HIGH LONESOME RANCH, INC
Jim & Marcy Lilly     hlrinc@yahoo.com  

About Us     Kennel Links: Adoption      Treasure Hunt Dachshunds,   Favorite Pet Links FAQ'S   Goldendoodles   Introducing New Dogs  Kennel Quips  Labradoodles,     Letters from our Customers      Miniature Labradoodles    Older Puppies For Sale    Our Previous Litters    Our Newest Arrivals   Puppy Contract and Training Tips     Puppy Package      Puppy Supplies       Shepadoodles    Shipping    Terms and Conditions  Understanding the Adoption Process New World Training Center- Bethany's horse training site.
Treasure Hunt Dachshunds - Mariann's dachshund site
Omega Computers -Brandon's computer site coming soon

Considering adding another dog to your home? Adding a new puppy or adopted dog to a household where dogs or cats already reside takes time and effort to be successful. Jo Ann Eurell, D.V.M., University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, Urbana, Illinois, has a special interest in animal behavior, and she offers a few suggestions to make the transition a safe and smooth one.

First, assess your household’s current pet status before you add another animal to the mix. If you have an aggressive dog, the nature of the aggression must be identified and managed. Consider the physical condition of your current animals. For example, an older arthritic dog may be less tolerant of a puppy’s boisterous behavior.

Ensure that proper facilities are in place to accommodate a new animal, such as a separate pen or room, or better yet, a crate. Food bowls and toys can also pose problems. Puppies are used to sharing food with their littermates, but an older dog may not appreciate this. Feed the animals from separate bowls in separate areas. Dr. Eurell notes that sharing the same water bowl is not a problem. And, until the animals learn to share, don’t let the new puppy play with the old dog’s toys. Have a toy on hand just for the new puppy.

To ensure that your household pets stay healthy, it’s important to have the new puppy or adopted dog examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible. (Depending on the breed, a puppy should be 8 to 12 weeks old before it is removed from it’s mother and littermates.) Some owners head straight to their veterinarian after picking up a puppy from the breeder or humane society. A veterinarian can examine the animal and reduce the threat of disease transmission to existing pets, notes Dr. Eurell.

Take the initial introduction slow. "Allowing the new puppy to bound out of the car and into the dog’s yard is a big mistake," Eurell says. "All dogs should be on leashes, so if things get out of hand, you are in control."

The introduction phase can take hours, weeks, or even months depending on the situation. In multiple-dog households, introduce the puppy to one dog at a time. "The dogs need a chance to establish the pack’s dominance hierarchy," says Dr. Eurell. "Usually the oldest or largest animal will reign as the ’top dog’ in this hierarchy."

The most common mistake owners make is to leave a new puppy alone with the established pet or pets. "Never leave a new puppy alone with these pets during the get-acquainted stage," says Dr. Eurell, "especially if the established dogs are older.

"Puppies don’t understand the pecking order and they haven’t acquired the necessary submissive skills. The older dog may give signals of dominance, but the puppy doesn’t know how to read them. This situation often results in injury with the older dog biting or pinning down the younger animal.

The puppy needs to be of comparable physical size before it should be left alone with "the pack." It’s up to the owner to decide when that time is right. "Older dogs recognize the puppy as an infant. They will discipline the youngster until they can’t take it anymore. That’s when the tolerance level drops and aggression escalates," says Dr. Eurell.

It’s important to provide equal attention to both the new and established pets. This includes one-on-one time, appropriate exercise and play time, and lots of love. If it appears that the new animal’s getting all the attention, the older dog may become jealous and redirect it’s jealousy aggression toward the puppy and cause injury. "Animals are very intuitive. You may notice that the dog will put it’s body between you and the puppy or try to ’steal’ your attention away from the puppy."

Introducing a new puppy to a cat household should be done just as cautiously. The same rules apply. Supervise the interaction and closely observe the cat’s body language. Much of the acceptance will depend on the cat’s previous experiences with dogs.

