Bonding olly and dolly

[andic]

Well today's the day we have taken dolly on a trial to see if she'll make a good friend for olly. There's has been quite a bit of raised heckles and erect tails from both over last hour so muzzles are securely on. She keeps standing over him and looking down at him and he gives me big scaredy face and runs upstairs to his bed as she won't do the stairs!!

I'm trying to let them sort it out and ignore them now muzzles are on but I've had a really bad bonding experience before so starting to feel anxious which I know isn't great.

Any tips would be great, I've read everything possible online, but always helps!!

Thank you
Andrea

[pat]

Hi Andrea
please be very firm and put her in her place , she is trying to be boss and if you let her she will be boss over him, stop her in her tracks immediately she does it, ring me if you have a problem
pat

[andic]

Thanks Pat, I'll make sure I start to tell her no, she seems to understand that word already so that's good.

[suethejam]

It's difficult on such a gloomy day, but exercise is a good bonding thing too - a good walk so that you become a 'migrating pack' can make all the difference.

I don't think that there's any harm in Olly running upstairs out of the way - I think it's good for them to have a 'safe place' to retreat to.

We had some niggles when Poppy and our Ollie moved in - the first 24 hours were a worry but then they worked out who was who in the pack and within a week they were fine. Lou and Ty had their refuge upstairs because P & O wouldn't go upstairs - that helped to defuse any tension. Now Ollie goes upstairs as well but that hasn't caused any issues - they've been together for 5 weeks now and are bonding well.

I'm sure yours will be fine - just remember that YOU are the pack leader and can come down firmly on any behaviour that you don't approve of.

Best of luck with it all - if it's any consolation we found that moving from one to two was the hardest step - any that you add thereafter are easy :-D

[andic]

Thanks Sue, it really does help getting reassurance. Think I also need to take the "personalisation" out of it too as feel very sorry for Olly, even though I'm doing this for him to have a playmate!

Should I keep muzzles on or off? They've just had dinner ok and olly has popped back upstairs so muzzles are off.

Also, should I just leave her downstairs tonight or take her up? She did the stairs with a lead on but won't go up on her own, I'm thinking the house before either didn't have stairs or she wasn't allowed.....

Sorry for questions.

Thank you

[suethejam]

I'm not sure on the muzzles - it's a judgement call - we never use muzzles on ours and haven't had any problems.

I wouldn't make any special effort to take her upstairs tonight unless you particularly want her to sleep up there.

The advice given by Battersea Dogs Home was to leave a newly homed dog downstairs for the first night or two and ignore any crying etc so that they don't become too dependent on you. That worked when we had one dog but not when we had two - Lynx and Ty came upstairs from the start but we never had any bother - Lou just told them where they were and weren't allowed to go and that was that :-)

Don't worry about asking questions - Poppy and Ollie are rescue dogs number 7 and 8 for us - we still get the dog books out and check whether we're doing the right thing - every time!!

[andic]

Thanks again Sue, I'll leave the muzzles off and go from there, Olly only wore one for first few months when walking out, so he looked at me as if I'd lost the plot!!

I'll pop a bed at the bottom of the stairs for her tonight, and as I know she could come upstairs if she really wants too, it'll be her call. She seems very settled and wagging her tail in her sleep (olly is still hiding upstairs!).

It's ollys walk time soon so sure he'll be making an appearance soon!

So you're a pro at this rescuing business, that's really handy to know and the advice is greatly appreciated.

Sorry to hear about poppy too, was just reading your post, what a shock for you, hope she makes a full recovery.

Thanks

[suethejam]

We're only pros until we get to the next new and unexpected behaviour/crisis - usually every 10 minutes or so with our lot!

The vet thinks that our hounds deserve a chapter of their own in the medical dictionary because they keep coming up with new things for us to worry about!!!!

Poppy is doing remarkably well - we've never had a dog have a stroke before so we didn't know that they could recover - we thought she was a goner for sure!

[andic]

That's really funny sue, I can imagine the vet getting out their "sue pack" manual if all else fails!

So pleased Poppy is doing well, I hadn't actually heard of a dog having a stroke before until I got Olly, I had a boxer several years ago who died just before her 5th birthday of lymph cancer, I was shocked back then that dogs could get cancer! It was then I realised I needed to brush up on my dog history......

Well both dogs are soundo, olly upstairs, dolly at her new foster dads feet, so let's see what the first night has to bring. I may even curl up with dolly in a minute and have a sleep, it's been a mad day!

[andic]

Hello, quick update. Dolly had really good night, Michael stayed downstairs with her to help her settle. Olly played hard to get this morning for his morning cuddles on the bed but gave in eventually!! Think that's helped as he came straight downstairs with me this morning and both dogs went running in garden playing together. Then the magic happened..... They laid on their beds downstairs together and were happy to have double tickles.

I'm feeling a lot better seeing this so hopefully that'll help.

Baby steps :0)

[sueb]

Andrea
They do take a few day to settle and decide who is top dog. With our 2 I do think Nelly tried a litltle to be top dog but Brennan was having none of it- surprisingly for such a wuss! I did keep their muzzles on at night for the first week just in case, as they were sleeping downstairs together. There were a few incidents where Bren lunged at Nelly when they were on their beds and she let out screams, even though he didn't touch her, but all settled quickly afterwards.
Its lovely that your 2 are happy to sleep on their beds together. Don't forget to post some pictures ( mind you I can talk, I'm hopeles at doing that!)

[andic]

Thanks Sue, she really is a little gem and has so many positives. Again olly has spent the day upstairs, he's not eating and I'm having to drag him down for the loo, he really is a big wuss!

Nice long walk again later, that's the only time he seems to want to be near her.

Come on olly, play nicely :0)

[yvonned]

Congratulations on your new addition, I'm sure Olly will come round soon, perhaps he's having a little sulk now that he has to share your attention.

[pumalass]

Hi when we brought Beau home,Mersey was not happy at first and would keep out of his way, we put it down to losing our boy Bart as we only brought Beau home as Mersey was missing Bart so much she was hiding away all the time and we were worried about her. Beau is a gentle but lively lad and very vocal and I think Mersey got worried as he used to have a lot of bad dreams and would growl in his sleep, that was last August they get on really well now although they like there own space and Beau although comes up to say good morning still sleeps down stairs and Mersey like Bart goes upstairs to bed every night.

I suppose I am saying just give them time they will work it out and get on.
Chris

[andic]

Hi Yvonne, hope you're well?
We've got dolly on a weeks trial at moment to see if olly will accept another friend into the house as he had a bad bonding experience before partly due to my inexperience and clash in doggy personalities!

Problem is I've fallen in love with her, not him! I'm considering an upstairs dog and downstairs dog, but may just need to build a balcony upstairs for ollys loo breaks :0)