I am in need of help! I recently, adopted a 2 year old, Male neutered in April, Neapolitan Mastiff from a rescue group. I was assured the dog was totally submissive---I have 4 other dogs at home and would never risk their safety. I introduced my 18 month old, intact Male, English Mastiff--generally he gets along with other dogs (9 out of 10), although there has been a couple of incidents where he on leash lunged but was immediately corrected---to the new dog on the sidewalk in front of my house. At first, all tails were wagging, they were side by side doing the butt sniff, then the Neo stiffened up and put his head of my Mastiff's back. In turn, my Mastiff bit the Neo on his mouth drawing blood. Thankfully, no stitches required. Now, I feel like I have the Bloods and the Crips living in my house. I have the Neo crated and rotate them throughout the day and night. They can see each other, and typically the Neo barks up a storm from his crate causing the Mastiff to try to go in. Usually, there is a stare down first.
The Neo gets along with my other dogs--although he tried the same dominant stance with my Rottweiler---and the Rottie just gave him a sharp bark and he fell down on his tummy.
I need advice. I want the two Mastiffs to get along. I am getting my English Mastiff neutered in a couple of weeks, hoping this helps but he really looks as if he wants to kill the Neo.

Thank you in advance.
Michele

This new dog is a bit older then your other male. He may feel somwhat threatened by this new addiditon & where that will leave him in the new pack structure. Especially since you already have a four dog pack. He is starting to mature & that can cause problem, even in an existing pack. Sometimes dogs just don't EVER get along. Whent thru all this on another thead. You should always be prepared when bringing a new dog into your pack that this is a possiblility & that they may need to be kept seperated forever. If people aren't willing to take this kind of lifestyle on, if it comes to that, then they shouldn't take on another dog. Often times neutering a dog at a later date, not young puppyhood, doesn't change their behaviors, they have already become ingrained. Good luck.

 Quote: Michele Newtz

.... I was assured the dog was totally submissive--

No one can assure someone of this.

Wanting two dogs to get along has very little to do with whether they do or not.

Anne is absolutely correct that you may have to keep them separated, which is one of the things that we all have to accept as a possibility when we create a dog-pack.

I'd eliminate the ability of the dogs to see each other in their crates, or for one uncrated dog to approach and threaten the crated dog. I would do that immediately.

By the way, if you respond now to this, not allowing anyone to be hurt or to be terrorized, you have a pretty good chance that great leadership will ease the situation a lot.

JMHO.

Thank you! I am working hard on myself and with the dogs to know that I am the LEADER of this pack. I have corrected any barks, growls & stare downs and I can feel some of the tension drifting away. However, I plan to keep them apart until they ignore each other and I get muzzles for both. Then, it's walk, walk, walk together time.