Getting 3 month old pup when already have 13 month old pup

Question
Hi - We are thinking of getting a 3-4 month old male Siberian pup. We presently have a 13 month old male Siberian pup, neutered. Is this asking for trouble?! Will we know immediately if the two will get along? Do two males always have dominance problems and consequently fighting? Thanks very much for advice.

Answer
First of all understand that Siberians are pack animals - they appreciate and love company.  They were bred to be friendly with other dogs especially since their nature was to run in packs pulling a sled.  Now, on the flip side, there are certain dogs that won't get along, and often times they come about because of gender rivalries.  A male and female are less likely to fight because they don't occupy the same place in the pack (an Alpha male does not care that there is Alpha female, but another Alpha male causes issues since there can only be one).

So, keeping in mind pack order, you can expect some fighting - the degree of violence is the issue.  Allow some of it, it will help them find their own order.  The fact that your older male is neutered will help a lot, and make sure to get the pup neutered as well.  A dog that is younger than 2 years old will generally do better at adjusting to a new addition.  Also, the amount of exposure the older dog has had at playing with other dogs will also be important.

My guess is that the younger pup will not pose a threat to the older dog at first, so you won't see too much posturing and dominance issues at first.  As the dog matures is when the rivalry could start, but the more they know each other beforehand, the easier it should be.  I think with proper supervision and neutering, you are coming into a situation that might not be easy, but should be workable.  In fact, if you happen upon a dominant male and submissive male, you could have little to no problems.

Other things to do that will help is make sure that you separate them at feeding times and with treats, respect the order they choose for themselves (feeding and greeting the dominant one first), and always position yourself as in control.  Also, if they fight, let them.  Only if the fights are getting dangerous (bloody) should you seperate them.  At that point, interaction should be swift and immediate, as well as harsh.  You will want to send the message that the pack is to be protected and you will not tolerate dangerous fighting within the ranks.  It seems to work pretty well that way.

You are dealing with a lot of variables here though, so hopefully this will start you on your way.  Let me know if specifics come up and I will be glad to help.