Hello, I'm new here and very glad to be joining.

We have two dogs, Senior Dog is a 6yr old GS/Border collie cross weighing 22.5 kg and Junior Dog is a long legged terrier cross rescue aged about 2 and weighing in at around 6.5 kg. They are both neutered females.

We have had Senior Dog from a puppy and she has always been extremely good around other dogs even though she is rather restless and highly strung.

We have had Junior Dog for about six weeks having thought long and hard about a second dog. She seems to have settled in very well so far and the two dogs seem to get on fine. There is a lot of play fighting and the reason I put their weights in is an indication that they manage their games without the smaller one getting hurt.

Indications that SD is having some adjusting to do are that she growls if JD approaches her food bowl and that she only allows JD limited access to her when resting/sleeping - she'll share a sofa but only allow JD to curl up against her bum end, no nearer!

We also have ongoing basket hopping. JD likes SD's basket best and tries to get into it. SD doesn't protest or boot her out, she just lies on the floor and has lately lost enthusiasm for getting into her basket at all even at night. We tip JD out whenever we see her hijacking SD's basket but we wonder if SD is put off by JD's smell - although bedding is washed frequently.

But we had a shock today. OH was taking both dogs out for an off lead run, met a friend with her dog - an elderly Jack Russell type known to SD - stopped to chat, rewarded our dogs for quick recalls with kibble and asked our friend if he could give her dog a treat too. He gave him a piece, the dog dropped it and instantly SD attacked him. Really full on, growling, snapping, hackles, mouth round neck etc.

OH was very shaken by this. Our friend was understanding and said it had happened to her dog once before (poor thing!)

SD has never done anything remotely like this before.

It is very rare indeed that we would offer another dog a treat so it might have happened at any time and may have nothing to do with taking on JD.

But I wonder if this is an indication that SD is more stressed by it all than we realised? Or if it may be the start of a new aggression?

I would be so grateful for any suggestions. I'm sorry for the rambling post.

I've noticed a jealous trait in 2 Collie x GSD's I know, and the same sort of thing has happened when the owner pays attention to an outside dog. One of these is my best friend's dog who has attacked my smaller dog (drawing blood twice) when my friend makes a fuss of my dog. So it could just be that trait within her breed and nothing to do with you having got JD at all. The relationship you describe between SD and JD is much like that between my Ziggy (7-8 yrs old, spayed rescue bitch, BC x JRT) and Kite (17 month old welsh sheepdog, not spayed) except there's no food possessiveness in either of mine. Mainly they get on really well but never cuddle up. Basket hopping is normal - solution - get identical baskets.

Thanks, Burrowzig, that's really helpful. SD certainly has some definite GS traits such as wariness around people so her sudden aggression could be breed related.

As to the beds, SD inherited an enormous wicker basket from our previous dog who was given it by a neighbour - must be thirty years old at least. Plenty big enough for both dogs if SD would allow it. We started off with a small one for JD and ended up getting a big one as she didn't like it but they aren't identical.

Nice to know bed hopping is normal, though.

Thanks.

I would think it will take SD a bit longer than 6 weeks to properly accept JD and she seems to be telling JD what her boundries are. If she has been an only dog for some time it must be quite a shock to have to share not only her "parents" but also all of her belongings.

As for the food aggression, again it could be that she has to share in the house with a relatively strange dog and will guard food. Like you say you rarely offer food to another dog when out so it could just be the straw that broke the camels back, so to speak.

When SD begins to settle more with JD I feel you'll see a change for the better but for now i'd keep things of value, like food, toys and chews out of the picture and also help SD by keeping JD out of her bed - i'm sure she won't mind sharing once she knows her better.

Keep us posted and I hope it's just temporary behaviour. .

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Flynn - Kali - Britches - Bruce - T-Bo - Marty



"For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack"

It usually is a few weeks before any new dog tries things out. They tend to spend the first weeks working out how the land lies.

