficult to tell sometimes.

But if you want them to be friends, have them meet at a neutral location like a dog park. Don't try to get them to play just let them hang out. Then when you leave have them leave together. They will see each other as more of members of the same pack than as rivals. You might have to do it a few times for them to get comfortable with the situation.

I also have to wonder what you are doing when they start playing/fighting. Are you yelling for them to stop (a sure sign to a dog that something is wrong and they are in danger) or are you calm?

You have to be the alpha is all I know. I have had male dogs together for years and they always got along just fine. I had a GSD,a dachshund/cocker mix and a huge mixed breed and they were all best buddies. They were all neutered and they all knew that I didn't allow fighting. I currently have 3 female dogs in the house together and they all get along fine as well. There is no magic trick to it,it just IS in my house.

Your dog doesn't like the other male on his territory. Dogs are territorial and will fight to protect their territory. You may never get these two dogs to get along, as they are both trying to be the dominant dog. (the boss). If they fight, muzzle the shepherd.

Just don't dog sit your daughters dog anymore, tell her why, because if they don't get along now they never will. I have two males DOGS in my household.....The second one came along years later but they get along fantastically., if not, i would not have kept the second one. The happy first Pet was my priority.

2 alpha males in the same house will not work.. You cant have to male dogs that consider themselves more dominant then the other in the same house

you have to let them fight it out, just break it up before it gets too bad

I would say you either need to get them fixed males are just very territorial. Or just let them fight it out to see who is going to be boss.

I know how you fell I have 3 dogs and some thing they just do not get along, but I say let the dogs settle it.