As some here may recall, I adopted a rescue Dobie last June 21st, when Shaka my beloved & devoted Akita passed with cancer -- I named my new girl Adobe, because with her natural-born Ears & Tail, most folks don't know she's "A Dobie" (nark-nark-nark) !!! And then, since Dobermans are like chips (so you can't just have one, ha-ha) this April 19th I adopted an all-natural male also from Dobie Rescue in Fillmore, CA ... I'm calling him Adonis because that name fits perfectly & it goes well with Adobe She has a very Intense & Drivey temperament, while his nature is more "relaxed & placid".
MANY THANKS to Kelly @ Leerburg and Connie Sutherland for my dogs' PIX as a Sig-Tag !!!

Nice looking dogs, ears and all.

Congratulations on your new addition! I thought something might be up when I noticed your new sig pic in another post today.

I hope your experience with two Dobermans will be as great as mine has been. I really can't imagine going back to just one. It really is twice the fun, twice the love, twice the entertainment. Yes, twice the work, twice the training, and twice the poop to pick up, but so very worth it!

So now that it's been a few weeks, what do Adobe and Adonis think of each other? How are they getting along?

Very nice! Good for you!

 Quote: Duane Hull

Nice looking dogs, ears and all.

Thanks, Duane
My son also has an all-natural pair at his house, with their Ears & Tails still intact -- We always get those and the dilutes, since no one wants them, so they languish in rescue for YEARS without being adopted ... But the general public constantly comments on "How Beautiful" these Dobies are !!!

 Quote: Mike Arnold

Very nice! Good for you!

Thanks, Mike It's been a challenge, LOL.

 Quote: Cheri Grissom

Congratulations on your new addition! I thought something might be up when I noticed your new sig pic in another post today.
I hope your experience with two Dobermans will be as great as mine has been. I really can't imagine going back to just one. It really is twice the fun, twice the love, twice the entertainment. Yes, twice the work, twice the training, and twice the poop to pick up, but so very worth it!

Since I leave the house for work @ 5:30 AM daily, there's no time to do real Poop Patrol in the dark, so I got this brain-storm: I pour clay-based Kitty Litter with bio-enzymes on the fresh Dog-Do, and by late afternoon when I get home, VOILA' it's all dried up & easier to manage, LOL...

 Quote: Cheri Grissom

So now that it's been a few weeks, what do Adobe and Adonis think of each other? How are they getting along?

I progressed by "baby steps" through the initial Introduction & Integration process -- All was advancing well UNTIL last night (we're into week FOUR now) ... I was preoccupied & distracted over a serious catastrophe that had taken place in the office yesterday, so I lost my focus & concentration on Dog Management Duty at home, which resulted in a momentary DUST-UP

A classic case of Handler Error so I am totally beating myself up over this needless set-back in my dogs becoming Peaceful Packmates !!! Adobe had provoked Adonis, but was then shocked & scared !@#$%&-LESS when he actually Jumped Her -- They disengaged instantly when I issued a verbal DEATH THREAT, but alas, by then the psychological damage had already been done ... He's currently in "neener-neener-neener" mode, while she's in "I Sure Messed That Up" mode, and I'm SICK to my STOMACH.

Hang in there! I know you come from a lot of experience with rescue dogs and owning multiple dogs. It would be a pretty rare thing, I think, for two adult dogs who never knew each other previously, then suddenly found themselves living together, to not try and test each other occasionally (or test the human!). It will take a bit more time for you to learn all of Adonis's quirks and attitudes, both individually and how he interacts with Adobe, plus how her own attitudes may alter in his presence. It sounds like, in the incident you describe, you understand exactly why it happened, so you now know how to prevent it from happening again. Time and patience, and of course vigilant management.

 Quote: Cheri Grissom

Hang in there! I know you come from a lot of experience with rescue dogs and owning multiple dogs. It would be a pretty rare thing, I think, for two adult dogs who never knew each other previously, then suddenly found themselves living together, to not try and test each other occasionally (or test the human!). It will take a bit more time for you to learn all of Adonis's quirks and attitudes, both individually and how he interacts with Adobe, plus how her own attitudes may alter in his presence. It sounds like, in the incident you describe, you understand exactly why it happened, so you now know how to prevent it from happening again. Time and patience, and of course vigilant management.

THANKS for the Encouraging Words, my cyber friend !!! When I got home from work yesterday, all was Sweetness & Light between them AGAIN I am extending HIS ground-work protocol for a Second Full go-round, and I'm also putting HER through another ground-work Refresher Course just for good measure -- Yes, I definitely know what Adonis' Trigger issue is now & where my Lapse in Diligence occurred ... SHAME on ME for sure, and at least THEY are Interacting Peacefully once more, but VIGILANT Management Is VITAL on my part.

Edited by Connie Sutherland (05/13/2015 01:16 PM)
Edit reason: fix broken post

 Quote: Duane Hull

Nice looking dogs, ears and all.

Yep, ditto!