Peaceful Co-existence

[Macha]

Join our free community today.

Connect with other like-minded dog lovers!

Login or Register

I'd like to hear of peoples' experiences and advice in introducing dogs to households where there are already canine residents. I know sometimes oldtimers accept newcomers readily. I would especially like, however, ideas for those cases where there are problems in getting the dogs to accept each other in the same house.

 

[fallenangel]

the best idea is when intoducing them pick a nutral area that neathere dog knows let them meet there and if in walking distance walk them back home togethere let the origanl dog take dominace amedeatly. May be later it will change round but at first keep the origanl top dog. Dont expect them to be berst frends or even acnolige each other at first that comes with time and trust some fall start in the pack as if they have allways been there some it take time and there are allways the few that never mixs take time when picking a new comer to get a good match. if its a puppy the origanl dog wont aprecaet being malled by the pup and some adult dogs are actaul scared of puppys at first so step in and give the adult dog some peace by useing a creat or sperat room for the pup.

hope that help we have had los of foster dogs here and 99% have setteld in fine

 

[FeeFee]

I guess I'm quite lucky, as although my dogs don't always like other dogs out and about, they have - so far - always accepted new dogs in the home without any problems. I think they take their lead from me, so if they see I'm relaxed and friendly to the newcomer they just go along with it.

I always introduce outside the home, though. I walk the newcomer and husband brings the other dogs, we walk nearby for a while on lead then come close for an introduction. Once everybody's had a good sniff we take them all back into the house together.

I also find giving lots of fuss and praise for friendly behaviour coupled with shoving bits of sausage in everybody's mouths during the initial meeting helps to make them see the newcomer as quite a good thing! :- "

 

[*Lesley*]

When I have brought new puppies home (twice)what I do is bring the puppy in and hold it and let the others have a good sniff for a while, then just take things from there and they tend to find their own place in the pack,(I still supervise for quite a while) Sienna isn't keen on puppies, she is top dog so often it takes longer for them to get round her, but she comes round soon enough, both pups I have introduced have been confident which I think helps as they just fit in to the routine of things.

I fostered 2 fully grown dogs earlier this year and was unsure as to how mine would accept them, I just brought them in and acted normally and then just kept an eye on things they were fine, I think I am lucky in that my dogs are very well socialised especially with racing, they are used to lots of different dogs :thumbsup:

 

[Boffy01]

If you can I'd get a scent blanket from the breeder.

Juley gave us one a month before we picked Marble up so that Harry had time to get used to the smell before he arrived. When we brought Marble home for the 1st time Harry just excepted him straight away. Hope that helps. :luck:

Michelle

 

[finnbob]

some good ideas allready put up but a couple of things wat ive done in the past is obviosly let the dogs meet in a park or somewear near the house so your dog dosnt protect his own teretory but 1 thing ive allways done is before i introduce the new dog moove the dog beds around the room or byuy the dogs new beds so your originol dog has got nothing to protect ie toys food bowls leave nothing like that on the floor as that will help stop fighting and allways make sure you feed originol dog first and so on.

good look :luck:

 

[*Lesley*]

Talking about sleeping arrangements I should have mentioned that for the first few days (or as long as I can get away with from OH) :lol: they sleep with me :wub: after that I set up a small crate next to the other dogs for the interim with a cuddly toy and with either something from the breeder, Spry had her own blanket or something of mine old jumper ect and leave it that way until they are truly comfotable with each other,so far they have so decided that they will move in with each other on their own :thumbsup:

For the meeting outdoors ect it wasnt realy viable for me to do that as I travelled hundreds of miles and so the first stop had to be home and both my puppies came in winter so it would have been too cold.

When you mentioned problems I am lucky I dont have many but like anything with a mind of its own they do have the odd spat I let them sort it out to an extent and then step in if I think its going too far if you let it go too far it often will, you have to let them know what you will accept :thumbsup:

 

[oakmoorehill]

We are quite lucky really as my dogs are used to strange dogs coming into my house usually my families dogs and so are quite happy to except a newcomer . When we had Zoe the whippets and William were crated before we went to pick her up. When we got back the others were alowed to meet her 2 at a time first Tegan who is top dog and Bandit who hates all pups.Once Tegan acepted her I know the others would be ok they all love pups although Banit did and still has to be watched he wouldn't hurt he but will warn her of and now she is getting big she is getting a bit cocky with him now.

William was the hardest to intriduce as even though he was a pup 8 months old he was so big I'm not to sure who was more frightened him of the litle raging idiots barking at him or them of this over grown whippet that invaded their family By the next day they had settled down and now live happily together.

In September Tinabow and her family offered to have William for the weekend whilst we went to a wedding. We went several times before leaving him there to make sure he got on with her canine family. He now walks through the door and is quite readily excepted by her 5 boys as one of the family

These are some photos we took of him when we went for christmas dinner

this one was taken within half an hour of ariving at Tina's

he tried to kick Tina of her chair

and then went to sleep on the floor

 

[Macha]

You are mostly saying you've had an easy time, but I'm afraid that I am sure I will have difficulties whenever I take the plunge and increase the canine family. I already have two dogs. They get on quite well although it is usually clear that the bigger dog is dominant (due to his personality more than to his size). But they can be aggressive towards other dogs at times and the two of them will gang up on another dog. In fact, I have learned that while one of them may be getting on off-lead with another dog (away from the house), if I let the other one off they are likely to go into attack mode. After a couple of such experiences, I avoid letting them run free if other dogs are around. Although I believe they could come to accept another dog in the house, I'm thinking I might have to muzzle them in the early days and that it would be quite some time before I could leave the newcomer alone with the old timers.

I have heard stories of people who gave up dogs because they didn't get on with their kennelmates (in fact the dominant one of my dogs was brought back from his first rescue reportedly for that reason). One person I met had two Jack Russell bitch pups, littermates I think, but as the pups got older they squabbled so the family gave one away. I don't know in which cases these are insurmountable problems and in which a little management and patience would go a long way.

 

[FeeFee]

It's so hard to judge, isn't it? I'd have said at one time that Taz could never live with another male, as he was very sharp with dogs out and about, but I've introduced Musky (a large black dog - Taz's worst thing) into the household and they have been absolutely fine.

Both are neutered, which helps - I don't think Taz would accept an entire male. I've also put a lot of work into socialising him (he was a rescue with a very bad past), and taking him to classes etc which has helped a lot.

I assume your current two are both male? In which case you'd stand a much better chance of success bringing in a female. The worst scenario is to have two dogs of the same sex and similar age/size/character, as you will then have constant battles for position (2 JRT sisters is about the worst possible combination I can think of).

 

[chelle123]

My tess doesnt really like other dogs that much, but when we knew we were getting blue joining us i just told her that blue was coming ot live and toldl her stories of what her and blue would get up too, they first met indoors with blue on a leash and his dad and litter brother, tess knew the other 2 dogs just not blue but i took blue to her and explained that this was her brother now that we had talked about and she was fine pretty much from day one but absultly hates his brother and always has done.