I apologize for the quality of some of the photo and video I'll be linking here.
Chance's first couple of days with us (pics):
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/113604136451184289972/albums/5961036217278280417/5961036222040286402
Chance with me in the office (video): https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10153657112900531&set=vb.601485530&type=3 (feel free to mute if you don't want to hear me talking like a crazy cat lady to the dog)

Getting him comfortable in a multiple dog household is appearing to be a long road. He's also starting to seem handshy and peed on the floor at one point when I gave him a moderately strong verbal reprimand for lunging towards the area the cats were in (I did not scream and yank, it was only a strong tone of voice) and I've seen a couple of times where he almost popped a squat when I reached down for him when he had something he's not allowed to, ie. a football. I'm thinking that he's gotten some pretty rough treatment overall, he's overtly submissive with humans but dominant with Duke and I'm trying to suss out the best way to keep let him gain comfort in the house without allowing him to feel that he can gain dominance over our other dog.

If he is on lead near Duke's crate, he essentially noses all around it and ignores Duke. Duke watches him in a relaxed fashion but most certainly STARES at him. I can easily video this if it would be helpful.

If Duke is on lead in the office when Chance is crated, Chance becomes agitated and barks/growls. He does not show teeth, doesn't go completely out of his head but does clearly not want Duke in there.

I can walk both dogs together on lead as long as we keep moving. I give copious praise when they ignore each other and move forward, or if they look at each other in a neutral fashion, and I move them apart if they get close and start posturing at each other at all. Given the chance, they will try to dominant mount each other - they are always immediately seperated, which normally results in Duke trying to back off and play in his own boneheaded way (spring backwards into a play bow with a very dominant face on) and Chance with a growl/snap - even when he's the one who initiated the contact.

(I will be cleaning the office up of stuff to give Chance a place to have a little downtime with no real correction needed with us.)

I wanted to continue daily walks with both dogs as that appears to be the best way to get Chance neutral about being around Duke, but I think I might be taking things too fast and may need to just give them a chance to get used to being in the same house (separately crated/tethered) before going back that route. Chance isn't sure how to play with dog toys (except the jolly ball) until he sees me play with Duke with that toy (Chance kenneled, Duke offlead in the fenced yard) so as of yet the only toy that he's really been interested in is the pickle pocket, which I leave in his crate as it seems to calm him to chew on it. He previously had a tennis ball chewing addiction. It is very evident on his teeth.

Ideas, input, criticism all welcome.

Things just got more interesting.
HW+ and a microchip, he was adopted from the local shelter 3.5 years ago. I had already contacted the first vet that the rescuer had taken the dog to, and they stated they didn't do a HW occult test and told me they had no microchip on file for the dog.. what a bunch of maroons.
Now I get to get ahold of this guy (I've already confirmed he's still here in town) and try to get him to transfer the microchip over before I fork out for HW treatment.

Hi, Kristen,


Good for you for doing this.


So the foster (Chance) seems to be shy/submissive with people but postures and tries to mount at least this one dog?

Any history of dog-dog aggression before, or do you know?

How long has Chance been with you?


On walks, one is on each side of you? (I'm tying to picture how they attempt mounting each other.) Are you walking on new streets (not where you always walked Duke before Chance came)? And you march right along at a good clip?

According to the information I was given, he has never so much as growled at a dog at a dog before.. but then again this dog was supposedly up to date on vetting. No one can find his records at the last vet he reportedly received care at. Still, at least he had a crash pad and food. I will be asking his 3rd owner about history once I'm armed with the paperwork on how to change the chip info, if I can find a functional contact number.

Walks are on each side, briskly. We are taking a route that hasn't been used by us in some time. Mostly attempts have been a quick turn around behind my back or when I try getting them through a doorway, duke first so I can sit him then chance behind me. I also will walk them both on lead around the back yard to try and make them a bit bored of each other. The most recent back yard walk was pretty uneventful and they both paid more attention to me than each other.

Chance has been here since 12/22, so I am hoping time makes the difference - with his upcoming hw treatment (immiticide? 3 treatments over 9 weeks) he's going to be so very restricted on activity - I am hoping that will make more positive associations than negative. There has to be a way I can use that.

This morning I took Duke, kenneled him, took Chance's morning rations and fed him a bit each time he came to me when I called his name as I stood near the kennel door. Food in the presence of another dog, but no competition. That went very well, though he did not eat much. Also, his highly motivating food has been found... cold pizza. Sigh.

"his highly motivating food has been found, cold pizza" A good excuse to order out )

Microchip information is outdated, one number is disconnected, the other no longer belongs to the original point of contact. So at least I can get that changed. I did talk to the shelter, he had no indication of dog aggression when he was there as he was in the adoption room and would have been in a kennel with other dogs. That was in 2010.

He peed on the floor last night because I thought the cats were in the back room, one was under the table, he was told NO when he wanted to chase it.. listened but peed. Sigh. My fault.

Things looked good this morning, a little more contact between the guys on the leash and everything stayed relaxed. All the appropriate parts were sniffled and there was no lunging, mounting, angry eyeballs or fixated stares. Slowly slowly does it.

He's starting to get the hang of luring and took to pulling a kid's wagon like he's done it a million times before, no concern at all for the thing on wheels behind him - short trips seem to be enough for the moment. Only a slight startle when a huge garbage can fell over in front of him. I'm working on marking when he drops items as 2 ball is the best way to keep him moving in the back yard.

Worked on Duke doing offlead obedience at a distance (with tossed rewards) while I had Chance on lead next to me - went very well! HW treatment starts in 1 week.

What a messy office!

I promise its cleaner now
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrGZlz1L9GA&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Forgot that this morning.. ballerina dog tries to fly.

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