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  1. #1
    Senior Dog MontananDakota's Avatar
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    New Girl in Town

    Introducing Amber, a 30 lbs. Bassett hound mix I brought home yesterday. Pictures to come....China is not liking her and Amber has gone after China a few times I couldn't tell if she wanted to play but I stopped her anyway because China didn't want any part.
    This morning they just had a fight. China put her on her back by her neck but Amber didn't give up. I pulled them apart and yelled. I didn't know what to do....please tell me this is going to get better. China makes every attempt to stay away from Amber so they don't fight and she is the sweetest softest dog will never bark or growl but she literally freaked out this time.
    What do I do????

  2. #2
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    Keep them separated for a while. You just got Amber yesterday? They shouldn't be "together" unleashed at this point since they're not the kind of pups who will be best friends instantly. My experience with dogs who don't get along is negative, so I'll just bow out now.

    But one word: leashes!!!

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  4. #3
    Senior Dog Shelley's Avatar
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    ... unless one or both of them is leash reactive.

    I would be interested in how the introductions went. Did you take them for a walk together, someone each walking one of the dogs, so they could acclimate to each other's scent, in a non threatening way? Did where ever you got Amber from want you to bring in China for a meet and greet/walk?

    Although I have not experienced it, but in my observations of friends and fellow breeders, once girls actually fight... Well they hold grudges forever, and one of the bitches (they do not call female dogs bitches for no reason) has to be placed. I suppose you could try a reintroduction, or animal behaviorist to help, but I do not see this situation improving at all.

    Im sorry, sweet sweet older China does not deserve to be 'gone after' in her own home by a rude dog she doesn't know. What most likely happened is the Basset was not being respectful of China, and China tried to correct her, and it backfired. I would return Amber, for both dogs, and your sanity. I feel really badly for you, but keep that savings account going for a nice purebred puppy. Hugs girl

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  6. #4
    Senior Dog MontananDakota's Avatar
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    So this seems to have happened when both girls went for the same piece of food that fell. Although yesterday when we did go for the initial walk Amber did growl at China as we were walking. Amber is resource protective. Today she is much calmer than yesterday.
    Anyway backing up. I took China with me for a meet and greet walk however when I opened the door to the truck and she heard the barking from the other dogs and or smelled that this is also where she came for her ears when I got her so she may have been afraid of that...either way she was afraid and didn't want to come out of the truck. I didn't want to force her and how else was I going to do it? So...Amber went in the back and we all came home where the greet and walk happened. It seemed to go the same as China and Dakota--sniff and walk. Later is when there was some growing and charged energy_ Amber was really sniffing everything and nervous I think. I did not have them leashed in the house. This is how it was with Dakota and China however when I told Dakota no and leave it she stopped because she knew those commands. Amber seems not to know anything sadly. Both girls are so sweet and when we are out walking they are good and giving each other space. They are separated when I am I out. Since I have been home (2 hours) there has been calm.
    Yes I agree it seems that Amber was not respectful and it backfired when China tried to tell her off. Last night all 3 of us were on the couch me in the middle and the girls were resting. I got up to go get something and when I came back Amber had curled up on China's butt.
    I really would hate to bring Amber back. Obviously I just want peace.
    Last edited by MontananDakota; 12-10-2017 at 07:02 PM.

  7. #5
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    urgh that sucks

    I'd keep them separated for a few days if you can let things settle and then slowly have controlled time together (walks and such).

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  9. #6
    Senior Dog MontananDakota's Avatar
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    Thank you. I'm so upset. I never I a million years thought this would happen. It seems to me that China is doing everything right: turning her head away when Amber gets that look...walking away. Again this morning. We were by the kitchen sink and she got that look and just started walking towards China and she walked away I grabbed Amber and stopped her. Then we go out to walk and come back inside-traffic jam at the door with leashes, boots & whatnot: the were accidentally too close face to face and they both yelled. I had Ambers leash and pulled her back. It happens so fast that I cant always tell if there is even actual contact or just the loud barking (yelling at each other).
    At all other times they can sit stand near and next to each other without incident but it seems like Amber just gets a look and wants China. Amber is 1/2 China's size. If she pisses China off China could hurt her. I read Ceasar Millans blogs about this and tried his touch to the rib cage area to divert her attention minus my usual yelling and she immediately stopped what she was doing and looked at me long enough for me to coax her away (from a garbage bag) She knows nothing in the way of leave it, sit, stay...not even sure she knows Amber is her name.
    My heart is hurting. Very much so.

  10. #7
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    Honestly - you got her from a shelter?

    Amber is super stressed. her entire life had turned around and she may have some anxiety towards larger dogs. You need to slow down. Not all dogs can just be blended together right away. My friend seperates fosters and slowly integrates to her other dog dogs over time (one at a time) in safe situations to begin with.


    Read up on the decompression period for a new dog (I can get links later)

  11. #8
    Senior Dog MontananDakota's Avatar
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    Well after the meet greet & walk failure the first time (since China didn't want to get out of the truck) I tried it again and every chance I get out we go walking. I read that you're not supposed to keep them separated because that increases the anxiety towards each other...?
    It was not this bad bringing China in -Dakota wanted to attack her but she listened to my "leave it"s and wanted to do as I asked. Amber does not know enough to. She seems very confident...tail usually up high and not intimidated by anything. She started peeing in the living room and my dh yelled "hey!" in his loud booming voice that would have scared the crap out of anything but she didn't flinch. (He didn't even mean to be so loud he just is) I thought a stressed dog would be licking their lips a lot...pacing...she doesn't do that at all. She gets into EVERYTHING like a puppy-this of course due to not having a home I'm sure) and I'm ok with that so I'll be spending time training.
    So 2 out of 3 posts have been opinions that she will not improve. Tanya-what are your thoughts? other than taking it slow-do you think it can be helped or do you think this is 2 girls who are not going to get along?
    I don't want to see China stressed and when Amber comes near her she immediately turns her head away and yawns.

  12. #9
    Senior Dog Tanya's Avatar
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    I've always heard/recommended going slow. forcing them together to practice scuffles can start things off on the wrong foot. I do agree with walking together IF you can avoid any potential issues coming in/out of the home (even if it means putting China in and sending her to her bed or whatever before letting Amber in)

    hard to say if it will or will not work. I assume once Amber settles in thing will improve but you need to get ahead of the fights now. They may never be as good as Dakota and China but there should be some improvement. But if they keep having scuffles the odds go down.

    But, it may not be worth the work even if things improve. Only you can get a feel for that. You could give it a week or two or you can just bring her back now. But right now she is in high stress mode.

    so this is a super drawn out process - you can possibly spend less time at each step
    Chill Out! Decompression Tips For New Foster Dogs | HuffPost

    I have never had to do anything with Rocky. but with Penny things were trickier. And I once had Rocky, an intact male and brought in a very newly intact male into the home. it was...rough. I thought it wasn't going to work. But luckily everyone kept to themselves and I managed to integrate fairly quickly. Penny and Misty were probably the more difficult intros, though the walk went well and they were fine with each other indoors. I've had it much easier than my friend who has a dog that can be tricky to intro to. So she keeps fosters seperate. OBVIOUSLY this is much harder when it's just you (she had a hubby who helped spend time with the other dogs when she spent time with foster).

  13. #10
    Senior Dog MontananDakota's Avatar
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    The longer Amber is with us the more attached I will get and the thought of sending her back-giving up on her like everyone else-that thought will keep me awake at night.
    I just read a bit and seriously never considered just how stressed she would be. I'm going to read some more and give it a go....

 



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