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Okay, so on Saturday my sister was sitting at an open house and this little dog came up to the porch and wouldn't leave. It followed my sister around, and she just couldn't leave it -- so, now we have a new dog. He's been checked out by the vet who said he was about 18-24 months old. He's in good health; blood pressure is normal, weight is good, all of the above. Only problem is my dog, Dusty, is NOT happy about the situation. He is acting out and rebelling b/c he does not want this dog in the house. Any ideas, suggestions, tips, etc anyone can give to help me make this transition go more smoothly for my little territorial dog?
Not sure about helping them get along, I've always only had one dog at a time. I'm sure others here can help you with that process, but I was wondering, has your family put up signs and contacted shelters that to let them know you found this dog? His owners might be looking for him!
I think early on, it's normal for the resident pooch to not be happy with the new kid on the block that pops in. It should simmer down. Same thing with kitties. My first cat didn't take much to the 2nd one that showed up. But, eventually she accepted him.
Be sure to give doggie number 1 lots of attention--walks, treats and hugs. It should work out okay--like with kids, if all else fails, they will eventually adjust/accept each other with minimal growls.
Ceasar would say you have to show your dog who is boss. If it does not behave properly when the other dog is around, you have to correct its behavior. This doesn't mean you punish the dog, you just stop it from acting badly. You certainly don't want to reward misbehavior with hugs, but when your dog behaves well give it some extra attention.
Take them on lots of long walks together. Get them on neutral territory to get them used to each other. It took a while for mine to get used to each other, but now they are great friends.
Not sure about helping them get along, I've always only had one dog at a time. I'm sure others here can help you with that process, but I was wondering, has your family put up signs and contacted shelters that to let them know you found this dog? His owners might be looking for him!
We scowered the neighborhood where my sister has listings which is where she found him, and all anyone said is that they saw the same dog a few days ago and it's been hanging around w/no sign of an owner. My dog gets out all the time (he is a certified escape artist) but being the good owner I am, I ALWAYS go look for him. My take on it is if no one was looking for him for over 3 days, then the previous owner didn't deserve to have such a sweetheart.
You might want to take the newbie to the vet to see if he's microchipped (although maybe you did as he's been to your vet). It's possible he slipped out the door of a petsitter etc - the owners may be away and not even aware he's missing. Would prob. also post on Craigslist but make sure you word it a bit vaguely - 'Found: dog, call to describe" and make sure they bring photos etc. Just a thought.
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