Introducing New Dog To Old Dog

[loverofpoodles]

I have a 13yr old toy poodle who is slightly deaf, I have just recently adopted a miniature poodle from the RSPCA, he was abused and abandoned and his coat had been left for so long it was matted beyond belief.

I have introduced them slowly, my older Poodle (Mickey) is rather dominant in relation to affection and has tried to hump the new dog (Charlie) repeatedly, I have tried to stop this but it has escalated to them fighting with each other.

Also Charlie is very timid, he has been abused and cowers and slinks along the ground. He has also become very attached to me, which is making Mickey jealous. I give them equal amounts of time and affection but there is still that rivalry between them.

Charlie gives warning growls each time Mickey walks passed him or comes near him but unfortunately as Mickey is deaf, he doesnt hear the warning.

I am worried that they will hurt each other. They are both very loving dogs and I am desperate for them to get along.

I have had Charlie for a few weeks now and they seem to be okay for a few days then something sets them off and they start fighting. They haven't really bitten each other, its more loud growly and locking of paws on hing legs....

Will they grow out of this? Is there anything I can do to help them?

[corvus]

Gah! I'd be worried, too! The more dogs fight with each other the more they are likely to keep fighting with each other. Separate them and give them both their own space so they don't have to worry about constant flare-ups. I would think very seriously about whether you want to go down this path. It can be messy and very stressful and taxing, and if it goes on long enough, downright dangerous. If you do want to go down this path, I think you should get some professional advice. It's hard on the internet to know what the risk level is. I think it's better to get someone to see for themselves and give you an idea of what you're in for.

[loverofpoodles]

Hi Corvus

Thanks for your reply.

I love both of them and couldn't think of giving Charlie up, I am willing to invest the time they need to overcome this problem and will be getting a professional to come and assess them in the home environment.

I have seperated them, they eat seperately they sleep on different dog beds at opposite sides of the room. The instances of flare ups are getting less as I mentioned although Im very conscious of where they are in relation to each other.

They are great going for walks together, no trouble at all. They play in the back yard happily, it just seems to be when I'm around they sometimes fight to be the closest one to me.

Whereas at other times they will sleep happily on the mat together.

One of my major concerns is that because Charlie is a rescue dog and has been abused, I feel this has really affected the way he reacts to normal situations. I also feel he was with other dogs before where he had to fight for food as he is very wary while eating and gulps down his food while looking over his shoulder.

Even if I raise my voice slightly at Charlie if he is starting to growl, he stops instantly but then cowers as if he's been hit. I need to be able to chastise him but without him feeling threstened. i have a lot of work to do with this dog.

Thanks again for your reply.

[corvus]

One of my major concerns is that because Charlie is a rescue dog and has been abused, I feel this has really affected the way he reacts to normal situations. I also feel he was with other dogs before where he had to fight for food as he is very wary while eating and gulps down his food while looking over his shoulder.

That may well be, but what bearing does it have on the current situation? Whether he has had to fight for food and whether he has been abused might have contributed to the problem, but you still have to deal with it the same way if his behaviour is driven by something else instead. IMO the best way to help Charlie is forget about the why and concentrate on giving him a sense of safety so he can begin to trust. If I were you, I would establish 'safe zones'for Charlie where Mickey doesn't go. Mickey should have one, too. Crates are good, but maybe Charlie might need a bigger buffer zone. Good that you are separating and the altercations are reducing. I know it can be hard to manage something that can be very unpredictable or infrequent. Perhaps you can teach them to go to their own mats and reinforce them staying there. I use this to get my dogs to leave me and the other dog alone when we are training. They love training and my younger dog will try to drive my older dog away from me if he wants to train bad enough. So his job is to stay on his mat when I'm training the other dog. He gets lots of good things for being there. Maybe it would help to identify the times where the risk of a fight is high (like you have already) and think of a job you want both dogs to do that would keep them busy at those times and give them direction.

Even if I raise my voice slightly at Charlie if he is starting to growl, he stops instantly but then cowers as if he's been hit. I need to be able to chastise him but without him feeling threstened. i have a lot of work to do with this dog.

Do you need to be able to chastise him? Why not look for things he is doing that you like and reward them instead?