I did not realize that this was something that needed to be corrected until a recent thread so here we go. We got our puppy at 10 weeks and were told by a "puppy specialist" that our 6 year old terrier and the puppy needed to "work things out by themselves". I did not like that since the younger one was harassing the older one like no tomorrow and constantly beat up on him. I did not know any better at the time, this was pre-Leerburg. They have been kept separate since the beginning of the summer when we started groundwork. How do I correct the dog/dog bond? They are 1.5 years female (spayed) and 6 years old male (neutered). Both are terriers.

 Quote: Linda West

They have been kept separate since the beginning of the summer when we started groundwork. How do I correct the dog/dog bond? They are 1.5 years female (spayed) and 6 years old male (neutered). Both are terriers.

Not sure how bonded your dogs are but the groundwork should increase their bond with you which would lessen their dependence on one another. Not ever having been brave enough to enter the world of a multi-dog household...I'm not sure if correcting their bond is what you want to do. I would work on individually becoming the center or their lives but that is coming from the single dog home; it may be best to wait to hear from others with multiple dogs.

Lenka, To clarify - your new pup beat up on the older dog and developed a bad relationship?

You have since begun keeping them separate but hope they will eventually be able to be friends?

I think that Sheila has said most of what I would have.

I kept my dogs seperated until my male was 2 years old. She just would not tollerate his crap at all. Other than for walks together after he was about 6 mo old. But we walked & there was not silliness tollerated. No posturing, no hard eye contact no physical contact was allowed. We walked, period. I would physically control the pup & just not allow him to be bugging her. She would have just taken him out if he pushed her too far, so it had to not be allowed to start.

By keeping them seperated,(she was already 3) he became bonded to me, not her. I work them together & seperately. There are some pack mentalities that go on, but I am the center of their world.

Groundwork is very important & many people overlook the value of it. Many people find it easier to let the dogs pack up & work things out. It is not fair to any of the dogs to do this. But it is the general public's way to do things. Ergo: dog parks etc. Sooner of later, some dog pays the price.

I would work your dogs seperately until you get to the point that your dogs look at you when ever it is time to train, go for a walk etc & not around for the other dog. Eventually, I would even use one dog in a crate within sight while training the other dog as a distraction. It may take months to get that kind of individual bond with each dog since it has been 1 1/2 yrs. But it could be sooner, depends on the dogs.

I would not take them for walks together, though. I would not rush it. I know it is double the work, but it usually is with multiple dogs. Possibly you could eventually get someone to walk with you & take their dog & you take one of yours & look for the dog to pay attention to you only, not the other dog & see how that goes. At some point, maybe you & hubby can take a short walk together, even if it is just up & down the driveway, each with one of the dogs & see how that goes. Or have someone else walk one of the dogs & you with one. If the dog started to focus on the other dog...ask for a 'watch me' command, (teach this)to get their focus back on you.

You will have to just take the time & work at it & see what works & how it goes.

I honestly never had this problem, because it didn't allow it from the begining....but this is how I would go about it if I had to take it on or help a friend work thru the problem.

Hopefully it helps. There may be others here that have worked thur this with their dogs & can help you more.

ETA.....it is possible that you may never get these dogs to 'get along' together without the younger one bulling the older one or at least trying to do so if they are free together. But I would sure put in the effort & try to see if it can be worked out. If you can eventually walk them together & would stick with this for a few months before ever trying to have them out together in the house & when I did do that, they would both be on lines with you on one & hubby holding the other line. I would travel do this road for a long time before letting go of the lines one at a time for a while & if all goes well eventually the other loose too. But you may always have to be vigilent watching these dogs. One goof & they will be back to square one again.

Good luck.

Lots of good info above, but I disagree on one point. I would walk them together, and for long distances until both are beginning to tire. If you watch Cesar Millan, that's one step in his "pack" building process. It has certainly helped with our dogs.

(note - I assume these are smaller terriers. It might not be possible with large, powerful Sheps which is, I'm sure, the reason Anne walked hers seperately).

Recently with ours, I walked the large, dominant Akita/GSD mix with the italian greyhound, who thought he wanted to be dominant. Several walks later, both of these guys were very tolerant of one another. Understand, these were very brisk, 2-3 mile walks. We were all pooped at the end.

To correct you Rob: I walked mine together after the pup was 6 months old. I wanted to have a puppy that was able to walk on a leash well enough & to have some ability to focus on me & not on on my female.

BTW... I would not in a million years be walking a puppy for extended distances.

I would still do goundwork with these dogs before expecting them to walk together & focus on the owner & not eachother, since there is already issues with these dogs that are not under control(small or not).

Thanks guys. I will have to take them for walks together because tomorrow it's back to school so I will simply not have the time to take each one separately. They are small terriers. Also they have this jealousy thing going on. I make sure I feed the older one first and the little one is mad! I don't feed her until she is done with her barking. But this happens every meal and every time I am taking them out. The bigger one never used to have a problem with being left behind but now he does the same thing if I have to for example take her out before him. She has had UTI so I have to take her out pretty frequently and he howls every time. Same thing the other way round. When there is some perceived advantage the other dog has a fit. Is this a part of the issue above or something else and how do I deal with it.

Barbara, yes, that is correct.

 Quote: linda west

When there is some perceived advantage the other dog has a fit. Is this a part of the issue above or something else and how do I deal with it.

Have you considered giving the one "left behind" something to do while taking the other out? Perhaps a kong filled with a healthy treat or a treat cube with the meal (unless you are feeding RAW).

 Quote: Anne Jones

BTW... I would not in a million years be walking a puppy for extended distances.

These dogs are adults, right?