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Our rescue was the same and it took months for her to feel comfortable even with an older, calm, laid back companion dog. They bonded immediately but she came into our home with a dog already there. What has helped her the most is weekly foundation lessons in agility. She has gained so much confidence and loves being around the other dogs in a class setting. It is the best thing I have done for her plus it is fun for both of us!
I feel like I'm an old hand at this . I just found another dog I now have 4 dogs . yes she is older my vet guesses about 4 she lives with three Chihuahuas and a gsd and she does very well with them and they do with her because she is very submissive ,yes they need other dogs to learn and adapt to things within the pack and household , They know that I am a pack leader when my hubbo leaves the house . These dogs learn very quickly your routines and what is expected of them so I say yes get a dog friend for your dog especially if he or she does not go to the dog parks (which I detest because some owners are really stupid while around their dogs ) . Many dog injuries happen at dog parks . But yes your dog needs dog socializing and also people socializing .
My last foster was starved when he was surrendered, 27 lbs as a 3 year old German Shorthair, feces all over him, starved to the point his hair was falling out.
He had extreme anxiety and would self injure, destroy things like metal crate doors, our blinds, etc, if left alone.
If he was left with my other dog, he would exhibit some anxious behavior, like occasional howling, but nothing that was alarming.
So not a submissive issue, but it did help him to have my dog around.
Oddly enough, he didn't even really "like" my dog. They didn't play much, etc, but his presence certainly served to soothe him.
Think of it less as a submissiveness issue and more of an issue of confidence. If the dog was in an abusive situation, the odds are good that it simply does not know how to be a dog. You can work through this issue with or without another dog. I kind of don't think getting another dog is such a great idea at the moment. I would ask a friend with a confident and easygoing dog to have regular playdates with you instead. My kelpie mix is a dog that is in high demand for this kind of thing - he's very gentle and doesn't have a cranky bone in his body. We use him in all the classes I take to be the "distraction" dog.
The interesting thing is I got him as a companion for my high anxiety, high drive Catahoula (probably mixed with a Terv) that is now deceased. He did his job really well, but it was not until my first Houla died and I got a young one that is incredibly confident and secure (prolly mixed with a pit) that I realized just how much the first Houla had raised the kelpie's anxiety levels, even as the kelpie was lowering HIS anxiety levels.
I would get the dog completely comfortable with YOU ringing the doorbell, reaching over him, going in and out of the house, etc. Then I would have a dog-savvy friend come over and get him used to THEM doing the same stuff. Keep trying it with different friends/relatives. The dog needs to have gentle and positive interactions with as many people as possible until it can generalize that "people" are not out to get it. Start with your most dog-savvy friends and then move down the spectrum.
A lot of it is also about removing the dog from the situation. Send him to his spot when someone comes to the house.
Quote:
Originally Posted by twelvepaw
There is an issue with the terminology- what you are describing is a shy/anxious/fearful dog. Submissiveness or the lack of it is an entirely different model.
Sometimes a shy/anxious dog will do better with a companion dog that has good dog-dog skills, but it can be tricky to get the right companion for your dog. I agree that it would be better to get him into a carefully managed play group with another mature well-balanced dog. A good play session with a safe dog will burn off nervous energy and release endorphins both of which will make your boy feel better and safer.
It can take 5-6 months for a dog to settle into a new home and begin to feel safe. From what you have said, I would not introduce a new dog to the household at this time.
Spend time working with your dog- teach him the household rules, set him up for success in order to build his confidence, liberally reward for desirable behaviors that he offers you, e.g. is he offers you a sit or randomly looks at you, use your marker word and treat.
Don't put him into situations that he can't handle. He can stay out when people come to the house, BUT you absolutely must become his advocate::: don't let people approach him, rather let him make the choice to go up to people; place yourself between him and other people so that he is forced to directly confront these strangers; if you aren't going to be home and you expect people to come into the house, then put your dog into a safe place, e.g. a covered kennel or in another room where he won't feel that he has been left alone to deal with this unknown situation.
Bottom line is that he needs time to adjust while you work on building his confidence and actively work on being his advocate to ensure his safety.
I am tired and am rattling this off so hope it makes sense.
This is incorrect. This worked in your situation, but isn't an appropriate solution for many dogs. Fear/anxiety isn't necessarily a training issue. In the case of the OP's dog, it sounds like he needs to build confidence by being successful, begin to build a bond of trust with OP with OP being a committed advocate for him, and understand what is expected of him so that he can begin to feel safe.
I'm quoting two sides of the argument, this side against getting another dog. Someone advised me when I thought about getting another companion for my high energy (sometimes high strung) pup, to just take him to doggie daycare to socialize. And yes, doggie daycare did him a lot of good, wore him out for a couple days but then becomes full energized a couple days later so I have to complement that with additional walks and play, otherwise he can get destructive (chew on stuff, etc.).
Most dogs do better when they have a dog friend at home. I rescued a dog a few years ago and then I got him a friend who really needed a home. They get along great, same breed and it's not any harder taking care of one dog than it is two.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kayee
Our rescue was the same and it took months for her to feel comfortable even with an older, calm, laid back companion dog. They bonded immediately but she came into our home with a dog already there. What has helped her the most is weekly foundation lessons in agility. She has gained so much confidence and loves being around the other dogs in a class setting. It is the best thing I have done for her plus it is fun for both of us!
Quote:
Originally Posted by phonelady61
I feel like I'm an old hand at this . I just found another dog I now have 4 dogs . yes she is older my vet guesses about 4 she lives with three Chihuahuas and a gsd and she does very well with them and they do with her because she is very submissive ,yes they need other dogs to learn and adapt to things within the pack and household , They know that I am a pack leader when my hubbo leaves the house . These dogs learn very quickly your routines and what is expected of them so I say yes get a dog friend for your dog especially if he or she does not go to the dog parks (which I detest because some owners are really stupid while around their dogs ) . Many dog injuries happen at dog parks . But yes your dog needs dog socializing and also people socializing .
On the other side of things, I am also considering getting a second dog again, not because mine is submissive but on the other hand has extreme energy, but if I got a slightly older dog that's calm, I wonder if he'll calm down or hype up the older dog. The rescue that I'm looking at is actually the submissive one or if that's not the right term, the one that's more calm or chilled, than my dog who still hs high energy, but at 15 months he also shows flashes of maturity and at times just sits there, but then he still gets the zoomies every now and then.
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