SD is drawing boundaries with her food and space, growling is really a warning almost saying this is mine, claiming whats hers so to speak, Same as the curling up on the sofa, SD is allowing her to share her space but giving her boundaries at the same time. Which is fine as long as JD accepts and respects the boundaries with good heart and doesnt push and try to challenge. However by getting in SDs basket and SD not trying growling or chasing her out can mean one of two things, Is she giving in gracefully and allowing it freely totally unconcerned and not bothered, Or is she sensing a gradual shifting of boundaries and a bit of unsureness as to what to do.
(This may be seeming to humanise slightly but for explaination purposes only)
Without seeing the dogs we can only make guesses and suggestions on possible scenarios on here. The situation with the little Jack Russell, could be totally unrelated dropped food or food guarding is a prime trigger to set dogs off, but it could be that she is a little stressed and feels the need to assert herself.

Personally I would keep a watch on things and monitor the situation closely and put in a little bit of extra management. Give each dog a feeding place with a good deal of space inbetween, and even supervise meal times. maybe even having a bady gate or something in between, so that SD doesnt have to feel stressed or feel that she has to warn and claim her food, just in case that is what is happening. Also make sure they have toys and chews and things supervised at the moment and dont leave them unsupervised with anything. To be honest I might even think of getting another bed. You will either find that SD will be happy with the new bed and claim that for herself or JD will vacate SDs bed for the new one, and SD will be happily back in hers.
I would only have the new bed there when you can supervise though for awhile to see what they are going to do, and whatever the outcome, keep
supervising until you know whos settled and going to stay happily settled where. I wouldnt leave any food down for them to graze on either throughout the day (if you do at the moment) Just keep to structured meal times, with there own feeding places with plenty of space and supervised.

Hope these few suggestions might be of some help.

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One thing I did forget is giving attention, fussing one more than the other can also cause a little bit of competing and one upmanship. So that is another thing to consider. If dogs are going to have a bit of a power struggle
the main things will be, Food,toys, chews, confined spaces, attention and things like visitors coming that can cause a bit of hyper excitement.

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Thanks so much for all these suggestions.

There's no doubt that JD is a feisty little thing and I have a feeling there will be ongoing scuffles. The incident with the friend's dog was a bit of a wake up call and we've started monitoring behaviour fairly closely.

Re the baskets. SD won't go near JD's bed and will only tolerate her own if we keep JD right out of it. JD clearly likes SD's best but will also happily sleep in her own if asked. So I think, however identical the beds, the same situation would arise.

For the first day or two after we brought JD home SD wouldn't touch any of her toys or drink out of the water bowl if JD had so much as licked them. This didn't last and they quickly shared toys etc quite happily. But the bed thing seems ongoing.

I'm thinking of putting down a long soft base of something in the space of the two enormous beds and see whether they'll share that (because they are happy to share a sofa if not too close).

And JD looks crazy taking up one tiny corner of her giant bed!

Thanks again to all replies - really helpful.

If they seem to share the sofa quite happily, then its possible they will share one big dog bed or sleeping area, worth a try,but I would supervise for a bit.
The sofa after all is yours, not a dog bed, so its possible that could have some influence. Some dogs just seems to naturally claim top position with instant respect, and the others are quite happy accepting that without challenge. Classic example I used to have 1 male and three females, the smallest of the females had top position, didnt need to make any issue or show any agression whatsoever, yet the others who were larger and in fact fitter younger dogs just accepted and gave respect. No battleing for supremecy nothing. It just depends on what mix you have. If you have a natural leader and the others are lower ranking, then you tend to have very little is any probs. Trouble starts if you have two who wont concede and accept and coexist happily. Just keep as you say a watch on things. Avoid any of the things that could set up competing and a challenge, until you know things are totally accepted and stable.

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i would not suggest this - 'make nice' is a human concept, and giving them no option but to share is risky.
letting each have a bed of their own is much safer; if the younger dog insists on taking the elder's preferred bed,
TETHER her to the wall behind her own bed - 18-inches of bike-cable with a swiveling spring-clip is plenty.
that way at night when U are sleeping, the younger dog cannot boot the elder and hijack the bed.

obviously, her tether would clip to a buckle-collar - NOT any form of choke, slip or prong; those are unsafe,
are intended for training only + should never be worn unsupervised. [i would not even use them for training -
there are better options without restricting airways or any pain.]

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terry pride, APDT-Aus, apdt#1827, CVA, TDF
*wolves R wolves, dogs R dogs, + primates R us.*
tmp, sept-2007