Settling in another dog

Sorry about the length of this post, but I want to try to give the full picture so far.

On Saturday we took Guinness to meet Bear. They seemed to be getting along fairly well, and we brought Bear back with us. I would have liked to have a couple more meetings first, but being as it’s a round trip in the region of 300 miles that wasn’t really practical.

Before we took them into the house, I removed all bowls, toys, etc (and we have been feeding them in separate rooms). However, once we got home, Guinness began to growl at Bear every time he got anywhere near him and this quickly escalated into snapping.

My original plan was that separate rooms for the time being would be the way to go. However, whichever one is in the kitchen merely goes berserk to get into the living room. The noise is horrendous and I’m worried next door are going to start making complaints if it continues. Plus I’ve discovered Guinness can fit his head through a baby gate if it means a chance to take a snap at Bear on the other side, and if Bear tries hard enough, he’s going to remove either the baby gate or the wooden door surround (he’s not after Guinness, he just wants to be where we are). I’ve tried closing the kitchen door, but that seems to distress the one on the kitchen side even more. I’m not sure the door would stand up to Bear any more than the baby gate, and also when it’s shut and Guinness wants to be on the other side of it, he chews it.

So… we set up a second crate in the living room with a bed inside for Bear. He’s not previously been crate trained and although he’s happy enough to go inside the crate and lay on the bed, he’s understandably distressed if any move is made towards closing the door. Several times when Bear was in his crate Guinness squeezed himself into the crate with Bear (as the door is open) and drove him out, even though Bear’s crate is not in a position where Guinness is used to being able to go as we moved an item of furniture to site it.

The worst so far has been almost having things escalate into a full scale fight in here after they came in from their walk at around 5pm. Thankfully Guinness was muzzled just in case (first time he’s needed to wear it since we first got him and were introducing him to Tyr), but he really did go for Bear and I think he would have bitten him if it wasn’t for the muzzle. Bear also began growling and snapping, but we quickly split them up before any damage was done.

Things have reached the point where, as the only one crate trained, Guinness now has to spend a disproportionate amount of time inside his crate with the door closed. Even though he normally spends a lot of time in there asleep, the door is usually open and he’s clearly very unhappy at being confined so much of the time. (I now have to close his crate door all night too, and normally he is free to roam downstairs at will). He’s not sleeping anywhere near as much, and as I type this he’s staring at me making me feel like an evil fiend.

At the moment, I have a household of two very unsettled dogs, a less than impressed cat who now refuses to come downstairs and an extremely stressed out and upset other half.

Please, does anyone have any suggestions/ideas that will help? I want to give Guinness and Bear every chance to settle down and become comfortable living together, but at the same time I don’t want this to have any kind of lasting undesirable effect on either of their temperaments and willingness to get on with other dogs, and above all, I don’t want anyone to get hurt.

your dogs need to bond, which means spending as much time together in a calm environment so their association with each other is a calm one and they get plenty of time to observe each other's behaviour and thus build trust.
The simplest (and most natural) way is walking. Take both dogs on nice long calm onlead walks, no pulling, no excitement, no fear just nice calm roaming. Let them slowly get closer to each other and they will soon be sniffing right next to each other and will realise they can trust one another.
Once you are back in the house, simply keep the calm vibe going (keep them on lead if you like) and sit in your lounge or wherever and let them keep that calm association and trust going in the house. If one starts to show tension, and eventualy growl, dissagree with that as early as possible (before the growl) and show this isn't a desired behaviour.
Do as much walking as possible, and when in the house (as always) your body language will dictate everything, so stay relaxed!!

here is a guide on how to introduce a rescue dog to your home, it can be applied to a home which already has a dog simply by including the old dog in every aspect of it....


but, the walking is by far the most important aspect, so get your boots and rain coat ready!

Quite often male greyhounds won't tolerate another male dog in such close quarters, even more so when its a different kind and he could be feeling very scared and thats why he reacts as he does.
I feel sorry for guiness having to be shut in his crate so much as after all it was his home first and it must feel like he is being punished for this new dog coming into the home.
Sorry if I sound negative and I hope it works out but don't add to Guinesses stress by locking him away when you clearly say he doesn't like it.

I have not got any advice for you other than strict separation when unsupervised (as you would a puppy) for a couple of weeks MAY resolve the situation.

However, it may not.

Without trying to sound overly negative I wonder why you did not think of a bitch?

hey CCfish,
this can work! I've worked with much more difficult cases successfully, breed and sex make no difference if you deal with them simply as dogs!

Dogs like to be around calm predicatable confident people/dogs/cats etc because they too can remain calm predicatable and confident themselves. Dogs are a social species and thrive in the company of others (in fact they actively seek it out). You just need to provide the environment which will enable this.
Of course people will give you a hundred reasons to give up or never let the dogs meet up, this isn't helpful advice and this environmental management won't solve anything.
The dogs need to spend quality (relaxed calm) time together (supervised by yourself) so they can learn each others behaviours and which then makes them predicatable and easier to be around.
Do they both walk well on lead?

I think that time may well be a good thing, the walks sound a great idea as well. Both dogs on lead in a nice place with you and other half on the ends watching TV or similar.

I'd certainly give it time. Dogs are easier to sort than bitches IME----if it was two bitches I'd give up now!

Guiness needs to know that it is unacceptable behaviour and Bear needs to know that he is not supposed to retaliate---you will help him. Stop both of them but sort it for them.

If they can never be left alone together its not too bad, you just need to be aware when you have baths etc.

Katy greyhound was very aware of her space but after being removed a few times for snapping she accepted more and more contact----and I have very little space really!

Good luck.

Im sure it can work given the time and patience. I also agree with the walks.

Not sure if this will make you feel any better....may make you feel less alone .....but when we took Tess, we already had Reah,Skye and Bruce, there was not an opportunity for any prior introductions it was a straight rescue and bring her here.
Skye was fine the first day but from day 2 she would attack Tess at every chance she got, and she meant it too . Whether it was just Tess walking passed Patrick to Tess playing with Bruce, Skye would have her. It was not the most ideal situation and it proved to go on for 4 weeks, slowly settling with time. I had to keep them separate when I was out, giving Skye the run of the house and bolting the kitchen door so she couldn't get into Tess, Tess stayed with Reah and Bruce. When I was there I had to monitor them all the time, more so if they tried to go out in the garden and it meant Tess passing Skye. However I didn't shut Skye in anywhere as this would of only heightened the problem with her....( I know Skye)
Tess going near the chicken run proved a mission, no feathers flying....just fur
As for feeding Skye decided that she couldn't eat hers...she had to try and eat Tess's, even though behind the door she would lie in wait, of course that meant that Tess had finished and Skye needed to guard her own so we had to keep taking Skye's food up.

But what Im trying to say is even with all that it can work with time. The first time Skye started a 'play game' with Tess I was on 'red alert' (just incase) but now they sleep together, play together and watch out for each other So never say never is my advice

I have to agree with what K999 and Rune say.

I was in a very similar situation to you when I got Buster. Coles my other dog hated him and would growl and snap and even attacked Buster just because Buster would so dare as to come near him.

What I did with my boys is, I walked them together loads and loads. When there was no sign of growling from Coles, I let them off lead together. The first time I did this. I asked both boys to sit and gave them a treat, as long as there was no growling or anything, I let them run off together.

Within the house, I didn’t separate my boys, I just never left them unsupervised and watched their interactions very closely. There were a few growling times but I would intervene before it escalated. It took a good 3 months before my boys leant to trust each other. Now they are totally fine.

So get your walking gear out and walk the dogs loads and loads together and hopefully they will soon be the best of friends.

HTH and please keep us updated as to progress.

just echoing what everyone else has said, the good thing is that Bear isn't retaliating at moment so in order to try and keep it that way I would go with the loads of walking and space and encouragement.


You are doing so well, and I think it will come in time.

Our male Grey will not tolerate any other male dogs anywhere near anything he regards as 'his'. Be it home or somewhere he is familiar with. Not a problem at all with bitches. I also feel a little sorry for Guinness but hey it's a foster, things will either improve or at least you have tried. I would completely recommend getting yourself a bitch to go with Guinness though! (Get Padster sister! *joking*, do whats best for yourselfs and Guinness).