beachdogz Posted September 18, 2011 Report Share Posted September 18, 2011 This is sort of a continuation of a topic I posted a while ago (Introducing a dog). My new rescue dog is a red and white split face male. I might guess he is anywhere from 18 months to 2 yrs. It has been a month and we are progressing slowly. He is loose in the house with my other two, and he sort of "lays low" around them. They sniff but don't do much inter-acting, and they seem to accept that he's here, but not really accept him yet (if you know what I mean.) Rusty does not know how to play; I don't think he ever was played with and I'm pretty positive he was never in a house. So recently, when in the fenced yard off lead, when I throw the play rope for Kylie (other BC), he started to run with her when she was running after it. He never tries to get it since he doesn't really know what to do with it. Now this has progressed to when he runs with her he tries to nip at her. When he does this, she has put him in his place by "snarking" at him, and I have corrected him with voice, which he responds to readily. This evening she even went nose to nose with him and I could tell she was telling him to back off and he understood it. My original two will play rough; grabbing from each other and snarking and even chasing each other with lots of noise, but never anything seriously. I want him to be one of the gang, but I'm not sure how far to let this all go with him. I was at first thrilled that he was running with her, but I'm not sure I like the nipping. I really want him to learn to play with them, but I'm not sure how three will play this game. For that reason, I have only let two at a time in the yard for this kind of play. Does anyone out there have any suggestions? I know many of you have multiple dogs and I'm hoping some of you have been through this. thanks.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbc1963 Posted September 19, 2011 Report Share Posted September 19, 2011 My dog can play - rarely - with a single dog. The older he gets, the less play he seems to need. He would exhibit the same behavior you're talking about - trailing and nipping - if I allowed him into the big field where the local dogs play every day. He simply does not understand what charging, playing dogs are doing, and he constantly acts like the fun police: "Hey, you kids! Settle down! This is rough and loud and disorganized! Stand still so I can see what you're doing!" I don't know if it's his breed - Turid Rugaas has another BC doing this precise thing in her video, "Calming Signals." Anyway, I just allow him to be who he is, and don't put him in situations where he's going to feel the need to correct or organize other dogs. I would love it if he could play easily, but he can't. Mary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedismom Posted September 19, 2011 Report Share Posted September 19, 2011 I have had foster dogs here that have done that to Cadi and Jedi. When Cadi puts them in their place, they generally don't do it again. So I allow her a few corrections (because I know and trust her) to see if it will take care of it. There was one foster, however, that didn't seem to want to stop so I had to separate them during ball and frisbee time. My suggestion would be to work/play with him one on one to see if you can build focus/relationship, get him interested in toys/fetch, maybe some games outside. Tire him out if possible, teach him a down/stay and then maybe try all three of them out there again. It could take a few months before he feels comfortable enough to play with your other dogs if he hasn't had much experience in that area. Good luck and I'd love to see pictures! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachdogz Posted September 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2011 I have had foster dogs here that have done that to Cadi and Jedi. When Cadi puts them in their place, they generally don't do it again. So I allow her a few corrections (because I know and trust her) to see if it will take care of it. There was one foster, however, that didn't seem to want to stop so I had to separate them during ball and frisbee time. My suggestion would be to work/play with him one on one to see if you can build focus/relationship, get him interested in toys/fetch, maybe some games outside. Tire him out if possible, teach him a down/stay and then maybe try all three of them out there again. It could take a few months before he feels comfortable enough to play with your other dogs if he hasn't had much experience in that area. Good luck and I'd love to see pictures! Thanks. I am trying to do some one-on-one, however, he really doesn't understand to chase the toy. I also think that running as a stray, people yelled and threw things at him, since he is leery of throwing anything and when I yelled "GET OUT" to the local deer clan that visits, Rusty ran for the door. He doesn't seem to mind yelling in general, but certain phrases like that make him want to dart. However, he is getting much better. I think I might need to be like you and trust my other dog to teach him manners....as long as I supervise it. I am really hoping he can join in and become part of the gang...and I know this is going to take some time. We are making progress. One problem is that he would LOVE to join in the chipmunk hunts my two do on our 2 acres, however, my fence is 3 foot wire and I'm sure he could bolt through it or jump it if he wanted. So he does join the hunt -- on lead -- but I just don't feel comfortable letting him off lead in the 2 acres. He does get off lead in a smaller chain link yard that I have. Below are pics. The one pic from the humane society makes him look better since we had to literally cut most of his hair from his tail and "pants" when we got him due to massive matting and burs. His coat is getting much softer since he is on regular dog food instead of what he could find scrounging as a stray, and bones are doing nicely to clean his teeth. I feel so lucky that I found just what I wanted so close to home (he was advertised at a local shelter.) I fell in love with this breed with my first B&W a few years ago, and it's hard not to want everything you see!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedismom Posted September 20, 2011 Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 I think you're right in not letting him off lead in that area yet. I think you will eventually be able to trust him enough to do it. There are other things besides fetch that can build a bond and tire him out. Check out "50 Games to Play With Your Dog", by Suellen Dainty. He's absolutely gorgeous by the way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachdogz Posted September 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 He's absolutely gorgeous by the way! Don't you just wonder what kind of idiots people are to throw such beautiful animals away???!!! Thanks for the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SecretBC Posted September 20, 2011 Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 My foster dog did that to my lab mix when we played in the yard. I think he was smart enough to realize that he didn't dare go near Secret (my BC) when she was fetching. Luke is too nice and would snarl, but never correct him enough to make him back off. I tried verbally correcting him and it didn't work. I ended up having to tie him to the deck or leave him in the house when the other dogs played. And yes, it sucks when you have a dog who is completely wound up that doesn't play fetch games. I would bring him out after the other dogs were done and work to build his toy drive. It still wouldn't come close to giving him the energy release he needed, so then I had to bring Secret out and let them run laps around the yard together (his only real form of exercise aside from our walks). My cousin's BC also does this to Luke -- in the yard and when we go swimming. I do NOT tolerate the behavior. At all. It is incredibly rude and doesn't fly with me. If you want to chase/bite something that moves, learn to chase a damn ball or frisbee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachdogz Posted September 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 And yes, it sucks when you have a dog who is completely wound up that doesn't play fetch games. I probably should correct this assumption....the new dog is not at all hyper...in fact, he is very, very laid-back. In the house, he will lay on the sofa (his safe spot) and watch everything around him. (I think he is just playing it safe as the new guy). I can see energy when we go out and he wants to run with the other dogs on the 2 acres (which I said I wouldn't let him do until he is more responsive to commands.) So when he started to run with the dogs after the rope, I was at first happy that he was actually moving and playing. I watched carefully yesterday, and he does NOT nip (yet) - he just pushes his head and nose at the dogs. I'm sure this could progress to nipping, which is why I don't like it. But what I am sure of is that he is responding to the motion of the DOG....not the motion of the toy. But as I said, he is not hyper and does not seem in need of getting his energy out. He is (right now) a very quiet, laid back dog....and I'm sure that could change as he adapts to his new home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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