2 Dogs 2 Weeks

[barkingmad]

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I have a 5 month old male lab x and I am looking after a 12 month old female lurcher. I am staying in the lurchers owners house with the two dogs for two weeks and I need advice. They have met each other before on various occasions. They play very roughly he is quite a strong character and she is more timid although she is a little bigger than him. Play has resulted in him bitting her and drawing blood, he has also slightly injured his leg from her bouncing around. Its my first day and there is alot of squabbles over bones and toys. any advise on what I should and should not do. I cant work out yet which one has become top dog. One minute one has the bone the next the other does. Help please!

 

[kim & Tilly]

Get two bones.... (w00t) sorry not very helpfull,

You need to keep and eye on them i think in case one gets really injured..

Are they play fighting or really fighting?

 

[barkingmad]

I have two of everything for them its more of a dominance issue, one trying to assert his authority over the other. They are now both lying beside each other chewing their own bones happily. They both know I am alpha but they are challenging each other and im not sure which one is the bottom of the pack. Do I treat them the same i.e feed them at the same time, I eat first. If I discover one always gets the upper "paw" should i feed that one after me and the lower ranking member last? Pet one first then the other. Is there anyone on this board that knows about this?

They are play fighting but roughly, as i am writting this the pup just went to snatch the lurchers bone, she snapped at him and he moved away. Perhaps she is top dog, perhaps he is learning.

 

[kim & Tilly]

I have two of everything for them its more of a dominance issue, one trying to assert his authority over the other. They are now both lying beside each other chewing their own bones happily. They both know I am alpha but they are challenging each other and im not sure which one is the bottom of the pack. Do I treat them the same i.e feed them at the same time, I eat first. If I discover one always gets the upper "paw" should i feed that one after me and the lower ranking member last? Pet one first then the other. Is there anyone on this board that knows about this?They are play fighting but roughly, as i am writting this the pup just went to snatch the lurchers bone, she snapped at him and he moved away. Perhaps she is top dog, perhaps he is learning.

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When my two were fighting i was told to ignore their behavour (unless it got really out of hand) probably the pup thinks it can get one over on the older one

 

[TC]

Okay, I really don't know the set up and I am no behaviourist, but as this is only short term I would definitely suggest NO BONES as this is obviously a "bone of contention" :- "

Taking away anything that could cause problems has got to help immediately as there will be no need for any arguments over something as desirable as a bone.

By rights the pup should be bottom of the pack as he is younger, on her territory and also male (w00t) but this is counterbalanced by the fact that you are his master and therefore he will probably expect some form of favouritism :wacko:

Hopefully she will quickly show him not to even try and challenge her and they should be okay, but please don't get complacent as they could cause each other harm.

Keep an eye on her wound, and maybe clean it with some salt water if you don;t have access to anything else.

Personally, I would feed them seperately as you don't know what could happen and it isn't as though this is for life, you are only there for two weeks.

Definitely do not leave them unattended either.

Sorry this is such a short reply but I have to go out and can't really spare much more time.

Best of luck and try and stay calm as they will both pick up on your tension :luck:

 

[barkingmad]

Thankyou for your replies, all advice is greatly appreciated :sweating:

 

[Rae]

I agree with TC's advice.

Hopefully the novelty of them having each other to play with will wear off and they'll calm down, but in the mean time if play gets out of had stop them playing. You are in control, if you are not happy, make them lie in their beds / sofa what ever.

I'd also feed them seperately.

Good luck!

 

[lurcherman]

simple just keep them apart, ur there to look after them so do just that...

 

[Seraphina]

I would take the bones away and separate them the moment the game gets too rough. I would grab the aggressor and put him away with a good growl. You do not want him to get used to such a behavior. If he does not learn his lesson now, you will have a huge dog that may hurt other dogs he meets. :luck: :luck: :luck: