Rescue dogs - few questions!

Hey everyone, I can't sleep so thought I would come back on here and ask a few questions about rescue dogs!

Some of you may know this... but there is a slight possibility I will be rescuing a dog as a companion for Alfie. (The "slight possibility is getting another dog, not the rescue part, I 100% want to rescue - just have a few things to work out before I can make a decision). As Alfie is 12 months now, I want a rescue who is 3-5 years (give or take), so a bit of an age gap.

I got Alfie as a 9 week old pup, so getting a "dog" will be totally new to me! So just a few questions...

How long does the new dog live with you before you can really tell if they are going to get along or not?

How do you know when it is the right time to let them off the lead?

Will there be fights to start with as Alfie is the only dog in the house at the moment?

Any other information would be great

Hi and well done for considering a rescue dog. I bought in a 3year old rescue greyhound with my fear aggresive Rottie x GSD and they got on almost immeadietly and we had no problems, then 3 weeks ago we bought in a 5 nearly 6 year old rescue greyhound. So in answer to your questions from my experiences.

How long does the new dog live with you before you can really tell if they are going to get along or not? Approx 2 Weeks, although we had a good idea within the first few days. Greyhounds are fairly easy though.

How do you know when it is the right time to let them off the lead?

I hire a fenced in field as they are greyhounds so I can let mine off from day one, but normally I would say start on a longline as see how they respond to other dogs, and animals and your voice. But even if they seem responsive give them a few weeks to get to know you and thier area so they could if it come to it find thier way home.

Will there be fights to start with as Alfie is the only dog in the house at the moment?

How is Alfie with other dogs? Has he had a doggy friend come to visit before? I have never had a problem, but my advice would be to remove toys and bones etc to begin with and feed seperatly. Make sure Alfie and your new dog are introduced at the rescue and walked together a few times so you can see how they get on.

Any other information would be great

Take things slowly, the right dog will be out there, don't force them together and perhaps stay down with them on thier first night together and plan it so you can spend the first few days at home with them and not leave them.
Good luck and I hope you will find your new family member soon and Alfie has a new best pal.

- We took Kiki to meet Casper at the rescue and they were introduced with some parallel walking then off-lead in a secure area. We were lucky and the trainer/behaviourist that helps the rescue was around and popped in to watch the introduction for a bit and explained all the body language - Casper was quite OTT but it was all friendly and just a bit boisterous, so she was confident they would get along. The first week he was home, I was a little worried they wouldn't get on because Casper kept pushing Kiki a bit too much for play, kept chasing her in the garden, kept trying to jump on her when walked today, but with seperate walks and giving him a "time-out" in the garden, it all calmed down (and Kiki learnt to play a little more rough) and I'd say in week 2 and 3 I was pretty confident it would work
- the rescue had a contract that stated I had to keep him on-lead for the first 3 weeks. He probably would've been fine around the middle of week 2 but I decided it wouldn't hurt to wait. Week 3 we went to a secure field wth my mum so we had an extra pair of hands and let him off - and he came back every time. You'll probably find the dog has pretty good recall to start and that it may be a little later when it acts up, when the dog actually settles in properly. Just constantly keep reinforcing recall, rewarding it, etc. and if in doubt, use a trailing long line or go to a secure area
- Kiki was the only dog for a couple of years and although she still gets "jealous", I don't think she dislikes Casper. She's just insistant on having all the attention on her Their personalities work well together, Casper's happy to let her have the toys she wants and he'll just go and find another one if she happens to want the one he's playing with, for example, so there's never been any conflict really. If you approach decent rescues they'll match Alfie with a suitable dog and I imagine things will go fine. Do you walk Alfie with other dogs much now? We knew Kiki was fine with other dogs so we didn't really expect any issues from her side really.

Couldn't say it any better - agree with all of the above

I have had lots of rescues and various friends dogs here. There are very few dogs IME who don't get on in some way and learn to deal with each other. I do think sometimes the problems stem from owners not being able to cope with the dog they bring in 'taking over' the position of the original dog both emotionally and maybe physically.

It might be that a new dog takes over the original dogs sleeping area or tries to dominate the playing with the owner, or tries for a fuss at the same time as the original dog. Think about what your reaction would be to any of these.

Letting off the lead depends totally on the dog. Some are OK the day you bring them home others take a lot longer---it is a piece of string!

Sometimes house training needs a bit of a top up----sometimes it has never really been learnt. Helps to go right back and think of the dog as a pup.

Hand feeding all meals helps the bonding process for the dog and for you and will help with recalls as well. Its also a quick and easy way of training if you are pushed for time.

Introduce the dogs on neutral ground (although I never do but my dogs are used to visitors).

All toys will now be shared---as will all cuddles and all training time!

Good luck.

rune

Thanks everyone.

We have had one dog come to our house (a 10 week old pup), and they played constantly lol. I can ask my neighbour if I can bring one of her dogs round (we always went to her as her two are bigger than alfie lol). He adores other dogs, he really does. Bed wise i would still use crates, so that is okay.

When we walk with other dogs, whether intentional or we find people at the park and walk a bit with them, he plays but always stays fairly close, and he does go to see other dogs, but then comes right back over like "okay i'l leave you now as I am walking with them", like he is a lot more well behaved when walking with other dogs! Haha.

When he is feeling a bit off/moping a bit, the only thing that will cheer him up is meeting some other dogs lol.

Sounds like he would love a little friend.

Yeah I think he would

If we go out early in the morning when he normally sleeps, he wants to go, but can drag a little but if we see a dog his face lights up and hes magically full of energy

Even if it is an older dog that is blatantly ignoring him, he will trot along beside it for a bit, or sniff what it sniffs, like he is joining in lol

I do really hope I can get another dog tbh!

I only have one dog (a rescue) so can't answer the questions about two dogs.

But to answer about letting the rescue off the lead:

It depends on the dog you get - some older dogs will already have good recall. My dog is younger and had NO recall at all when he came to us. We're working on it constantly and it's a slow process. At the moment I always keep him on a long line and harness when we're at the park.

I let the long line trail so he does have freedom; but I watch him like a hawk and if he even looks like he's about to go hurtling after another dog, I step on the line or grab it.

Some dogs will bond straight away but I always think it takes about two weeks before they begin to relax. When we introduced our staffie Meggie to our BC Maxwell nearly 12 years ago, Maxwell did not like the idea of Meggie being in the house and you could hear low growls from him if she got too close. I just ignored this, made sure I gave both equal amount of attention and eventually after two weeks they were fine. They became extremely close and Maxwell loved Meggie to bits. She could wrap him round her little finger and he would even let her take a ball or even a treat out of his mouth

I think if you already have a dog with good recall then you can let the new one off the lead quite soon in a secure area to start with i.e. away from the road etc. to see how it reacts. I usually let mine off after a few days and have never had any problems.

Good luck and look forward to hearing all about your new dog when you get him/her.