How do you introduce two dogs when you fear they are going to fight?

[MrsBernal]

We recently picked up a stray dog and brought her home. She's a small dog about the size of a dachsund. When we attempted to introduce her to our other dog, she's a pitbull mix (extremely sweet, never bit anyone), the new dog started growling and shaking. I think she's probably been abused by her previous owners. How do I properly introduce the two dogs. How do I work with the smaller dog to being comfortable around the big dog?

 

[Gwen Africanus]

First, work with the picked up stray for weeks. Try to asses if she has been so abused and mistreated in the past that she is too hardened to heal. If she will bite, growl, or even attack because she feels threatened by others, you should calm her down and for weeks and months, prove that you are a good owner. When she feels more safe and secure, slowly let them glimpse each other at distances, and treat them equally nicely. Slowly let them meet each other on leashes with strict control, and if they get edgy, sooth both of them, and make them stop fighting. THen, they might become friends.

 

[Why bother]

A-STEALING dogs is ILLEGAL!!! NOT your property to keep!
B-FEAR...the correct response=NOT FING "abused"!!!

KEEP SEPARATE until animal control comes to get it.

 

[charlaux]

I had the same experience with cats which was tougher.First you should put the new dog into another room which would be closed so he or she will get relaxed . After that you should pick a towel,and cover the dog with the towel so the smell will be at the towel too ; do the same for the other dog too.And make sure that they are with the other dogs towel to exchange their smells and finish being stranger.Try this for 3 days and after that;and hold the little dog so he or she'll notice that he is secure because you are there.And about 5 days later,they'll return to normal.

 

[Quincy Urten]

It's Not your dog it's the stray she may have been a stray all her life and isn't used to that sort of thing it okay don't worry :] get your strays scent and let your dog get as good sniff so when they do meet your dog might think *hey, I've smelled this before!* and it may be more relaxing, hope this helps good luck with your pups

 

[dorothy s]

Never put a fence between dogs when one of the dogs is nervous.

If the stray is already at home with you, this can create problems. I think that you should look for a safe fenced area and take both dogs there with a friend and let them play. Obviously your new dog will not be good on the recall however if they are both on the leash, this could cause problems.

If you are absolutely convinced that your Pit bull mix is friendly and that there is noway that the stray can run away. I think that you should bite the bullet and let them both off leash. With the help of a friend you should take them to this safe area every day. Nevertheless it will be a long time before you can leave them alone when you go out, consequently they must be left in separate rooms until you know that you can trust them

 

[Destiny stim]

Put your big dog behind a fence or someting so your they can see each other.then slowly let them try to sniff each other.

 

[Tee]

First....NEVER FEAR...as dogs pick this up and react to your fear, become fearful themselves and the next thing you know, you have 2 dogs reacting out of fear. Total chaos.

You need to report the missing dog. You should never expose your own dogs to unfamiliar dogs. Unfamiliar dogs could bring disease and worms into your home.

If you can, get this dogs micro chip (if there is one) checked out at your vets. You could find the owner that way. Post flyers.

Have the dog checked for parasites, internal, external. Get rid of those before exposing to your dog.

 

[Desiree B]

The new dog is very scared & very unsure of you & your other pet. It takes time & slowly introducing them but never leave the together unattended at first. I would first give the new pup a few days to get comfortable in her new surroundings. A crate can also be helpful...it can give them a sense of security. I rescue & pick up strays all the time & crates come in handy. Introducing them slowly using the fence idea is a good start also. Just remember you can't rush it.

Also the link below has some suggestions. Good Luck!

 

[madi]

Well, if the big dog isn't freaking out, then you wont have to put him/her behind a fence. Have someone else hold the bigger dog's coller and you hold the smaller dog's coller and have them sniff each other and bark at each other and such (just don't let them start biting or killing each other). Do this every day until they seem to be getting used to each other. In the mean time keep one of them inside and the other outside.

 

[eharri3]

OK, this is the first thing you have to establish: You don't know the dog's past, and it's really irrelevant. This whole 'abuse by previous owners' thing is the first explanation everybody comes up with to explain bad behavior. It always forms the basis for how the behavior gets dealt with. And I think it causes people to come up with incorrect solutions (more physical affection and attention).

This dog's life starts from today and goes forward. The dog lives in the present. Therefore your best course of action is to train it based on what's going on RIGHT NOW, not what you suspect may have happened to it in its prior life.

You need to get two dog crates and use them. You need control over the environment right now. BOTH dogs should see that even with a new addition to the pack, it does not change the house's social structure. You are still the packleader. YOu control the environments, and there is not much of anything they can do or anywhere they can go without your ok.

The dogs should be fed in crates at all times. Food is a potential trigger for dogfights. Do not think you will coerce these dogs to bond and like eachother in the same way that you can with humans. Dogs don't form friendships over food. So feeding them separately doesn't indicate a failure on your part, or a deficiency in your dog training skills. It simply is a choice you make to remove a potential trigger for conflicts so you can keep the peace while you introduce the dogs to eachother.

Consider walking them together, using a route you don't normally use, and which varies every day. Walk them relatively far apart but bring them closer to eachother.

The dogs should be on leash when they're around eachother so bad behavior can bring a quick leash correction. When not supervised they should be crated. They should not be in a room together unattended until you're perfectly comfortable with the situation.

All toys are your toys. None should be left lying around the house. They're prized possession and a potential trigger for fights. You bring them out for play time and put them away again.