Introducing our rescue boxer to our other boxer AGGRESSION.

[Reagan-Mae]

Last week we were very fortunate to receive a beautiful 2yr old brindle male from Boxer Rescue Ontario. We already had a 1yr old fawn female who was easy-going and happy. The rescue Sockie has been a breeze. Our Sophie had been obsessed with showinig who is boss in the house. She does the typical dominant behaviour, standing over him, blocking him, growling exspecially at dinner time. I have read different theories on dealing with this and ultimately we have decided that agression is not tolerated and we will protect our dogs as the pack leaders. I am wondering if anyone out there would share their experiences on introducing dogs. I feel very sad for our female, she was always so well behaved and now she is always in 'trouble'. I am so hoping she relaxes, the male just sorta lies there and lets her be boss (or maybe we think he is accepting her dominance). Ultimately the situation is working out really well, but we have to constantly watch them so that play doesn't escalate to fighting.

Your experiences would be appreciated.

 

[ikissmyboxer]

I can relate. I had a 2 year old male (Skynyrd) and a 3 year old female (Dite) when I took in a 4 year old female (Sammi). Dite, who was the alpha dog of the house, was great. Skynyrd and Sammi had quite a few tiffs. It sounded horrible but there was never any blood shed. We watched them closely and nipped any potential fights in the bud. They finally got used to each other and stopped fighting. We did rehome Skynyrd but for an unrelated reason.

Good luck.

 

[meliss&kash]

I recommend lots and lots of walking together (if that's doable by yourself, if not, maybe get someone to help you out). I find this gets the dogs used to being around each other, yet because they're focused on the walking and not confronting each other, it ends us relaxing them. Of course, they'd probably get used to each other in time i'm sure, i just find this speeds up the process!

Also, you could try to spend a bit of alone time with each dog (especially your female for whom this is a big change) so that the transition is easier. You could just separate them in the house for a bit, play or just chill with one dog while the other has a kong or someone else pays attention to him.

I also put away all toys and don't give out treats for the first few weeks.

If your female is still a bit testy with your male, I'd say give her some stricter boundaries. For example, if she's growling at the male at dinner (is this their dinner or your dinner btw?), then instruct her to go lie down somewhere and stay until she's better behaved. Here there are strict rules for feeding time - both dogs wait on their pillow, outside the kitchen, until I'm done fixing their food and then I call them, we go downstairs, and each dog sits politely in their spot (not side by side obviously!) and then they get their food and an ok from me to start eating. Same thing if I'm either preparing food for myself or eating a meal, they must lie down on their pillow. It's not only more polite, but I avoid potential fights. But that's just me! I always err on the side of caution, my female can also get a little bitchy sometimes

I'm sure your two will bond in no time!! Give it a few more weeks!

 

[totallyhip]

First off congratulatons!! Its so wonderful that you opened up your hearts and home to a rescue. We adopted our Leia in July. We thought it would be wonderful for our 4 yr. old male to have a sister. I was told that they may get growly as they need to establish their order. As long as it doesn't get out of control and nobody gets hurt. Sometimes they get super growly at each other and we just give them a loud "HEY!" and it stops. Leia is very needy and always has to be near us and practically on top of us. I think that its just an adjustment period and eventually it will lessen. Luke was like that when we first got him too. I agree with Meliss you have to set out boundaries. But this you have to do with all dogs whether there is 1 or 2 or however many. We use the NILIF training method.

Plus we are using a dog trainer to help with other issues that Leia has. She has bad fear aggression towards other dogs. So we have started walking them seperately. Plus the other day I had them both and they saw a Mastif across the street. I was taken by surprise and lost my balance. They dragged me on my stomach right across the street! I have road rash all down the front of my legs:( So I am no longer walking together! Anyhoo the trainer said that it's important to train them seperately too (whether in the house or outside). Also to play seperately with them occassionaly. As you are the Top Dog first and foremost! So you should call all the shots

Enjoy! It'll be a matter of time for them to get use to eachother.

 

[Reagan-Mae]

thanks!

Thank you for taking the time to provide your experiences. It seems we are doing things right since we have been doing most of what everyone has suggested. It has been 10 days now and the agression from our female is lessening. They even slept on the same dog bed this weekend.

Reagan

 

[meliss&kash]

That's great news! You know, it's a lot for your dog to suddenly have to share her house, her people, her toys, her food with a dog she hardly knows. It just takes a bit of time for everyone to get adjusted. They'll be best buds in no time I'm sure, and you'll be very glad you got your girl a buddy I know I am! Two boxers are way better than one!

 

[catcrazy56]

Actually I fostered Sockie for a week and know of his personality I have had the opposite problem with my female foster but she is fine now and has settled down within the next few weeks you will notice a great difference and Sockie is a sweet boy and they will be fine. Hope you stay in touch Sockie was too much for us at the time with a another 2 year old and a 4 month old puppy we now have an older female foster and things are great I would love to see his progress because he just wanted to be loved OH by the way my behavouirist told me that if she was going to hurt the male in anyway she would have done it right away.

 

[Reagan-Mae]

Sockie, Sophie and Hardly any Aggression!

Hey Roma! I sent you and Linda an email yesterday with an update on Sockie (AWESOME DOG)! Linda actually sent the new foster mom an email that you had written about Sockie a few months ago - the foster mom passed it on to me when we adopted him (thats how I got your email addy).

I took the advice of Melissa & Kash and walked them both together versus off leash activity and there was not one problem other than the usual of walking of 140 lbs of dog! It was a great tip and also helps out Sockie's extra long nails holy moly those things should be in a horror movie.

My problem (and its my problem) is I can't bring myself to kick them out of bed and that is a whole lot of dog to sleep in (but secretly I love it).

Things are really coming together. We feed them separately but I can give them cookies side by side and no growling from my girl YEEHA. She is so good.

Reagan


I took

 

[Reagan-Mae]

Catcrazy...

Oh and thanks for that bit of info from your behaviourist, much appreciated.

 

[catcrazy56]

Sockie should be good on walks his previous owner walked him twice a day so he was used to lots of walks my dh Alex was the one who picked up Sockie and got to meet his past owners they really didn't have time for him but he had been to doggy school and had some training. he was good outside for us and I crated him at night because the first night we had him he did a number on my living room. Our puppy and him played night and day but it only took him a few days to get accustomed to our house. He even growled at Christine when they came to meet Alex to transport him Alex was reading the paper since he was there early and Sockie growled when they came near our suv, to proctect Alex.

He will be a great dog for you!!!