New Puppy - How To Help Needed

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I found this puppy and fell in love. I have to have him.

http://photocache.petfinder.com/fotos/OH432/OH432.9659408-1-pn.jpg

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5 months old. Tonto was adopted and then returned after 2 weeks when he was diagnosed with pneumonia. He is ready for his new home now and wishes for someone who would never abandon him even when he is sick again!

I want to be his forever mom!!!

My question is how to go about doing this with a new pup and an established doggie.

Should I crate the new puppy while Zoe roams free during the day? Should I confine both of them to one area of the house during the day? I don't know how house trained he is but I'd imagine that since he's been fostered, he is at least half way there. I am more concerned about them tearing the house apart while we're gone.

Any advice for me?

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Ok I think you're a little nuts, but good hearted.

Big Yes to the puppy crate. A crate keeps the puppy (and your stuff) safe. Puppies get into all kinds of trouble when left alone. Also, older dogs can lose patience with pups and get aggressive. Only keep Zoe and the pup together when they can be supervised. I've always used a crate to potty train a pup, but if you're not home during the day that doesn't work. Dogs like the crates, it's like a little den - so don't feel guilty. Just leave him with chew toys and water (in a non-spill container). I feel guilty when the dog is big enough to not need the thing and I take the it away so I don't have to vacuum around it anymore. I had one dog that napped in the crate spot for years out of habit instead of his expensive, fluffy Orvis bed.

Little fella looks like a boxer/pitbull mix.

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They told me he is purebred boxer. I suppose we can only go with what they tell us.

I am a little crazy but can't help it. It was love at first sight.

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Bella Dea wrote:

They told me he is purebred boxer. I suppose we can only go with what they tell us.

I am a little crazy but can't help it. It was love at first sight.

Bella, you are turning into an UberMommy.

No way pure boxer. Coloring and stance are all pit. That brindle with black is a total giveaway. They probably said he was pure because people run when they hear "pitbull". I think you'll see it more as he grows, I bet he's going to be squat like a pit rather than leggy like a boxer - based on what I'm seeing in this picture.

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After calling what I consider to be an expert on dogs, she said a lot of facilities let you bring your dog (Zoe) to meet the new dog. She suggested that you do this to see how they react to each other. In her opinion, if they immediately go after each other, it will be a strong possibility they may never like one another.

She also agreed to what Green Witch posted about crating the puppy. A problem you might run into is if the puppy goes to the bathroom in the crate. You can't scold them for it and depending on the dog, they might get used to using the crate as a bathroom.

She suggested if at all possible, try to have someone (you, a neighbor, a relative etc) who can let the puppy out to go to the bathroom during the middle of the day.

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TTH wrote:

She suggested if at all possible, try to have someone (you, a neighbor, a relative etc) who can let the puppy out to go to the bathroom during the middle of the day.

Totally agree.

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Well, we did the crate thing with Zoe and it worked out well. I just wondered if it would be a problem to have one dog crated while the other roams free.

And honestly, I don't see the pit in him. Hm. Maybe it's wishful thinking? Zoe looked all skinny and gangly like that when she was a teen.

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Re: New Puppy - How To Help Needed

Bella Dea wrote:

My question is how to go about doing this with a new pup and an established doggie.

Should I crate the new puppy while Zoe roams free during the day? Should I confine both of them to one area of the house during the day? I don't know how house trained he is but I'd imagine that since he's been fostered, he is at least half way there. I am more concerned about them tearing the house apart while we're gone.

Any advice for me?

My two cents.

- Crate new puppy until potty trained and socialized with existing dog.
- Initially keep the two dogs apart, take existing dog to see new dog in crate while keeping the existing dog calm (hold pet etc)
- Introduce them at feeding times (helps if your dog is already on a scheduled feeding as opposed to eat-all-day diet) with separate, but close, bowls and close supervision.

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Bella Dea wrote:

Well, we did the crate thing with Zoe and it worked out well. I just wondered if it would be a problem to have one dog crated while the other roams free.

