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Introducing dogs to a new home?
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halfbaked
LIF Adult
Member since 8/12 6937 total posts
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Introducing dogs to a new home?
We have two dogs- a 5 y/o collie mix and a 4 y/o pit/boxer mix. We adopted the collie mix when he was 10 weeks old from North Shore. The pit mix was added about 2 years later so she was already a year old when we got her. She was found abandoned in Forest Park. We've never had any issues with them fighting in the house (maybe once over a toy or a bone, but nothing serious). However, while we were away on vacation once, my mother kept the dogs at her house. My mom had 3 dogs, 2 passed away in 2010, and she still has the third. So our dogs (the pit and collie) had been over there plenty of times before, got along well with my mom's dogs, but they had never been over there TOGETHER. While they were there, a fight broke out. I believe it was the pit who instigated (she can be dominant and just rough in general, which our gentle collie is NOT) but I wasn't there so I'm not sure. We will be moving to a new apartment on March 1st. I'm afraid of them getting into fights in the new place. My DH and I bent over backwards to find a place that would allow us two large dogs, and we really want to keep them both, but the apartment is small and it will be difficult to separate them if it comes to that. Basically, what I'm looking for is advice on how to introduce these dogs to this new place without our pit trying to impose her dominance on our collie. We thought we might have our collie sleep there with us one night before bringing our pit over (she would stay at my mom's for a night) so then when she arrives, she KNOWS our collie is equal or even dominant in this place. Any advice or experience is welcome! TIA! 
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Posted 1/29/13 2:14 PM  |
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strongisland
All you need is love
Member since 8/07 2474 total posts
Name:
T
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Re: Introducing dogs to a new home?
i think that would be a good idea to have your collie there first--maybe to get her scent around the place
i think what happened at your mothers-was one dog trying to esablish being the leader of the pack (bc of the 3rd dog)-and they were both brought in at the same time??
-im not certain you will have the same problem in your new place-but who knows!
I would also try to have your collie there first as you bring the pit into the house---so the pit sees the collie was there first
sometimes feeding one dog before the other can establish pack roles--good luck!
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| Posted 1/29/13 2:56 PM |
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halfbaked
LIF Adult
Member since 8/12 6937 total posts
Name:
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Re: Introducing dogs to a new home?
Posted by strongisland
i think that would be a good idea to have your collie there first--maybe to get her scent around the place
i think what happened at your mothers-was one dog trying to esablish being the leader of the pack (bc of the 3rd dog)-and they were both brought in at the same time??
-im not certain you will have the same problem in your new place-but who knows!
I would also try to have your collie there first as you bring the pit into the house---so the pit sees the collie was there first
sometimes feeding one dog before the other can establish pack roles--good luck!
Thank you! Yeah, that's along the lines of what we were thinking at my mom's house. It wasn't even very serious then. My collie did get a nick, but that's it. We assumed she was trying to show dominance because of the new environment, but I didn't think of it also being because of the third dog. The house we're moving into has a dog upstairs as well, but he won't be in our apartment at all, obviously. Actually he's been in our current apartment (snuck in while my DH and the dog's owner were outside chatting) and the three of them had a blast together, no issues at all.
I'll try the feeding bit, too. That's particularly easy since we feed our pit in her crate (no real reason other than she likes it  ) and the collie just eats in the kitchen. Thanks for your advice! I'll let you know how it goes, though it won't be for at least until March.
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| Posted 1/29/13 3:16 PM |
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iluvmynutty
Mom to E&M
Member since 12/08 1762 total posts
Name:
D
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Re: Introducing dogs to a new home?
I think your suposed to take them for a REALLY long walk around the neighborhood as a "Pack" then introduce them to the new home. It's suposed to simulate a natural experience for the dog as if it journeyed to the new residence with the pack. I would also keep as much as you can the same (same beds, water dish, food bowls, toys etc...) also keep to a similar routine, it might help ease any anxiety they have.
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| Posted 1/29/13 3:35 PM |
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halfbaked
LIF Adult
Member since 8/12 6937 total posts
Name:
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Re: Introducing dogs to a new home?
Posted by iluvmynutty
I think your suposed to take them for a REALLY long walk around the neighborhood as a "Pack" then introduce them to the new home. It's suposed to simulate a natural experience for the dog as if it journeyed to the new residence with the pack. I would also keep as much as you can the same (same beds, water dish, food bowls, toys etc...) also keep to a similar routine, it might help ease any anxiety they have.
Funny enough, we're moving next door. DIRECTLY next door. So fortunately for these guys, it won't be much of a disruption to their routine or anything. We wouldn't be moving at all if we didn't have to, but that's another story for another day.   But they will have all the same stuff- beds, toys, crate, food dishes, etc.
We definitely planned to take her for a craaaaaaaaaaazy long walk to tire her out before we bring her in, but I didn't think of doing it together. I'm not sure how that would work since they are generally walked separately. They are both really big dogs (75 lbs.+ each) and I weigh about 125 soaking wet. Plus they are pullers, at least the pit is. The collie only pulls when he's walked with the pit. But these are all great ideas. Keep 'em coming!
ETA: We got her spayed as part of operation pit through the ASPCA. We thought we did a grand old job of walking her and running with her the morning of her appointment. It was a hot day and she was wrecked, but once she saw a ton of other unaltered pitbulls, it was like we didn't walk her at all. She is a bottomless pit of energy. Even after being spayed and gaining a considerable amount of weight!
Message edited 1/29/2013 4:11:33 PM.
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| Posted 1/29/13 4:09 PM |
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dctead
It's 5 o'clock somewhere!
Member since 11/10 2139 total posts
Name:
Emily
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Re: Introducing dogs to a new home?
I agree with having your collie there for a night or two first... but I may go a bit further and suggest a few other things to help out...
When walking the dogs - you walk out the door first, let the collie walk out the door and then the pit (and then in the door first after the walk etc)...
Also let the collie be in the lead of the pit when walking (at your side, but not side by side with the pit, with the pit slightly behind)..
When feeding the dogs, put the collie's food down a few seconds before the pit..
Having the pit walk/eat etc at the same time shows her they are equals, and if she has a dominant nature to begin with, she'll assert herself over the collie to be 'first'...
if YOU're first, then choosing the chain of command, so to say, she may be less apt to assert herself over the collie (when you put the collie slightly before her).
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| Posted 1/29/13 4:28 PM |
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strongisland
All you need is love
Member since 8/07 2474 total posts
Name:
T
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Re: Introducing dogs to a new home?
my 2 are pullers too! and they are strong 75lbs as well
i switched from a collar to a harness and for me, made a HUGE difference- although they still pull somewhat (they've gotten better)-i can control them better--just a thought! :)
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| Posted 1/29/13 6:33 PM |
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halfbaked
LIF Adult
Member since 8/12 6937 total posts
Name:
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Re: Introducing dogs to a new home?
Posted by strongisland
my 2 are pullers too! and they are strong 75lbs as well
i switched from a collar to a harness and for me, made a HUGE difference- although they still pull somewhat (they've gotten better)-i can control them better--just a thought! :)
I'll definitely check it out. I've tried different training techniques, read books about it, Cesar Milan-ed these guys, and the pit still pulls. Any particular brand? I tried the gentle leader and it made no difference at all and they fought me every time I tried to put it on them.
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| Posted 1/30/13 8:50 AM |
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