Ok now what?

[Tanya]

He is outside a lot right now because it's beautiful outside and the summer is so brutally hot- the dogs will be in most of the time. He also loves to run and obviously, outside is the place for that. He is well crate trained, doesn't make a mess, nor whine. He also eats in his cage, as do the others so there is no squabbling. He is inside every day for some period of time so I can work with him and we go for a walk every afternoon. Again, all of this will change when the heat of the summer comes into play.

My two cents for all it's wroth - get him used to spending mroe time in the house now. If you make a sudden change it may be harder to manage. Also work on bonding sooner rather than later. You may be in for a hard time when you try to keep in indoors more if he isn't used to it.

Has he ever escaped the yard?
Is he really running around when you are not out there with me? most dogs don't do much running around when they are alone.
Is he alone with the other dogs? If so are there toys out there?

[jessesnewperson]

No, he's never escaped the yard. I have an invisible fence that works great! He's out there with my other youngish dog and they love to play. He's never alone outside and he spends time inside every day, the amount varies. He has 3 acres to run on- he and the other dog make the most of it. He runs a lot! They have their own toys in their crates. I crate them for an hour or two every day so they aren't completely insulted when the 'inside season' comes and they are crated while I am at work.

[Tanya]

Personally I would be VERY wary of an intact dog outside in a yard unsupervised. but that's just me and I see accidents (litters) happen all too often. But to each their own. You have only had him a few weeks? that is really quick to let him have so much freedom. He's barely setteld in yet.

Anyway, I've recommended what I think could help. Form there it's up to work work for you. If he gets used to hours and hours of free running and you bring him in for the summer and cut that back sginficantly you may have more issues. Even if he is indoors a few hours that doesn't compare to what will be routine when you say they will be indoors most of the time, that is a HUGE change. You can't stop the barking if he is outside at night. I would be cautious about leaving a dog that ressource guards toy alone with other dogs all day but I tend to be overly cauutious to avoid potential issues.

[jessesnewperson]

When summer comes, over night will be the only time they can be outside for long periods of time, so he has to get used to that and leave the rabbits alone. I feel that big dogs need lots of freedom to run and play, especially in the younger years. He has a solid 'come' and he's handled and worked with a lot. My senior dog was intact for a long time and I never had any accidents happen with him.

[ZRabbits]

Have you ever heard of the "honeymoon" phase? Lilly was really listening when we first came home, quiet, then once that two week period hit, she started to feel more secure in her surroundings and she lost everything I taught her. We had to start over. When you say he has a "solid" come, will it last when the honeymoon is over? Will this young pup still stick around with his older buddy? Hoping he does, but just thought I throw that out there.

You are way more braver than me, with an invisible fence and two intact males.

KAZ

[Tanya]

Have you ever heard of the "honeymoon" phase? Lilly was really listening when we first came home, quiet, then once that two week period hit, she started to feel more secure in her surroundings and she lost everything I taught her. We had to start over. When you say he has a "solid" come, will it last when the honeymoon is over? Will this young pup still stick around with his older buddy? Hoping he does, but just thought I throw that out there.

You are way more braver than me, with an invisible fence and two intact males.

KAZ

x1000

Glad your older dog never had accidental litters (though if you leave them offleash without supervision for hours at a time you can't REALLY know that for 100% sure, he could be taking off at night and comign back before you notice or a female coudl be coming to visit him since you use an IF) and that your other dogs are so very well behaved.

You have had this dog 2-3 weeks now if I understand correctly? Chances are you don't really know this new dog yet, he's still settling in. You are putting A LOT of confidence in a dog you are still getting to know. Just my two cents based on experience. As mentionned above the honeymoon period is a thing. Or maybe you are lucky and he really is that good.

[jessesnewperson]

Have you ever heard of the "honeymoon" phase? Lilly was really listening when we first came home, quiet, then once that two week period hit, she started to feel more secure in her surroundings and she lost everything I taught her. We had to start over. When you say he has a "solid" come, will it last when the honeymoon is over? Will this young pup still stick around with his older buddy? Hoping he does, but just thought I throw that out there.

You are way more braver than me, with an invisible fence and two intact males.

KAZ

I have one intact male, that is Jesse. My senior dog was neutered later when I was asked to take in an unspayed female (who is now spayed, but could not be spayed at the time because she was pregnant). Her story is a mess, bred when she was only about a year old, owner surrendered her, she ended up with me and she was spayed as soon as she could safely be spayed after weaning 8 HUGE puppies. Beside the point, but for curiosity sake

[ZRabbits]

Sorry if you felt I was talking about "neutering/spay" when I stated "you are way more braver than me, with an invisible fence and two intact males". I'm of the adage that you buy a dog, you are responsible for that dog. If you want to neuter/spay, do it at the benefit of the dog. If you don't, make sure your dogs are kept safe. I neuter and spay my dogs, as I don't want to breed, and the health factor. Lilly is our first female, and still upset a bit that she was spayed so young.

Anyway, what I meant is, though the "invisible fence" works for your dogs, what keeps other dogs out? Or other animals that could do damage to your dogs? To me that's a lot of trust for an invisible fence. I believe a dog can be taught boundary lines. Our Jake was always off leash and allowed out front. But he was a good 3 years old when we trusted him to be out front with us off leash.

Also would like to bring up the "honeymoon" phase. I found that both my rescues took a good 3 months to actually feel "secure" in their surroundings and with us. Not until I raised a litter of rabbits did it even dawn on me that the same "honeymoon" phase pertained to my purebred Kuvacz. Due to the "honeymoon" phase, where a dog is at it's highest stress level. Learning how to deal with that, learning to know people who are now directing him, and learning to trust his surroundings. To trust you.

Hoping things calm down. Wishing you all the luck. Please keep us updated.

[jessesnewperson]

I don't just have an invisible fence, I should have specified. I have a small farm that is completely fenced. The invisible fence is to keep the dogs out of the horse pasture and the barn, and keep them closer to the house. They have plenty of space to run, they are just not allowed to run with the horses. It's added protection to keep them from trying to jump the perimeter fence, since they never get close to it. So there no more risk to anything getting to them as there would be with any other type of fence.

He did well last night. I brought him in when I got home and he hung out for quite a while. He didn't mark anything in the house, he did start to pee in the living room, I promptly corrected and sent him outside to finish. He did and wanted back in with no further incident. It kind of floors me that someone would buy a dog as expensive as he must have been (akc registered purebred) and not housebreak him or train him. Baffles me.

[Tanya]

honestly, "pure bred" doesn't mean much. being pure bred, being registered is not an indicator of quality or health or expensive. Anyone can get a registered dog (even for cheap) find a neighbour with a registered dog and breed them. It's cheap and doesn't take much work. AKC is only a registry and labs are a dime a dozen, the most over bred breed.

Pure bred doesn't mean well bred. This isn't ment to insult any dogs, heck my dog is from such a bad breeder they were shut down by the city (i adopted him). And most of us got our dogs from just a breeder that had papered dogs. But a well bred dog that is expensive because the breeder PROVES their dogs and does clearances. You can go on kijiji and crags list and get a cheap registered dog any day.

And some byb's and puppy mills sell their puppys at inflated prices to make them "appear" better when in actually they do nothing to prove the dogs and do no health clearances. Buyer beware.