Fur is still flying...

[Kathryn]

I wrote last week that our new dog arrived, and Allie's nose is seriously out of joint. The new dog is a rescue cairn, a male about three years old and fairly mellow. Allie is 9 1/2 and not mellow at all...

We introduced them in a neutral place, but Allie was growling, snarling and snapping anyway, which provoked him to do the same. We took them both home and have kept them apart with gates. They can see and sniff each other. We've also taken them on some walks together, and they seem to ignore each other then.

Yesterday DH had Allie in in the living room off leash getting her ready for a walk. Now he shouldn't have done this, but he did: He left Allie on a sit stay, and then let the new dog into the living room on the way to the dining room where we could gate him. Of course, Allie broke her stay and took after him, and he growled and snapped back. So there was fur flying, but luckily no injuries. We separated them again.

Now that they have had a real confrontation, I'm worried it will be harder to urge them to learn to get along. We're keeping them apart, feeding them apart, and walking them together in controlled situations. We also have dog phernomes going in the kitchen/dining room where they are gated most of the time.

Any advice from those of you who have introduced new dogs into your cairn household about how to handle this and smooth the way?

[mrskti]

well for one thing, i'd always have them leashes when they're around each other so you can quickly correct them when either one of them starts to growl. let them know right now that wont be tolerated. I would tie them to something (strong) and have them each on a settle rug in the same room, tie a long lead to each along with the short one to a stationary place, and when either of them growls, pop that long lead. They have to learn how to be nice in the same room, keeping them gaited off from each other wont do it. Do this tying up a few times of the day, they will get use to each other. Praise like crazy when they're being good too. Tell them to be easy when they're not nice!

[Amber and the zoo]

When we introduced Ellie and Gracie to eachother, they acted the same way--especially Ellie. She sounded like she was going to KILL Gracie. She even took some "air" snaps. When we would put Gracie in the playpen, Ellie would run at her as fast as she could and bite the sides like she was going to rip it apart. We thought we did all we could. We brought Gracie's scent home, introduced them in a nuetral place, made sure Ellie knew she was the alpha--but still. Finally I couldn't take it any more and just let them go. They did sound like they were killing eachother at first, BUT--they weren't...they were just playing! Now, mine were alot younger than yours so I don't know if it will work or not, but I think Ellie just needed to show her she was the Queen Bee under the uprights.