Need some advise

[firewatch]

Hello! We have taken on a 9 month old female spaniel from a domestically unhappy situation, to go with our 6 month old neutered male lab. (she has mainly male human issues and no training!)

We researched it before to see if they would be ok together and all the pages we looked at said they should get along well.

We introduced them on neutral ground and they where ok, got them home and lucky the spaniel settled well. However, our lab - Sprite - has taken to attacking her, pinning her down, nipping her ears, dragging her by the throat etc. Hes drawn blood on one occasion, but then again they get on pretty well when not arguing (like now, both are asleep at my feet). We love them both dearly but cant understand why Sprites being so mean.

We know they need time to adjust to each other, but is there anything we can do to help this phase reach its climax??

[lankeela]

I suspect this is just puppy rough housing, and when she finds her feet she will start to tell him off. I have two pups, male six months and female 11 months and he now tries to grab her by the neck and drag her round to get her to play. She puts up with it for so long and then pins him. You could try distracting him by throwing a dummy or rope ragger, and get him interested in other things. Without seeing them in action its difficult to know how serious this is, but pups can play really rough and make lots of noise. Is it possible he left his litter mates at a young age and didn't get used to intereacting with them?

[firewatch]

He left his sister,mum and aunt at 12 weeks almost 13 weeks when we picked him up (he was the runt). She the spaniel was bred to work but to skittish to be trained (how they worked that one out we dont know, shes a fab little thing to train). Sprite is also humping lucky which i guess is because hes in his teenager phase, and lucky does it back. We spray him with water if he gets to rough, or my husband takes him outside to play. I thought it was just rough housing but it looks almost to rough. The worst thing sprite does is when lucky is lying on the floor he climbs onto the sofa then belly flops onto her.

[divegirl]

I agree with Lankeela here, sounds like puppy play! But what you have really [sort of] are two adolescent dogs so it will look a lot worse than it actually is. I would say it's was just unfortunate that blood was drawn!
IMO you'll soon find that the bitch rules the roost.... but for now, plenty of exercise, separate them for a while if it gets too much [I'm talking an hour or so....not days] and give them something to chew on to keep them occupied.
Ahh the joys of introducing older pups! They will calm down.....eventually lol.
How long have they been together?

Lisa x

[divegirl]

Sorry, just re-read that.

When I suggest giving them a chew I did mean when they are separated otherwise it will just give them another reason to 'argue'

Lisa x

[woofgang]

Please stop the water spray correction. Teach them both a time out command where you pop them both on leads, give them something chewy or a stuffed kong and keep them near you lying down. You dont want this phase to reach its climax, you want to teach them some self control.

[divegirl]

Whilst I do agree that the water spray is not always the right route it can help in a situation you [any owner] feel is getting out of control.
Okay we're not talking big angry dogs here but it can escalate and fast at times. I would suggest a very loud command along with the spray if that is what FW feels comfortable with for now,then eventually just the command, manners need working on I agree but take it takes time. You do need to get their attention first though. Clapping is also a good way to get the attention...or a loud whistle [could never do that one though lol].
I have 5 dogs and if they decide to get rough I just give a very loud OI OI and it ends, took a while to get to this point though!!!!

Lisa x

[woofgang]

divegirl the answer is to do your absolute best to manage the situation so it doesn't get out of control. I have two large maniacs myself so I know whereof I speak.

[divegirl]

Me too hun... Two Great Danes....mind you it's not them that cause the trouble it's the 12 year old demented Yorkie :0/ lol Wouldn't have them any other way though.

Lisa x

[firewatch]

Thanks guys, we have both of them crate trained so they go for time out if it gets to much. At the minute i have the spaniel my husband the lab, whos just hogged the sofa!!

Only since tuesday Divegirl, so they are still in the early stages.

When we are out walking, if sprite starts a fight he goes on the lead an vise versa.

Lucky is just the cutest thing, shes deffinatley a mummys girl.

[divegirl]

Ahhhh, well done you for giving her a second chance in a loving home, it will get better....I promise!

Lisa x

[firewatch]

I yip very loudly to get there attention sound demented but it does work, we use clickr whistles to train them as well and they respond to both vocal and whistle commands. Our toddler makes us laugh she tells them off to but keeps calling lucky a boy!

[firewatch]

http://gis.worcesters.../website/Countryside/

[firewatch]

ignore the last one

[FredPuli43]

They won't kill one another ! This is surely what Lankeela is describing; rough housing by youngsters. Perfectly normal.

My lot of little ones fight like demons sometimes, and have done regardless of age, or age differences, over everything and nothing; very alarming if you're not used to seeing 5 piling in, sometimes onto the one who's losing (they have no idea of fair play), with screaming and fur flying, and each having parallel fights with any who's in the way; but the whole thing ends quite quickly and they're all friends again within minutes. Blood is drawn regularly in these encounters, though very little harm is done. Intervening is rash; in the excitement, they'll bite the human when trying to bite each other!

You've got the same thing but on a much smaller scale, with two. They'll settle down. There may be conflicts to come, but they won't amount to much or be frequent.

[Nosha123]

How lucky she is to have found such an understanding new doggy owner!

[firewatch]

Shes such a wonderful critter, i have all ways loved spaniels and would have a charlie if i could trust there would no health problems. Been leaving them to it this morning and so far not to bad.

[lankeela]

Rather surprised at your comment re health problems, do you think there are none with working spaniels? http://totallygundogs...ing-working-spaniels/

[lankeela]

Most breeds/crossbreeds can be susceptible to health problems, which is why responsible breeders will test their breeding stock. If people buy from untested stock then they should not be surprised if they get problems.

[firewatch]

Lankeela, we are aware that most breeds are in some way effected by genetic conditions due in no doubt to the constant breeding to 'improve' the breed.

We are aware of some of the illness's you mentioned but not the fucosidosis, which sounds appalling!

From her breeding papers which she came with we can see her family have been tested, but not her litter as it was an accidental breeding.

[lankeela]

Wasn't having a go, but your reply just goes to reinforce my point. Even if it was accidental the pups could end up with problems, and all breeders will get the blame for as you put it 'constant breeding to improve the breed'. There are many many dogs bred that don't have health testing of any kind yet when there are problems people always make sweeping statements about 'pedigree dog breeders' when hundreds of people have gone out and bought those puppies - I would make sure I was spending my hard earned cash on buying a health tested puppy rather than a cheap alternative that could well end up with problems. Trouble is people usually want a puppy 'today' rather than wait for one from a reputable breeder who may not have a litter planned for months or even years. I waited four years for a Smooth Collie from the lines I wanted.