Introducing Dogs to One Another Successfully

[brady's mom]

I looked through the archives and couldn't find anything that had already been posted on this subject (but I probably didn't search it right) so I thought I'd ask.

 

I'm going back to school in the fall and will be moving in with a roommate who has a female 1 1/2 year old border collie (yay for border collie person as a roomie!). I know the proper etiquette of introducing a new dog to an already established household, but I'm worried about how Brady may or may not react. He's been raised in a multi-dog household since he was born, but for the last year and a half he's been living with smaller dogs that pose no threat to him or the pack hierarchy. He's young and hasn't really ever been put in his place by another dog and I don't want his inexperience to lead to an all out brawl over who's higher than the other in the pack. I really don't want there to be any brawls...at all (although I realize this may be unavoidable). How do I keep a sort of peace between the two as we make the transition? Because that will certainly have a hand in it, I'm sure. He was too young the last time we moved for it to really have had an effect on him.

 

He's fairly good with other herding breeds and other collies in particular, but that's just from our occasional visits at the dog park. I really have no other intel on how he'd be living with another dog that's his size.

 

Is it possible to train it beforehand? I know that's probably a stretch, but thought I'd ask.

[mbc1963]

I'm not an expert at this topic, but I am an expert at introducing my reactive, none-too-friendly dog to new dogs, so that he can happily walk with them and we have no major brawls.

 

For my dog, at least, the key is very gradual and slow introductions, building up to full-on meetings only after familiarity has been established. Buddy's thing is "stay out of my face." Literally - a butt-sniff is fine, but a face-to-face encounter with an unfamiliar or overly excited dog always leads to snarkiness. Smart dogs will learn this in one of the early meetings: say, through a fence, where Buddy can snarl and cause no real trouble. Slower dogs? Well, there's usually a defining interaction, where the dog gets all up in Buddy's grill, and Buddy flips the dog onto its back and snarls at it - no biting, no harm. I wish there were a way to avoid that interaction, but I do think it's the dog's way of "working it out" on their own. My dog is who he is, due to his baggage or his wiring, and there's not a lot I can do to explain that to the new dog. Dog language, however, seems to be crystal clear.

 

And all the traditional stuff: meet on neutral ground first, walk side-to-side next to the dog rather than having them go face-to-face, keep high value toys out of the way during the early times.

 

Good luck.

 

Mary

[waffles]

Others may disagree, but I always feel like having 2 dogs meet for the 1st time is much easier when there are more dogs. If it were me I would meet at the dog park when there are a couple of other friendly dogs. There is less pressure for your dog and the roommates dog to interact directly. My dog used to be quite fearful and has a few times flipped rude dogs on their backs. Typically though he just snarls and chases the rude dog off. However, when he has to mingle with several new dogs at once, he does better. Those one on one meetings can be very stressful for some dogs plus the humans are hovering over wishing things go well and stressing about 'what if' they brawl. If you have other friends dogs that Brady already knows, it would be great to get them all together for a play date at the park. It sounds like Brady is a friendly dog and there probably isn't much to worry about. Any little issues will show up in time once they are stuck together in a house learning a new routine. And any of those issues will be easier to deal with if the dogs already have met/had fun playing at the park with other dogs. At least they'll have a started relationship and be able to predict each others moves. My boy has no problem dealing with rude dogs he has met a couple times because he can predict their behavior and the other dog has typically learned to give space.

[rushdoggie]

Added to the good ideas given already, I like to introduce generally well behaved dogs by taking them on a walk together. It doesn't work if one is bonkers, but I find that dogs get a lot of non-confrontational information from one another when they walk side by side in a neutral area. Its worked very well for most of my fosters. After a 15 minute walk then we usually stop, still on neutral ground and let them take their time approaching one another, then we walk home and go on to the gradual introductions at home from there. It seems to ramp everyone down a few notches right from the start.

[brady's mom]

Thanks guys!

 

I'm going to talk to my roomie and see if he's up for trying these out. I really, really, REALLY want this to be a positive experience for both dogs, but especially Brady because the move will be a pretty big one from him.

[Donald McCaig]

Dear Doggers,

Strange dogs often come to the farm. Unfortunately, as soon as they get out of the car, they are greeted by one or (more likely to lead to trouble) two big guard dogs. I semi-control this interaction with body language and voice. "BOO! CUT THAT OUT!!" Once the guard dogs are satisfied the newcomer means no harm, I let our sheepdogs out of the house to greet, one at a time, highest ranking to lowest. Most newcomers are intimidated and submissive, many want to get back into the car. We've never had a dog fight.

 

In your circumstances, for first intro, I'd advise: No crowds, no leashes, no escape, keep it calm. Just you and the other dog's owner, only the two dogs (Occam's 2nd law: "Don't multiply confusion beyond necessity") both dogs off lead (they worry when they can't get away from the other dog), in a venue where there's enough room for one dog to feel he can flee the other but not so much he can escape you. An unused fenced basketball or tennis court would be ideal. If its a room or yard or lot it should be secure (really) and 50x50 or bigger. Please remember that you are a doggy megaphone - the dogs will pick up your anxieties. So HUSH YOUR MOUTH. Unless they are doing something doggy rude, just stand there and let them sort it out. No treats, no affectionate cooing,no touching, no nattering. Save your voice for an "ACH!" if one begins to think about committing a rudeness.

