Tips for introducing two possibly aggressive dogs, fast

Oooh, the move is in process?! I've been out of town meself and am way behind. Will see what I can find...

Muzzles?


How long are you going to be staying there, Osso? If it's a short visit, it may be easier just to keep them apart?

A good, long walk together will a) give you a good idea of how they are likely to get on, and b) maybe give them a chance to get to know one another.

In my experience, it's normally the female that will cause the problem. And no, I'm not joking on this occasion.

Oh, and feed them in separate rooms. Feeding bowls in close proximity will almost definitely cause a rumpus.

G'night, Osso. I'm off to bed.

Good luck.

I should clarify that I don't think Sally is really aggressive. She will express anxiety about you by heel pseudonipping and underbreath muttering.

Pacco can be, in territorial situation. He went after a dog outside the gallery once and they went at it. Luckily the owner thought it was her dog that brought it on. I am VERY careful about his not being offleash on the street, and not to leave front door open, but others, business partner, for example, are a little more phlegmatic. If you're wondering re our old gallery, we had a shoji sort of gate between the design office and the gallery, and Pacco stayed behind the gate, er, mostly.

Once she was dogsitting for me and walked him and her doberman and her cocker spaniel offleash in the quiet cul de sac neighborhood, and Pacco took off and ran into someone's house after their dog. She ran in the house after him and captured him. No big deal. I nearly died when I got back and heard about it..

When he gets accustomed to other people and their dogs he is all fine with it. Actually likes going into the pet shop for grooming, on the lucky occasions that happens, or nail clipping. He likes those people and the place and doesn't even blink at the dogs laying their bods about on the floor or parking lot.

At another doggy day care, one with one big pen, he was unhappy, and Derby the Dobie would protect him from the fierce beasties by literally standing over him. The lady there would take him out of the pen after a while and put him in his own compartment, especially when Derby had the cocker spaniel to look after too. This didn't happen often as I only put him in day care 5 or six times over a few years.

I did leave him for a few days at a time at the Pet Store groomer's place, and they had separate slots and took the dogs for walkies and he didn't fall apart over it.

I have had a feeling the reason Pacco stayed at the humane society so long before I saw the notice and called, is that the owners wanted to lose him. He was found walkin' highway 101 by KMart...

So - he is capable of biting, and is also capable of turning into daisy face quickly.

An added bit of interest that scared the hell out of me the first time I saw it... he and Derby used to play fight. Geez louise. My friend recognized it as play, I didn't. They loved playing and had many good times. I have photos of Pacco humping Derby's neck...

Geez. I am picturing keeping him in his crate for days at a time..

What breed(s) of dog is Sally?

Assuming she is not a pit bull - I would introduce them first with Pacco in his crate. If that goes OK, put each dog on a short leash with a strong person on each end. If this goes well, take them for a walk together. Slowly increase time together.

It is a good idea for dogs to wear a harness in addition to a collar. A dog like Pacco could be picked up like a suitcase if he is wearing a good harness, very handy to get him out of a fight.

Dogs can also be separated with the use of a good baby gate, if neither is large enough to jump over it. They can sniff through the gate, but not get too physical.

I don't think you will have to banish him to his crate. You just need a room with a door that shuts securely. I would never leave them together unsupervised.

I'd recommend that the initial meeting not be in Sally's home. Have Sally and Pacco meet someplace neutral for the first bit - and then a really really long exhausting walk.

Someone recommended that when I was bringing Cleo to live with us. It worked out quite well.

Green Witch's harness recommendation makes a lot of sense to me. When we travelled to dog boot camp earlier this autumn, there were two people with four dogs in a small car. Two sets of two dogs who were strangers. One dog in each set has/had fear anxiety. We had all four dogs in harnesses so they could be controlled much more easily. It worked after a few minutes of lip curling by my charming Cleo and the also-charming Java.