I'd recommend that the crated dog be out of the existing dog's areas (in a closed room) unless supervised. The existing dog getting used to the smell of the new dog through the door (and without confrontation) is also a good thing.

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yeah, Zoe is great with other dogs...when they are in a neutral territory.

I don't think Zoe would hurt the other dog and I feel like she'll accept the new dog well but you never know.

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Bella Dea wrote:

yeah, Zoe is great with other dogs...when they are in a neutral territory.

I don't think Zoe would hurt the other dog and I feel like she'll accept the new dog well but you never know.

They will probably be fine, and maybe even buddies, but you should wait until the puppy is full grown before leaving them alone together. I had a rottie and pit at the same time, and mostly they loved each other and played nice. Every now and then something (usually food) would trigger some violence. The spats were short, but mean. Since they were evenly matched physically, the worst injury was a bloody nose. Afterwards, they would go curl up next to each other by the fire like nothing happened.

That said - Never, ever leave the baby on the floor with the two dogs. Once my dogs decide to have a friendly wrestling match and our cat got in the way. It suddenly turned into a big brawl with the cat in the middle. I literally had to grab the cat by the scruff of it's neck to save it from becoming a tug toy.

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Green Witch wrote:

No way pure boxer. Coloring and stance are all pit. That brindle with black is a total giveaway. They probably said he was pure because people run when they hear "pitbull". I think you'll see it more as he grows, I bet he's going to be squat like a pit rather than leggy like a boxer - based on what I'm seeing in this picture.

ditto
ditto

the stance in particular is true AmStaff.

And the kiddo's never alone in any room with the dogs. Ever.

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Green Witch wrote:

Little fella looks like a boxer/pitbull mix.

Thats funny.

Thats exactly what I said to her earlier.. Laughing

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I totally do not see the pit in him. Laughing

He looks a lot like Zoe (different coloring) did when she was little.

And I don't leave the baby alone with Zoe now, so for sure not with the new pup.

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I told my hubby that this time we were either going to buy a boxer from a good breeder and spend $1000-1200 or we were going to adopt. He couldn't stomach the thought of paying that much for a dog so we are adopting!

I don't know what it is about this guy but I fell in love instantly! I can't wait to meet him.

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I'll bet this is what he is.

Bull Boxer

My question...

I know pits and rotties are not all bad dogs. But I have an infant and that is always scary to me. Any dog would probably be scary.

Should I be concerned about getting a dog who quite possibly has pit in him? I know enough about the breed to know that most family raised pits are fine.

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Will there be an opportunity for you to be home with the puppy for the first few months?

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from your link

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Aggressiveness only when cornered

this is where I worry about a small child being around. Kids don't always signal appropriately for dogspeak (can you tell I've just finished reading a book about dogspeak by Dr. Coren).

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I got my pit when I was living alone in a fairly remote area. He was sweet and loyal and never hurt anyone. He was better protection than a gun because he could smell trouble coming. That dog would have died protecting me if the situation arose. The creepy guys living in the nearby lumber camp gave him a wide berth when I was in town- and I liked that. As with any big dog, they often don't know there own strength. Pits have powerful jaws and almost go into a trance when they grab hold of something. My pits favorite thing was a fluffy toy duck that quaked when you squeezed it, sometimes he would fall asleep with the duck clamped in his mouth and it would quake as he ground his jaws while he dreamed. It was really annoying at night, but there was no way I could get that thing out of his jaws without waking him and telling him to "drop it". You can train them to release, but be aware of the trait.

I'm of two minds about this. I think it's wonderful that you want to rescue the little guy and it could work out great. When you get a good pit they are the best of dogs - but a bad one can be a nightmare (as the news stories show). Maybe you should hire a professional dog trainer to evaluate his temperament. You can tell a lot about a dog's future behavior by the time they are 5 months old.

Good luck.

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The pits and Am. Bulldogs I've know are all great with kids.
No problem.

I think the puppy may be boxer and American Bulldog.

Maybe.

Definitely cute.

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New Puppy - How To Help Needed

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