Help with introducing 2nd doodle

[Stacy]

That title is a bit misleading, because I’ve already introduced the second doodle – last Thursday. But I feel like we are still very much in the introductory period and I want to set us up for future success, and I’m feeling a little nervous and uncertain about things. I’m going to try not to write a novel, but I’ll be honest. I’m probably going to write a novel! I want to give all the relevant information so I can hopefully get some good advice.

 

So the cast is: Katie – she’s 2. I’ve had her since she was 8 weeks old and she’s pretty much the perfect dog. I mean, she jumps on people when they come over and she barks too much and she steals socks out of the hamper… but she loves other dogs. She loves people. She has never had anyone, man or beast be unkind to her.  She’s just a really really nice dog. And she’s a happy dog. I’ve had countless people comment on it at the dog park. She’s just joyful.

 

Ava – 6 years old. She’s Katie’s bio mom. She’s a retired breeder, not spayed (yet – this is happening very soon) and for all intents and purposes she’s a rescue. She’s doing amazingly well, but I don’t think she’s ever spent any time in a home. I had to show her what the bed and couch were for. And I think she’s been around a lot of other dogs, but I’m not sure what if any interaction she actually had with them. She hadn’t been “off the property” in 4 years. She bonded to me immediately. She’s sweet and gentle and just wants to sit with her head on my knee. And once I showed her what the bed and couch were she really liked them! She also is starting to play with toys a little and enjoys a good antler to chew on. I love her very much.

 

My concern is that Ava is sometimes growling and snapping at Katie. It seems to me that it’s over me. Kind of a possessive thing. It’s pretty short lived, and no injuries, but Katie’s tail goes down and she seems afraid.  My first instinct, besides to tell Ava no when she starts growling, is to pick Katie up and cuddle her and reassure her that she’s fine and she’s the baby and I won’t let anything happen to her. And I’m afraid that’s the wrong thing and I’m reinforcing her fear. But I don’t want her to be afraid to sit on the couch or be on the bed or basically lose her place because there is a new dog in the house.

 

I’m not sure what action I need to take to make sure that everyone gets along. It’s okay if they aren’t super best friends forever, though I would love it if they were. But I want them to coexist happily. And I’m sure that there is some training or behavior modification that will facilitate that. I’m just not sure what it is.

 

If you’ve made it this far in my novel, thank you!

Stacy

[33bn7f8evnuyd]

Resource guarding and new dog jealousy can be separate things. My own dog and a dog I've fostered had serious issues resource guarding.  I've seen a lot of this behavior in the various dog rescues I've volunteered at. One of my fosters was food aggressive and my Pomeranian is quite possessive of me.  Despite being separate resources, both situations are essentially the same thing: they are guarding objects. You remove the food the aggression is gone.  The Pomeranian likes to lay very close to me and gets "huffs" or bark when others approach...including my other pets and my fiance. lol  If I get up and move away from the Pom, the problem stops. If it truly is resource guarding, you can find out very easily.  Just remove the object of their desire and the behavior disappears.    In this case, it is you.  You might want to see if this behavior continues if you are not there.  In the case of new dog jealousy, the problems continue with or without you being there. How one resolve resource guarding is very different from introductory jealousy. 

[Lynda Kamrath]

I would just ignore the behavior and let them figure it out.  They will do it.  One dog will be the dominant dog and the other will accept that.  I am guessing that it will be Ava.  I doesn't matter the size or age.  Actually my newest dog has the personality of the dominant dog.  The dog that has been with me the longest has no desire to be the dominant dog and likes the other dogs to give him direction.  He will growl if they are doing something he doesn't like, but that is it.  Don't give Ava special attention.  That just confuses both dogs.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Your dogs are darling.  You have received excellent advice.  Generally they will sort it out and there is enough age difference that they may resort as they age.  You are the resource, the leader, the one who sets the rules.  If dogs are not number 1 they don't much care who is number two.  At least for the time being, you make all the decisions, whose bowl goes down first, who gets the first treat, who goes out the door first ( you, if you are all going out). Withdraw affection from the aggressor, and chastise her, but don't baby the one who got growled at either.  Stand up and withdraw yourself if even for 10 seconds when this happens.  If they aren't going to play nice, you aren't going to play at all.