The introduction of an adopted dog to an adult cat needs to be on the cat’s terms. Again, be ready for problems. Most cats are easily stressed by the presence of a dog. They may tolerate the behavior for a short while, then exit. Unhappy cats may show their disapproval with abnormal behavior, such as urinating in places other than the litter box.

For the most part, dogs and cats adjust to new pets without incident. However, since the consequences of a problem can be severe, it is wise to assume that a dog or cat could react adversely and take proper precautions.

Dr. Eurell recommends reading, How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With, by Clarice Rutherford and David Neil, or Second-Hand Dog: How to Turn Yours Into a First-Rate Pet by Carol Lea Benjamin.

Article written and contributed by: Dog Fancy Magazine.

 

Teaching Dogs It's Okay to Share

"Ms. Malamute popped next door to borrow a cup of kibble from Ms. Maltese, faithfully promising, "I'll return it tomorrow, cross my "mutant heart!"

"Yeah, I'll bet," retorted Ms. Maltese. "The kibble stays where it is, Mute-breath!"

It is quite natural for dogs to be protective of food, bones, and other valuables because experience has often taught them that if other dogs "borrow" or expropriate valuable possessions, they may never see them again.

Top Dogs Do Share

Some dogs, however, are willing to share.  Good buddies are often willing to share food bowls, toys, and bones.  Also, true top dogs will frequently share their possessions.  In one of our studies on the development of social hierarchies(1), the highest-ranking male dog was perfectly willing to share his bone with others, although only two middle-ranking females had the confidence to try.  Completely confident the bone was his (as long as he maintained possession of the large, meaty end), the top dog was quite happy to let other dogs nibble away at the thin, bony end of the oxtail.

Feelings of possessiveness and protectiveness basically stem fro insecurity, lack of trust and lack of socialization; it takes confidence to share. Building the dog's trust and confidence in a two-step process.  It is not sufficient merely to teach dogs to tolerate the proximity and actions of people; in addition, we must also teach dogs to thoroughly enjoy the presence of people around their valued possessions, to relish people taking away their food bowls, bones, or toys, and especially to love human company at mealtimes.

(It is worthwhile to say a few special words about bitches.  Under prime hierarchical law, male dogs virtually always respect higher rank.  Thus, once rank is established, protection and possession are moot issues, because ownership is decreed by rank.  Bitches, however have penned an amendment to this primary rule: If I have it, it's mine!  The amendment acknowledges possession os 9/10 of bitch law.  Because puberty in bitches comes on like winter in Winnipeg, a female puppy can become possessive almost overnight.)

It is fun and virtually effortless to teach puppies to be trustworthy and tolerant around valued possessions.  It is similarly easy to teach adult dogs. Preventative and therapeutic techniques are pretty much the same, but working with adult dogs takes much longer and can be dangerous.  With either, however, always proceed slowly, progressively, and gently. Even with preventative work, maintain "safety first."  If you even suspect the dog might nip, wear protective gloves, or muzzle the dog with an open-ended muzzle so he may take treats and eat, but cannot bite you. And never work alone. Apart from valuable moral support, an assistant can be on hand with a large plastic garbage bucket to plunk over the food bowl or bone at the slightest hint of things drifting off track.

When working with valued objects and bones, always tie them to a string. If the dog gets a bit growly, the assistant can give a hearty tug, jerk the bone form the dog's mouth, and cover the object with the garbage can.

The Food Bowl

At meal times, most people put down the dog's bowl and then walk away.  This habit all but trains dogs to become accustomed to eating alone, and most certainly increases the likelihood they might resent intrusions at a later date. Right from the outset, make a habit of sitting down on the floor to keep the dog company at mealtime.  Hold the food bowl in you lap, and , as the dog methodically munches the same ol' kibble, occasionally handfeed the dog with a couple of liver treats or other favored treats.  Once the dog appears to be completely at ease, plunge your hand (with treat) right into the dog's bowl. The dog will quickly learn to associate the owner's presence and hands with dinnertime presents. Already the dog might muses, "This never happens when I eat alone. I mean, I just did a nose scan and I swear there were 46 nuggets of kibble...kibble only, nary a treat, yet my owner just put his hand in my bowl and plucked out a piece of poultry!  Good old owner. I love it when he joins me for dinner. "

