Any tips for introducing another dog into our "pack"?

[redhen]

hello..i recently adopted a Great Dane..he is 1 year and 7 months old..he was previously not living in the best of circumstances..he unfortunately had to be seperated from his brother that he was raised with..(his brother tried to kill my female saint bernard mix). I have 2 other dogs, a female Saint mix (almost 2 1/2 years old)..and a male pure Saint Bernard(14 months old)...we have introduced him in small increments to my other 2 dogs...let them smell each other on walks, etc...let them smell each other through a baby gate in my house.(and there has been no problems)..so today we finally let him in my yard with my female.....she was a bit weary(after his brother attacked her a week ago)..but then they started to do the puppy play bows...running around..etc.....but... when he tried to play to rough with her..(and also) when he tried to dominate her..(by putting his head over her back, and certain postures)..she flipped on him..snarled and snapped..and he backed off VERY quickly....she only had to correct him a few times...and they were okay...now....my concern is my male..(i believe my female is the dominant of the 2 Saints..and thet get along wonderfully..)..how do i introduce a new male to my male?....i hear it can be very tricky..and its VERY important to me to do this correctly...so i can keep them all..i dont want to have to re-home this Dane...(he's been through enough already.)..please..please..give me any advice!!...thanks so much..Wendy

 

[redhen]

did this post go through??..mods?..what happend?..

 

[EngieKisses]

are the males neutered and is your female spayed? It is much easier to introduce fixed animals. The best way I have done is have enough people home, at least two, have both dogs on leashes and allow them to interact without much contact first then slowly allow for more. If that goes ok, release them from their leashes. However, the two people who are watching must be able to react quickly and be capable of holding a dog. The trick is. if they do not get along and they fight, I physically down my dogs. This means making them lay down and I restrict their movement until they calm down. I do not hurt my dogs, but I do keep them from hurting themselves or each other this way. Does this make sense or help??

 

[redhen]

yes..it does..thank you!...they are all fixed....and..we were all ready to jump in again today when we let them(my female and new male) off the leash..

..lol..but...there were a few times i thought..ooh..ooh...there is going to be a fight...when Daisy snapped at the the new males(Ares) face...but..he just backed off of her..it was like he respected her..or something..

...i just want this to work..i want to give this dane a home!!....its him and my male that has me worried...

...because my male Duke hasnt really been around many other dogs(my fault)..but hes not aggressive..i just think he may be a bit scared?..since hes not used to other male dogs..thanks for any help..very much..Wendy

 

[redhen]

here is the new dog "Ares"...

...thanks, Wendy

 

[Chirpy]

The best way to introduce new dogs is OFF your property. Take everyone in separate cars to a park or down the street or somewhere not on your property. Introduce them, on leash, there. That way there isn't a dog feeling like he/she has to defend it's turf.

Once you feel comfortable with how they act at the other location, then you can take them home and work with them there, also on leash; as already talked about.

 

[redhen]

thanks chirpy...

..we did take them on walks..down our road..(dont know if that counts)....and they did good on them...then we brought them inside(all good and tired)..into the house..and let them smell through the baby gate(not that it would do much for protection for a #130 dane and Saint male..lol)..and they were fine through that baby gate..my male actually avoided him, kinda stayed in a differant part of my kitchen....also....since Daisy has snapped at him when we let them in the yard..will i have to worry about him attacking her?...even though he backed off right away when she snapped at him...then they played together...then they got tense again(a little)..then they were fine...sigh...

....lol..Wendy

 

[redhen]

and heres Daisy Mae...and Duke..my babies

!..

.....

 

[FlockEweFarm]

Be prepared for it to be a long and drawn out issue if you have a very dominate male dog already in the home. My avatar picture, my bloodhound,Earl, is a very, very, aggressive and dominate,MALE, and to be truthful, he is a bit of a jerk at times and he only respects me as the Alpha, (but he will challenge me when he thinks I am not paying attention), and he rules the pack, so when I brought Fergus,my young rescue mastiff home, I knew it was going to be a long road.
Fergus is very calm and submissve, and he would have submitted to Earl and that would have been it, but I had to contend with the idiot birddog of the ex's that shrieks and barks and attacks Fergus and stirs up trouble at every opportunity. When Fergus came into the yard, I had the birddog chained up and Earl and Fergus met and they hashed it out pretty quickly, and they were even beginning to play together and explore the yard, and all was well...and then the birddog was let loose. She ran around barking and attacking Fergus and stiring up the pack until I had a full on gladiator brawl on my hands, and she ran and hid under the truck while Fergus and Earl tried to kill each other. I ended up with a dislocated shoulder,and Earl ended up with multiple bites and Fergus got and puncture to his leg that got infected.
All the boys got neutered the next week, and we alternate shifts in the yard. When Fergus wants out of the house, Earl is on the chain, when Earl wants off the chain, Fergus is in the house. I want to get rid of the stupid bird dog, because she is the unbalanced issue, but she has nowhere to go, but be advised one psycho can mess things up. Earl will attack Fergus, but Fergus will not go over to Earl and attack him, unless he sees Earl coming too close to me. We are re-structuring our yard so that we can confine the birddog, and begin walking the two big boys together off property so that they can get re-acquainted without her inciting a riot. I am even calling in back up to help with the walks because when we weighed them this weekend, Fergus is now 157 and Earl is 152!
Be prepared to have seperate feeding areas and even isolation spots, because if you have an issue, it will go down fast and it will be ugly, especially if you are dealing with big dogs. I would be prepared with an emergency medical kit, just in case with stiptic pens, pressure dressings, neosporin, and a muzzle, as I found out the hard way, it is better to be safe than sorry.

 

[redhen]

wow..thanks for all the help!.....lol..calamityjen...157#..

...i thought i was crazy!!!..thanks again..Wendy