Moving House And Combining Dogs! Advice Appreciated.

[MsBex]

Ok. So here's the deal.

I'm currently about to start a time-consuming year of Uni which will mean that my work availability will decrease significantly. As such am considering moving into a new house with my sister (who is also starting her PHd this year) for a year or two, as this will financially be beneficial to us both.

She has a 3yro entire SBT, who has never shown dog aggression, and I have a 6mo Cocker Spaniel. At this stage we haven't really let the dogs interact alot as Storm (SBT) is quite rough in his play and hurts Cory unintentionally. When Cory yelps he backs off. Cory doesn't appear scared, keeps going back for more.

I'm a little nervous whether this could work with the dogs (the kids are another story ). Cory hasn't been de-sexed as I was planning to wait til he was 1yro, but will neuter him before moving in if this plan eventuates. My sister is not keen to desex Storm as his breeder has stated he would like to use him as a stud when he is 4yrs.

Both dogs have been inside dogs with access to outdoors at anytime.

The plans I had were to

a) desex Cory

b) create a doggy run (or sectioning off the yard) for Cory with access to a section of the house, separating him from Storm when no-one was home.

Do you think this could work? Is there anything else you would recommend to ease the transition? Both dogs are very much loved members of the family, so want to make this work. Thanks for your help again

[Dogsfevr]

i would be making sure your sister fully understands the changes that may happen after her boy is used at stud,i dare say it was brought on condition of being available.

I would be inclined to have a safe area set up incase things dont go to plan or even a day run when neither dogs can be watched.

Most Staffies are fine but some after being used at stud can certainly being toey .

I would be making sure the 2 dogs spend as much time together now & both parties need to decide what the living arrangements will be as to what both dogs are use to & work the dogs into this scenario

[MsBex]

i would be making sure your sister fully understands the changes that may happen after her boy is used at stud,i dare say it was brought on condition of being available.

I would be inclined to have a safe area set up incase things dont go to plan or even a day run when neither dogs can be watched.

Most Staffies are fine but some after being used at stud can certainly being toey .

I would be making sure the 2 dogs spend as much time together now & both parties need to decide what the living arrangements will be as to what both dogs are use to & work the dogs into this scenario

Thanks for that Showdog. I hadn't realised there was a behavioural change, and I'm pretty sure neither did my sister.

It's definately not a concrete decision from either my sister or her breeder's point of view. It was more a "I may like to use him to stud in the future, but he's your dog, so your decision" type arrangement. And from my understanding the only pictures he's seen has not been at his request, but from my nephew emailing him to ask "Who's his Mum?" "Does he have any brothers or sisters?" and attaching random pics

I have noticed there much better together in larger yards, as they have room to run, whereas when inside it's more like cat and mouse play (albeit with a playful mouse). Will do some more regular contact, and make a decision from there I think.

[dancinbcs]

Some other options with the SBT if your sister would prefer to neuter him are for the breeder to take and freeze some semen from him before he is neutered or to use the suprelorin implant that works for 6 months at a time. That way he could be chemically castrated while you and your dog are living there and revert back to being entire later.

Whatever you decide, seperate runs where they can be kept apart if necessary would be a good investment.

[ellz]

I have Staffordshire Bull Terriers and American Cocker Spaniels. They usually run together when I am at home, they are separated when I'm not. The only dogs which are actually run together are the Cockers (2 together - dog and bitch). Everybody else is either inside the house, crated or with me.

The Stafford will not necessarily change temperament IF he is used at stud...but he might. It is safest to assume that he will and plan accordingly. Having said that, I've found my male Staffords have always been less toey when a girl is in season than other breeds. At one stage I had two boys together, adult males (3 and 4 years of age) who had never met prior to adulthood. They were both used at stud within the same week, had bitches living in the house who were in season, both bred a visiting bitch on the same day and there was not even a raised eyebrow let alone a cross word. On the other hand, when my two Cocker bitches were in season late last year, after my two Cocker boys were used, both were diabolical with the younger dog so full of his own self-importance he was stomping around the place growling at everybody who got in his path and guarding the bitch even after she wasn't in season any more. He was a shocker.

[Ozstar]

I would be building a secure (preferably with a roof) pen for one of the dogs to go into while you are not there.

Some males (of any breed) can change after they have a mating. I have 2 boys who now can not play together as the younger one was used at stud late last year and now wants to be the alfa male.

I have a few boys out there on breeders terms and am placing one of my male pups I have at the moment on terms.

Once the pups are around 1 - 1 1/2 years of age I collect seamen from them then have them desexed. That way they do not really understand what has happened (no mating) and so far haven't had any change in attitude.

It my pay for your sister to ask the breeder if they can collect seamen from her boy now (instead of waiting to mate him) as her circumstances have changed and she would like to have him desexed.

The owners that have my boys on terms have the right to desex their dogs if they feel it is wanted for what ever reason, in the end it is their pup and they are the ones that are living with it.

Leanne

[MsBex]

Thanks for that guys, is good to hear it's not an impossibility. Will definately be getting separate runs (or equivalent) for when we're not home, if this move does eventuate.

[tammytornado95]

Ok. So here's the deal.

I'm currently about to start a time-consuming year of Uni which will mean that my work availability will decrease significantly. As such am considering moving into a new house with my sister (who is also starting her PHd this year) for a year or two, as this will financially be beneficial to us both.

She has a 3yro entire SBT, who has never shown dog aggression, and I have a 6mo Cocker Spaniel. At this stage we haven't really let the dogs interact alot as Storm (SBT) is quite rough in his play and hurts Cory unintentionally. When Cory yelps he backs off. Cory doesn't appear scared, keeps going back for more.

I'm a little nervous whether this could work with the dogs (the kids are another story ). Cory hasn't been de-sexed as I was planning to wait til he was 1yro, but will neuter him before moving in if this plan eventuates. My sister is not keen to desex Storm as his breeder has stated he would like to use him as a stud when he is 4yrs.

Both dogs have been inside dogs with access to outdoors at anytime.

The plans I had were to

a) desex Cory

b) create a doggy run (or sectioning off the yard) for Cory with access to a section of the house, separating him from Storm when no-one was home.

Do you think this could work? Is there anything else you would recommend to ease the transition? Both dogs are very much loved members of the family, so want to make this work. Thanks for your help again

Do ensure the dogs are seperated whilst you are out the house, either with a crate or closed doors, better to be safe than sorry.

Be sensible and apply commonsense, with toys/food etc.