 

Then put them on leash and take them for a long quiet walk.

 

Force nothing, they don't need to be best friends, expect only that they don't fight. Their suspicion and skepticism will dissipate in two or three days.

 

Donald McCaig

[brady's mom]

Just wanted to update in case anyone was curious how it went!

 

I moved in about two weeks prior to bringing Brady up, just so I could get settled without having the stress of the big move and my own stresses from starting school again affecting him. This also gave me time to find a new employer without having to worry about my dog's well being at stake. Moved him in today and Mhya and Brady hit it off beautifully! There was some snarking over a couple bones that were out and over "Tennis Ball Control," but they played and played the rest of them time. Probably one of the first times I've seen Brady really take to another dog so quickly. I'm sure there's many more snarks and tiffs in the future, but so far it seems like the two are fast becoming friends. Which is good, because they make an ADORABLE pair. I'll have to put some pics up of the two of them together.

 

 

 

I'm a very much relieved pet owner, lol.

[Jumpin Boots]

Just wanted to update in case anyone was curious how it went!

 

I moved in about two weeks prior to bringing Brady up, just so I could get settled without having the stress of the big move and my own stresses from starting school again affecting him. This also gave me time to find a new employer without having to worry about my dog's well being at stake. Moved him in today and Mhya and Brady hit it off beautifully! There was some snarking over a couple bones that were out and over "Tennis Ball Control," but they played and played the rest of them time. Probably one of the first times I've seen Brady really take to another dog so quickly. I'm sure there's many more snarks and tiffs in the future, but so far it seems like the two are fast becoming friends. Which is good, because they make an ADORABLE pair. I'll have to put some pics up of the two of them together.

 

 

 

I'm a very much relieved pet owner, lol.

 

Congrats to all of you! And I see you're in Ellensburg; going to Central? Good luck at school. How's all the smoke over there? Enjoy the wind...ugh! I had thought about going to school over there, but couldn't take the CONSTANT wind, it gave me headaches.

[brady's mom]

Congrats to all of you! And I see you're in Ellensburg; going to Central? Good luck at school. How's all the smoke over there? Enjoy the wind...ugh! I had thought about going to school over there, but couldn't take the CONSTANT wind, it gave me headaches.

 

Thanks!

 

I am indeed going to Central! Double majoring in psychology and nutrition, lol. Oh man, the smoke is SO BAD here right now. We had a better today with a 2 mile visibility, but it's still just so, so bad. The smoke's actually worse here than it is in Wenatchee where the fires are closer. But I guess that's what happens when you're in the middle of an almost literal burnin' ring of fire. Hopefully the fires get under control soon, it's been so bad this year. ]: 110 are burning right now--the big boy is 74 square miles of just...fire.

 

I love the wind! It reminds me of the ocean when it blows through the willows and trees. Mostly I just love this little town, it's charm has grown on me over the years.

[Notorious]

The pack hierarchy was proven false.. Also if there was then why would a female compete with a male for hierarchy? They would hold separate ranks. There's no such thing. A male and a female really shouldn't have many problems together. Just don't introduce them on a leash. That's te dumbest thing you could ever do. Leashes cause dogs to be protective and aggressive. I'd also recommend just do it at a park or something. Some where mutual. I know my pup is friendly because I very well socialized her. I would take her to any dog and trust her to get along. She doesn't fight or even fight back when bullied. Just trust your dog.

[steveuk]

well, we have three "rescue" collies - two BC and a smoothie, Glen (BC) was our first dog, after a year we had Tilly

 

Glen was vile to Tilly for 2 days, growling and snapping but after she pounced on him in play hes been fine

 

last thursday we went and did it again, hence "Maddie" (2 year old red BC) came into our world, we were told she was "food focused" but she has been fine, however Glen has been a pig again,and maddie and tilly had a couple of bad spats, tilly coming off worst (shes quite timid really) but now Glen is almost there, maddie nicks his toys, and maddie and tilly have shared a bed this afternoon (our bed, BTW)

 

the three of them met 1st at the rescue centre (on leads) and were fine, around the house they walk around fine, glen insists on a little growl but hes a big dimbo and has generally accepted maddie, maybe we are mad, who cares, 3 dogs rescued, thats the point

[brady's mom]

The pack hierarchy was proven false.. Also if there was then why would a female compete with a male for hierarchy? They would hold separate ranks. There's no such thing. A male and a female really shouldn't have many problems together. Just don't introduce them on a leash. That's te dumbest thing you could ever do. Leashes cause dogs to be protective and aggressive. I'd also recommend just do it at a park or something. Some where mutual. I know my pup is friendly because I very well socialized her. I would take her to any dog and trust her to get along. She doesn't fight or even fight back when bullied. Just trust your dog.

 

 

I appreciate your input, but like I said in the first post, I know how to introduce strange dogs to one another. I was looking for help to keep the peace during a very large, stressful move. Also this thread is older. The dogs have since met and are doing fine, as I mentioned in the update. I'm sure it wasn't meant to be, but your reply came off as very abrupt (at least to me).

 

But again, thank you.