If the dog has already developed some degree of antipathy toward human company at mealtimes, we have to employ a different tactic--the delinquent water routine.  There are two types of waiters: the omnipresent, overly helpful, irritating, usually unnecessary and unwanted hovering waiter, and the delinquent waiter.  Well, we are going to use the latter method on the dog and make it literally beg us to approach its food bowl. (For the sake of argument, let's use a bitch in this example, since bitches have established their own ownership rules.)

Sit for Your Supper

Measure out the dog's dinner and put it in a bowl on the counter. Instruct her to sit for her supper, put her regular food bowl on the floor and give the okay to eat.  Make sure you have a video camera handy to record the expression on the dog's face: utter astonishment! You see, the dog's food is in the bowl on the counter; the bowl on the floor is empty. Perhaps ask your dog, "Everything to your liking, Ma'am?" She will certainly be beside herself in a now uncertain anticipation of dinner, imploring, "Yo! Owner, get over here with my food!"

Yes, that' right...get over to my food bowl. So now the dog wants you to approach her food bowl.  Although there's nothing in the bowl for her to protect, it's a good start at least. But because there is nothing to protect, she has no reason to get upset, and so we are "forcing" her to succeed. Now, walk up to the dog, have her sit, and toss a single kibble into the bowl, tell her to eat and then walk away. Ssshlurrpp! Gone. Just like that. "Is that all?" she asks. "Get back over here with more!"

Well this must be a record. Twice in one evening, the possessive dog has begged us to approach her food bowl.  Keep feeding similar small installments, a multiple course dinner tonight with lots and lots of itsy-bitsy starters. In no time, she will eagerly anticipate your approach and company because it signals yet another yummy course.

Now it's time for the entree.  Put a whole handful of kibble into the bowl, but, before telling the dog to eat, hand-feed a special treat, then another and another. Hold the bowl with one hand and continue hand-feeding extremely tasty treats with the other while she is eating the relatively boring kibble from her bowl.

When you are completely confident she is confident with our presence and actions, pull out a really tasty treat, let go of the bowl for just an instant and ten simultaneously offer the treat with one hand and take hold of the bowl with the other. This is a crucial juncture: while you maintain hold of the bowl, the bitch views it as yours, but the instant you let it go, it becomes hers, so she might object if you try to take hold of her bowl again.

Repeat this over and over, letting go of the bowl for progressively longer periods of time with each successive trial.  The bitch is beginning to learn that human hands come to give, not necessarily to take away.

Once the bitch is completely at ease with human hands reaching out for her bowl, it is time to teach her that Occasionally human hands do take away.  While she is enjoying a chewy treat held in one hand, say "Thank you," and gently remove the bowl of kibble with the other hand. Quickly add a dollop of scrumptious stuff and replace the bowl on the floor. "Ahh! That's why my owner wanted the bowl."  The dog learns it does not necessarily lose food by letting the owner take the bowl away. On the contrary, the food gets better!

Bones and Toys

Practice taking away bones, toys and other objects from a dog before the inevitable incident with that essential floppy disk or aromic (sic) TV dinner.  Offer the dog a boring toy, something not a favorite.  Once the dog has grudgingly accepted the toy, say, "Thank you," offer a tasty treat with one hand and take the toy with the other.  Once the dog has eaten the treat, give back the toy, saying "Take it."  Repeat this with more valued objects, such as balls, squeakies, and Kongs, moving up to very valued objects, bones.  When working with more highly valued objects, the attractiveness of the treats must increase accordingly, so that no matter how valuable the object the dog has in its jaws, you always have more valuable and tastier treats in you paws.  A dog must develop the confidence that giving up a valued toy of bone does not necessarily mean i's the last of it he ever sees.  On the contrary, the dog learns, "Thank you," means the owner wants to look after the dog's toy (how considerate!) while the dog eats the tasty treat (how generous!) and then, the owner wants to return the dog's toy (how honorable!)