  When I have brought the new dog in to the house I have always played and cuddled on the floor so that there was room for both.  I "favor" the existing dog until they have time to sort it out.  I play and cuddle both on the bed for room and do not take one dog or the other onto my lap in a chair ( no room for two) until everything is going well.

[Stacy]

Thank you! I think they're pretty cute and very special - even if Katie is impossible to photograph! (and I'm a terrible photographer, so there's that) I have gotten so much amazing advice and I appreciate it so much. After reading and analyzing things I think they're actually doing really well in this new situation, and it's me that needs to relax. Katie has never been a dog who wanted to sit right next to me on the couch for hours at a time. She will come by for a quick snuggle and then happily lay on the floor. Ava seems pretty content to just lay beside me. 

And I need to work on not seeing Ava as a victim. I can't change her past, but dogs live in the present, and I need to just let her have a good life now. And she will. They will both have really great lives.

[Lori, Winnie, Bob and Indie]

I agree with what the other's have said- you've gotten excellent advice.

We brought our second dog- Bob- home 5 months ago. I was fortunate that Winnie and Bob got along very well right from the beginning. But there were a few little growls on Winnie's part for the first couple of days. Bob is kind of a pushy dog overall- right from the beginning he always wanted to be the first one in or out of the house, wanted to have Winnie's place on the couch, etc. even though he was the newbie. If I was petting Winnie and Bob pushed his way in for some pets, she growled a bit. I don't know if she was trying to protect me, or if she was a little perturbed by Bob. But, what I did was lighten the mood by exclaiming "happy, happy, happy!" in a high voice. Doing so let Winnie know that she did NOT need to "protect" me, and Bob didn't need to be worried about Winnie's growls. In addition, I did everything that has been suggested to you- greeting Winnie first, feeding her first, etc. Those couple of growls only lasted a few days. Interestingly, Bob and Winnie mutually decided that HE would be on the top of pecking order between the 2 of them, and everyone is happy! :-)

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I have had two 'rescues' added to our dog family - one from a shelter, one a re-home.  The dogs have to establish a pecking order.  It might be that Katie's mom will be more dominant.  However, right now, the mom is really needy - her whole world has changed and you are the only thing that she can latch onto.  She might be trying to guard you against Katie - this is not okay. My guess is you might as well think of her as a puppy that needs reassurance, socialization, manners training.  Our shelter dog and one of our other dogs took months to settle their differences - they grew to love each other and when that dog died our shelter guy went through our house howling for him - never happened before or since.  One of the things I did was pick up all toys that they considered high value - prevented lots of arguments. We also didn't allow one dog to guard the humans. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Charlie on the other hand fit in from day one.  Ned has put him in his place a couple of times over barking - I wish Ned would do it every time because Charlie listens to Ned.  Charlie is a major snuggler.  He is on my lap or on my feet or staring at me until I put the computer aside and give him some snuggles.  My other guys enjoy being petted but they are not snugglers.  This works perfectly for me - I finally have my snuggle bug.

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

So cute!  Our second doodle came to us at 8 months when my other one was about 3.5 years.  Quincy, the older, got and still gets first dibs on which bully sticks he wants, gets the treats first and the first "hello" greeting.  He quickly established himself as being in charge.  I was surprised the few times he snarled at the "puppy" but it was generally when he had enough of Frankies' puppy pestering to play.  We had no food issues either.  Sometimes Quincy will take both bully sticks and then Frankie howls!  It's really funny.  But they do work out most situations.

Your situation is of course different due to the opposite age configuration, but I still think the First Here, First Treat rule should apply.  Then, as Karen and others have said, they will work it out and I bet be best buds.  

How lucky for both doods to have such a great home!