I just had one comment...

If you are such a perfect and fast trainer, why ask for opinions at all?

You have been given a wealth of advice by people who KNOW, and I mean KNOW, dogs and yet you throw it back in their face. Every warning, or bit of information, you take and then refute it with your training expertise! Read the article on introducing dogs, everything that is said in there is said here. No one is trying to tell you that you have a vicious basenji eating dog. They are telling you how to have the best chance at having a well established pack, that doesn't fight in the future (nothing is a guarantee). Is it because you are not hearing what you want to hear?

Sometimes, I just don't get people.

Good luck with the intros.

Sorry everyone about my rant...

 Quote: connie sutherland

"you're moving way way too fast with this."
I train faster than most people.

This is dog-dog intro under discussion. There is nothing, really NOTHING to be gained by rushing it .... and plenty to lose.

The more experienced I get, the longer it takes me to train. Experience teaches that it's better to take your time and do it right than to creat a situation that you may not be able to come back from. I'm just saying...

Years ago I had a situation similar to the one in the original post, and I didn't listen either. It cost me about $1500 in emergency vet bills in about 10 seconds, and meant over 200 stitches and six weeks of recovery time for one of the dogs.

I had another situation that went from 'fine' to 'not so fine' in a nano-second. That one took three people and a garden hose to break up, and I almost lost one of the dogs.

I HATE dog fights and never take the safety of dog/dog interactions for granted. I would hate to see the little dog in the OP get injured or worse.

 Quote: Niomi Smith

No one is trying to tell you that you have a vicious basenji eating dog. They are telling you how to have the best chance at having a well established pack ....

 Quote:

So I used it to introduce the two sheps, and gave them each treats while one was sitting or laying calmly and the other was sitting in her crate calmly and "clicked" or said "yes" when they looked at the other dog and no body language changed (ie, they stayed calm).

Hmmm. Interesting.

Donna,

There was a discussion recently on the forum regarding folks who post a question and ask for advice, then don't take the advice and quickly develop an attitude about those giving the requested advice. What was distressing to me about that post was the fact that several of our more senior / highly experienced members commented on how they hardly offer advice anymore due to this fact... Why bother trying to help someone who really needs help, but appears to only want to listen to what they WANT to hear, not what they need to hear? Kinda seems like a waste of their time, doesn't it?

It was brought out that even with this type of individual, the one asking for input but not really open to learning anything new or about which they might be doing incorrectly, although THEY may not be learning, many of the rest of us are becoming better trainers/owners from the advice given (to the person who isn't listening). I've seen a few of these talented trainers begin offering their invaluable advice again...

I hope you are also open to learning as they are in offering advice. I'd hate to be the only one learning from your post.

Sorry, I AM reading all of the advice and learning from this post. Your posts go into the dark recesses of my brain and linger. Then I will put them to work. over time. it takes time to change.

I enjoy this site, I am a repeat customer and frequently refer people here for the DVDs and info. Didn't mean to appear argumentative. Should have been more appreciative.

I have had dogs for a long time. In the past I raised 1 pup at a time and got another pup when that dog got into the teens. For awhile I didn't have any new dogs. Now I've got multiple, adult dogs with different challenges. I'm enjoying learning more about training and dog psychology.

As for why not take "THE TIME"? Good question. Probably because ...

When I see that progress can be made, I try to make progress (okay, I should slow down).

Sometimes I forget to breathe (okay, I should slow down)

I've successfully introduced other dogs and it didn't take long time (okay, i got lucky, this time I should slow down)

I'd like all the dogs to be together in the yard so I don't have to kennel them (so what, slow down).

I believe dogs live in the present (I can't argue that w/ my self).

I watch way too much Cesar Milan if that explains anything (I'm doomed).

I'm an expert horse trainer and sometimes I think I can train dogs, too (doubly doomed). LOL

 Quote: donna j. deyoung

Sorry, I AM reading all of the advice and learning from this post. Your posts go into the dark recesses of my brain and linger. Then I will put them to work. over time. it takes time to change.

I enjoy this site, I am a repeat customer and frequently refer people here for the DVDs and info. Didn't mean to appear argumentative. Should have been more appreciative.

I have had dogs for a long time. In the past I raised 1 pup at a time and got another pup when that dog got into the teens. For awhile I didn't have any new dogs. Now I've got multiple, adult dogs with different challenges. I'm enjoying learning more about training and dog psychology.

As for why not take "THE TIME"? Good question. Probably because ...

When I see that progress can be made, I try to make progress (okay, I should slow down).

Sometimes I forget to breathe (okay, I should slow down)

I've successfully introduced other dogs and it didn't take long time (okay, i got lucky, this time I should slow down)

I'd like all the dogs to be together in the yard so I don't have to kennel them (so what, slow down).

I believe dogs live in the present (I can't argue that w/ my self).

I watch way too much Cesar Milan if that explains anything (I'm doomed).

I'm an expert horse trainer and sometimes I think I can train dogs, too (doubly doomed). LOL

There ya' go Donna. Good on ya'. There are many similarities in training horses and dogs, and if you were having aggression/dominant issues with a horse, we would be telling you to go slooowly in making progress too!

Things have to simmer in my mind as well. I was very "closed minded" to the information on show line vs working line dogs a year and a half a go... Eventually realized that these folks know more than I do and learned to leave my ego behind and open my mind. It works! You have NOTHING to lose by going slower, and LOTS to lose by rushing things.

Edited by Barbara Schuler (07/28/2010 04:35 PM)
Edit reason: yet one more typo

Hehe....sounds like you've got it

Don't be too quick to dismiss the horse connection either. I have a life-long history with horses too (dressage mostly, but my daughter dragged me through her eventing too, lol) and believe me it helps to have already developed some instincts with animals, even if one is a predator, and the other is prey.