Now, of course, Ms. Malamute might muse, "How incredibly and utterly stupid! The owner swaps a moth-eaten old tennis ball for a liver treat, and then the dummy gives it back to me!  Boy he's stupid, but I love sharing!"

 (1) Beach, F.A., Buehler, M.G., and Dunbar, I.F. 1982. "Competitive Behavior in Male, Female, and Pseudo hermaphroditic Female Dogs." Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology. Volume 96, Number 6, pp. 855-874.

Introducing Two Dogs

by Brandy J. Oliver, MA 

Whether you are introducing dogs, puppies, males, or females, the scenario is usually best if both dogs can meet on neutral ground, off-lead.

You will have a better idea of your dog's behavior, and more control of your dog if he knows a few basic commands. Same thing for the other dog. I know it is not usually common to have the opportunity to train a dog prior to entering your household, but if you have that opportunity, take advantage of it. Otherwise, begin obedience training with your new dog on his first day of arrival.

The dog you have now should be able to reliably perform "Sit," "Down," "Stay," and "Come," and two additional commands: "Leave It," and "Say Hello" are highly recommended.

If you are adopting a dog from a humane society or responsible breeder or rescue organization, they should have no problem with allowing your dog to accompany you for the final phase of the selection process. Pick two or three dogs that you think would be compatible, and then let your own dog see who he likes as well. The dogs should meet in an outside fenced area off-lead unless your (or the other dog) has aggressive tendencies.

If you are not adopting a new dog, but just want your dog to meet a new dog an open park or some other neutral territory that is relatively new to both dogs will be a good meeting ground. If you choose your dog's favorite park, he may react territorially if he's not used to seeing other dogs at "his" park.

Before letting the dogs see each other, or get too close, you may want to have pre-arranged to have a cloth or small towel with the other dogs scent on it. (The other dog can be presented with a similar item from his handler, with your dog's scent on it.) As you let the dog sniff the cloth talk in a happy voice and say the new dog's name. "Can you smell Shaggy?" "You're going to meet Shaggy today!" Give your dog a few good food treats and praise him saying, "Rover likes Shaggy!" "Good Say Hello to Shaggy!" Then play with him for a few minutes. The idea is to associate the new dog's smell with good things: upbeat voice, food, praise, and play. If you're walking to a park, you can do this exercise two or three times before reaching your destination. If you're at a shelter your dog may be too nervous or distracted to play or do more than once. 

Next, the ideal meeting will be two unleashed dogs in an enclosed fenced area unaware of each other. If they can meet each other naturally, on their own time it usually works best. If the enclosed area is too small for them not to notice each other, but has enough space that it is not crowded, bring them both in the area on opposite sides, on lead, heeling. Place them in a sit and do a few obedience commands so their attention is focused on you. Make the commands extra fun and happy. End on a "Good Boy!" Then give your release command, "OK!" If your dog knows the Say Hello command, you can tell him to Say Hello to the new dog. If not, let both dogs wander over to each other. You need to stay put! Don't follow your dog. If you are too close to your dog you may trigger his protective instinct, you want your dog to be relaxed and meet and greet on doggie terms. Proper doggie greeting is side-by-side, each sniffing each other's backsides.

If you sense that the dogs do not like each other (hackles are raised, and neither one is demonstrating submissive behavior) both handlers should call their dogs to them in a happy voice and give them a food treat and praise when they get there.

What if your dog is known to be aggressive to some other dogs? You have two options.  

1. Put your dog on a long lead. Give your dog the "space" he needs so that you do not trigger his protective instincts, do not allow the lead to tighten unless a fight is imminent and you are confident that you can pull the dog out of the fight area. If you allow the lead to tighten you could very well instigate a fight to break out. Consider using a harness instead of collar so you won't trigger your dog's survival instinct by placing force on his neck.

