How to introduce new dog to our "pack"?

[Tokie]

Tomorrow evening I am bringing home a rescue toy poodle to join our 4 yr old 38 lb"sub-standard" and ? 8 yr old 27 lb beagle sized poodles. (both rescues). She was just spayed today. I know I need them to meet in a "neutral" location. The bigger poodle is a female and the beagle sized one is a male. I think the female is alpha, although they are both easy going. (eat out of each other's bowls, sleep in each other's crates and never fight over anything) I know a third dog may change things dramatically. does anyone have any tips? My DH will be home for summer vacation, so that is helpful. PS I need name ideas too. She is white, and less than 10 lbs. Thanks! Tokie

[Zen]

Fifi
Just kidding, I think poodles are great, non shedding and I've heard they're intelligent.

Do you have a doggie gate where they could be separated while she mends but they could still smell each other?

[Tokie]

Her prior owner called her "Toto". I think Toto is a boys name. Fifi is not going to work for us. My GF suggests "Todoko" , which means female walrus in Japanese, because it sounds like Toto. Too hard to call out "Todoko". Tokiedoko

[Tokie]

I guess the baby gate will be ok while we're around. These two are amazing. Lucy was not happy to be kenneled when we first got her. When the neighbor came to let them out in the mid-day, Sammy (the little one) had (unbelieveably) squeezed himself through the very very tightly connected corner of his kennel and was loose in the house. When we got home a few hours later, Lucy had chewed a small hole in the wall of her wire kennel and(unbelieveably) squeezed her big deep poodle chest through a hole much smaller than her chest. there was lots of saliva on the rug under the kennel (near suffocation, I imagine).But she too was out in the house loose. So I don't put too much past these two. They are smart and non-shedding. and most important, I'm not allergic to them! My first 3 poodles were named Caila, Tico, and Skootie. Tokie-doko (cycling girl walrus)

[badger]

Probably just let them sniff each other. Dogs usually can tell a lot about each other just sniffing. Make sure you're not all anxious and hovering, though. They pick up on your energy and may make things worse if you're not calm.

I brought home a little schnauzer today. The cat LOATHES him. Hissing and all that, and all the little guy wanted to do was say hi.

oh, and congratulations on your new addition!

[msincredible]

Congrats on the new addition!

You're right on target with the neutral location. Be prepared to separate them at feeding times and provide separate sleeping areas if necessary.

[papaver]

Her prior owner called her "Toto". I think Toto is a boys name. Fifi is not going to work for us. My GF suggests "Todoko" , which means female walrus in Japanese, because it sounds like Toto. Too hard to call out "Todoko". Tokiedoko

Change it in to Yoko... also a Japanese female wal.... erm... artist.

[Biciclista]

Toto is a boy's name, it's an Italian nickname for Antonio
HOWEVER, who cares? she's a dog and she doesn't know Italian.

wait, you're asking for dog help and i"m a cat person. If they were cats, i'd put the new one in a room where the others could smell her and not touch her for a few days to a week.

[sundial]

Tokie, whenever I bring a foster home the first thing I do is put the new dog on a leash and take her to the fenced-in back yard. Next, I introduce one dog on leash and let my dog sniff the other dog's hiney and then allow the new dog to check my dog's e-mail as well. Then I start walking them both, one on one side of me, the other on the other side, and continue to walk for awhile in the backyard until there isn't any posturing. Then I do the same with my other dog.

I do not let new dogs meet family dogs face to face for the initial meeting. It could end up with posturing and some snarling--or worse, a dog fight.

When it's feeding time I put the newbie in a crate and feed the dog in the crate, away from the other bowls.

I also pick up chew bones, toys, anything that the newbie could go for and cause a rift right off the bat. I control who gets what, and for how long.

I also put the newbie in a crate at bedtime.

It takes on average about 3 days for a new dog to get accepted into the pack. I stay with the dogs during potty breaks until I'm confident that there won't be any aggressive behaviors on the part of the newb or the family dog. I do set a calm tone so that the dogs are relaxed. Dogs are amazing in that they can feed of your tension and they in turn can manifest that behavior through their aggressive response to a pack member.

New dogs are usually in a honemoon stage for approx 3 weeks and then you'll begin to see their true colors. This is when you will need to be extra vigilant in setting up the dog for success. That means making sure the dogs feel secure without the opportunity to have a scuffle over a toy, water bowl, or to tear up things such as shoes, pillows, trash, etc.

Good luck and I hope your new family member enjoys the new friends.

PS, I've had up to 4 dogs without any rifts between them.

[Tokie]

Sundial - thanks for sharing your experience! The dogs spent a weekend together at the groomers/rescuers house last week. so they knew each other. So far here at home, it's ok. She has gone into Sammy and Lucy's kennels to snag their food - right in front of them. That's dangerous - you are right about setting a dog up for success, not failure. Kennels will now be closed if there is food in them. I don't think her elderly owner took her on walks (although I haven't tried any Spanish words - it's spoken by many here) she doesn't know the word walk, and pulls like crazy on her leash, although she is better already after only 24 hours. Unfortunately, she seems to have patellar subluxation on her right rear leg, she tends to skip and carry it non-weight bearing about 1/3 of her steps on a walk, not indoors though. Still haven't come up with a name for her! thanks, tokie

[sundial]

Tokie, as far as the pulling on the leash, have you considered a Gentle Leader headcollar? For a dog that pulls hard on the leash this is a godsend. I've used this on my dogs with great success. Also, for dogs that are feeling insecure, this will calm them by establishing you as being in total control of them.

The first time you put the Gentle Leader on your dog will probably throw a trantrum and try to rub it off the snout. Eventually the dog will calm down and he will forgive you.

[msincredible]

^^ love Gentle Leader!

[Tokie]

Hmmmm - off to buy laxative for DH (narcotic caused constipation, he broke his clavicle yesterday) will stop into the pet store.to look into the Gentle Leader. This little girl is a bit hand shy, but otherwise pretty confident. She makes my 27 lb poodle boy a bit nervous! I am trying to be very even handed with the dogs. She has bad breath that reminds me of when my last toy poodle had an undetected absessed tooth. After she gets settled in, I think she needs a dental exam with anesthesia to check this out. Her mouth is so teeny-tiny. Tokie

[Alex]

I have used Gentle Leaders and head halters, but I don't ever attach the leash to them. (I attach the leash to a body harness instead.) With the head halters, I am concerned about the possibility of the dog lunging and injuring his neck. Putting a dog in a head halter and attaching the leash to the halter requires extreme vigilance by the handler to avoid possible injury to the dog. I prefer the no-pull body harness that Gentle Leader makes. If a handler gets distracted when the dog is wearing a no-pull harness, at least any lunging or pulling will not result in any physical harm to the dog.

http://www.premier.com/View.aspx?pag...uctdescription

Of course, all of these are just tools to give the owner the opportunity to reinforce non-pulling. Neither a head halter nor a no-pull body harness will, by themselves, teach a dog not to pull when the training gear is not being worn. You need the human to teach that.

I'd love to see a pic of the new poodle, Tokie!

Alex

[Tokie]

Hi everyone - sorry no pics, my DH is injured, so all chores, dog and human are falling on me, in addition to going to work. I'm going to have to learn how to cook! The little dog is learning how to walk fairly well by walking with the other two. She is really smart, and will benefit from some one on one work too. Thanks for all the info. Tokie