From: srlee@beta.lanl.gov (Stephen R Lee)
Subject: Re: Getting our second dog / questions!
Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 00:16:46 GMT

In article <1992Dec15.195614.16626@reed.edu> bob@reed.edu (Robert Ankeney) writes:

[stuff deleted]

>     So we're looking for advice on dealing with two dogs.  We think
>we'll first introduce them away from the house for starters.  And the

This is usually best.  Go to a park or some other neutran territory and
let them sniff and get to know one another better.  Try and encourage
play together if you can.

>idea of keeping our first dog higher in the hierarchy sounds good.  We'll
>feed him first, take hime out the door first, etc.  I suspect the mastiff
>will outgrow the Rottweiler and assume that won't be a problem.

In my opinion, it is never a good idea to try and impose your own hierarchy
(with the exception that you and your SO should be alphas).  The dogs will
need to work out their own hierarchy.  I suggest you feed them at the same
time, but *physically seperated*, like in completely different rooms
with the doors closed or something.  Nasty dominance battles can ensue over
food.

Whenever you introduce two dogs, particularly dogs that are a little 
older than puppies, like yours, it is vital that you understand just
how well each of them is socialized to other dogs.  In your case,
you probably have a pretty good idea with your Rott., since you
have had him for a while.  Has he been exposed to other dogs?   How
does he interact with them?  You need to have a feel for the answers
to questions like this going in.  You mentioned that the new dog seems
to be submissive.  In that event, the dogs may fall into a natural
hierarchy immediately, with your established dog taking the dominant
position.  This is fine.  Eventually, however, your new dog may
decide to challenge him for this position.  Squabbles like this
can break out over a variety of things, but they are usually not
terribly serious, just loud.  As alpha, you must not fawn over either
of these dogs over the other.  You must be compassionate, but fair.
If one dog is acting too agressive for you towards the other, step
in and chastise the agressor.  However, do not do this too often.
It has always been my opinion that it is best to allow the dogs to 
work things out for themselves, when possible.  They usually communicate
better with one another than we do with them.

Just so you know, I have done this before, most recently, with a
1yr old Siberian I adopted and brought home to a house with one 10 yr
old mutt, one 1 yr old Malamute, and 1 2 yr old Siberian.  I have
used this fairly simple and loose approach with great success in
my house.  They ket in this situation was that the established dogs
in the home were well socialized with one another and other dogs.  That
is, they know "how to talk" to other dogs.  The incoming dog did not,
but she quickly learned.  The other dogs "taught" her.  I stepped in
between the dogs only when it seemed to me that she (the new dog) was
either being picked on or the other dogs were being overly agressive
or dominant.  Sorry I cannot be more quantitative, but I choose to
step in when I felt it was needed.  This was not each time they
growled at each other over a toy or during play or whatever.


>     I'm not sure how soon to let the new dog sleep in the house.  For
>one thing, we don't know if he's housebroken.  But I think he'll have
>to be on leash for a while initially.

I know it is a big dog, but it would be best to crate train him.  This
may involve making a makeshift crate, but that would be best.

>     One big question we have regards obedience training.  Should there
>be seperate commands for the same thing?  For example a new word for "sit"
>to be used just with the new dog?  I would assume not, as to me it would
>seem pretty confusing.  Any advice on advantages/disadvantages of this
>would be appreciated.

In my opinion, no.  You disambiguate commands by issuing the dogs
name first, as in "Rover, sit!"

I hope this helps.  Feel free to email me with other questions if you
like.

>
>     Robert


-- 
============================================================
Stephen R. Lee                 | 
OooWoo Racing Kennel           | I'd rather be driving sled
E-Mail: srlee@beta.lanl.gov    | dogs.
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs