Hello, my niece is bringing her dog to live with us for a couple months. Her dog is a mix breed, medium size dog. We have a young miniature Australian Shepherd. Almost 1 year. Last night when they met the larger dog was aggressive and pawed my pup. How do I get these to dogs to get along. Now the pup wont even go near the visiting dog. What can I do to bring them together without my pup getting hurt.??

If it's only for a couple of months, I wouldn't do anything but manage them separately. You'd possibly spend a lot of energy sweating the interaction only to have your pup get traumatized. By the time you get them to live together, the visitor will be gone. Set the visitor up with his own space, away from the pup's usual living area.

If you're bound and determined, Ed has articles about introducing a mature dog into another dog's home.

JMO

 Quote: Susan Brandi Smith

Hello, my niece is bringing her dog to live with us for a couple months. Her dog is a mix breed, medium size dog. We have a young miniature Australian Shepherd. Almost 1 year. Last night when they met the larger dog was aggressive and pawed my pup. How do I get these to dogs to get along. Now the pup wont even go near the visiting dog. What can I do to bring them together without my pup getting hurt.??

Is it definitely just 2 months? Personally, I'd separate them. Carefully and with no slip-ups.

There are protocols for meeting (which weren't followed if this new dog had the opportunity to bully your dog), such as Ed's: http://leerburg.com/introducingdogs.htm

This intro period (especially with a dog who has already shown aggression) can take weeks (maybe more). It involves always being leashed. It isn't guaranteed, either. That's why I say that for two months, I'd probably separate them.

If you decide to go with Ed's intro protocol, you'll need crates and leashes. IMO, two crates will be absolutely necessary.

You can't make them get along. You can follow the steps carefully and you can manage them. You can't make them get along, though. There are members here who have had to separate two dogs in their homes forever. (Big PITA, but definitely doable for two months.)

Your dog can't be terrorized in his own home. He needs definite knowledge that he is protected by his pack leader. If his pack leader isn't on the job 100%, he'll live with anxiety and fear, and he may take what he sees as needed self-protection steps.

Good for you for asking and not just "letting them work it out" (NEVER the right choice, IMO).



ETA
I see another post was made while I was typing.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

Personally, I'd separate them. Carefully and with no slip-ups.

You can follow the steps carefully and you can manage them. You can't make them get along, though.

Your dog can't be terrorized in his own home. He needs definite knowledge that he is protected by his pack leader. If his pack leader isn't on the job 100%, he'll live with anxiety and fear, and he may take what he sees as needed self-protection steps.

Good for you for asking and not just "letting them work it out" (NEVER the right choice, IMO).

Both the above posts are spot on, and what I'd suggest as well. I've spent more than one holiday in a house where multiple dogs were managed through separation, to avoid conflicts. For just a week (or in this case, even a few months) it really isn't worth the trouble of laying all the groundwork (kindly noted above) that would be protocol for properly introducing a new dog into a home with an existing dog (so many people underestimate what this entails&hellip

It's good to remember here that it sounds like there is a respectable size difference between the 2 animals in question, which raises the stakes of the ill-advised "let them work it out" option even higher.

Playing it safe - managing the dogs through separation - will result in guaranteed safety all around, and dramatically reduced stress for the humans and dogs alike. Once you have a routine set up, 2 months will fly by.

~N