If a fight begins before you can react and call/pull your dog to you it is always a good idea to have a water hose handy. I know this is not usually feasible in a park! Some other tactics are throwing sand in the dog's mouths (so they will let go of their grip), or grass, or whatever ground you happen to be on. Sticks and other objects will also help them break their grip. It doesn't always work and I don't like to recommend it - but when you are in dire need something needs to be done. You can also lift up the aggressive dog's hind quarters.  If it is a small dog, lift it up by the tail.  A large dog may be able to turn and bite you (even your dog may bite you when he is in the middle of a fight), so I do not recommend this but I do like to let people know their options.

2.  Put both dogs on a normal lead.  Dog/Owner#1 on one side of the large area, and Dog/Owner#2 on the other side of the large area.  Now, switch sides, circling a large enough half-circle to avoid the other dog, so that your dog stays comfortable. If you have a third person, have them walk around in the middle, always staying between the two dogs in a calm manner.   If your dog is not comfortable, then the dogs are not far enough apart.  20, 30, or 50 feet are usually good places to start, sometimes you need to start farther apart.  As you walk to the other side, talk to your dog, praise your dog, feed her food treats and keep her attention on you.  Do this repeatedly, gradually lessening the distance between the two dogs.  Dogs with real aggression problems need to gradually lessen the distance in days and weeks, not minutes or hours.  Always end the session on a good, happy note.

If your dog lunges, growls, barks, etc. then you were too close, you may have tightened the lead, you may have gotten nervous.  When this happens, walk (or run) directly *out* of the situation until you are far enough away for your dog's comfort level.  Do some fun obedience with your dog and start again, further away from the other dog than you were previously.

Eventually, the dogs will begin to pass with only the distance of the third person (if there is one) between them.  When they are comfortable with this, they may begin to pause and sniff each other for *1 or 2 seconds only!!!*  They should be head-to-rear end, side to side, then continue walking away.  Do this repeatedly.   Only after your dog is consistently happy (not displaying aggression) doing this, can you allow the sniffing for longer periods.  When sniffing occurs, keep the lead *relaxed* this is why long leads are important.  The dogs will probably circle each other numerous times, and your lead may get slightly tangled, but it is important to keep it loose.  

Once the dogs seem to have become friends, you can let them off lead to play.

Unless a dog is a known aggressor, all out fights are rare when two dogs meet on neutral territory. Observe their initial behavior and determine which dog is being dominant and which one submissive. Sometimes it is not clear. Two submissive dogs may simply run around and play. Two dominant dogs may do the same thing, but they may play rougher. As long as they are playing, it is a very good sign. But keep a watchful eye out for displays of aggression.

Most dogs thrive with canine companionship, however some dogs are used to being the only dog and do not wish to "visit" or "meet" anyone else for any length of time. If your dog is being "bothered" by the other dog and your dog constantly runs back to you as if you are "making" him meet this other dog, I would first, have him meet a more relaxed dog, and after that, reconsider your plans to add a new dog to the family. Some dogs are happier as the only dog in the household. Respect your dog and his individual personality.

If all goes well (and it usually does), play time can end with both dogs lapping up some water together, from separate bowls. Avoid food treats when both dogs are near as it could trigger protective instincts.

Next, simply put both dogs on lead and walk them home together!

When you get home, first let them off lead in your fenced yard. It will let the new dog explore the area and be less threatening to your original dog as he gets used to having the new dog around. When you bring them inside, you will have already prepared two separate eating areas, two doggie beds, etc. Let your dog, or the alpha dog pick which area he wants (even if its the new bed!) and read Two or More Dogs for more information on your extended furry family.

Introducing new pets into your existing pet household

Introduce your new dog to existing dogs in your front yard or on neutral territory. Have both animals on leashes and under control for the initial introduction. DO NOT introduce them inside your house or in the backyard where your existing dog feels that it is his territory. He may attack the newcomer! Never leave baby puppies unsupervised with adult dogs for the first few weeks or until you feel absolutely sure that your adult dog is comfortable and gentle with the new pup. Adult dogs can sometimes do damage to new pups by being aggressive or playing too roughly.

webpage design by High Lonesome Ranch