Self-deleted. Connie and I were typing at the same time, and she fixed the missing post, and did a better job of it than I did!

Alas, the best efforts can still be subverted by a random nose to nose.

If not too intrusive, I offer the following personal observation or observations.

It has been my fortunate experience that immersion of a new dog into the ritual of the family, and that includes the family members that are mutts, works for me. Are there occasions when one dog or another takes issue with a new dog? Yup. That's where I come in.

Had a dust up two weeks ago between the two highest drive dogs in the family, and it happened because a piece of carrot got accidentally dropped on the floor. Two dogs went for the scrap at the same time and neither was inclined to back down. Happened in a heartbeat. A treat gets dropped on the floor all the time, well not all the time, and the dogs seem to respect the first come first served protocol Not the other day.

It was two GSDs who were focused on a fight to the exclusion of commands. You got to be a bit nuts to bust up two really angry GSDs. I qualify. They had to contend with a really, really angry fellow.

This all by way of noting that dogs who have been proximate to each other, who get along without attitude for months, can have a bad moment. The solution is to keep them separated for fear a bad moment might occur, or have them together as a lifestyle choice and be prepared to rectify a situation should it occur. I choose the latter.

I also choose to forgive myself for problems that might occur. Put another way, just as my four children infrequently had their moments that required a decisive intervention, so also do I understand that stuff happens with the GSDs that will also require a decisive intervention.

I do not tolerate bad behavior, which I also define. My rules. But stuff happens. I try to learn from it, put it into my things to be aware of folder, and get on with it. You have two really good dogs. They have a really good owner. But in the world of dog interaction, you are a human. You get to set the rules, enforce the rules, modify the rules, and create the atmosphere in which the dogs live. It is up to the dog to follow the rules, and not for you to feel bad when something goes amiss.

Stuff happens, and it may happen again. Life happens. If it happens every day the problem is more you than the dogs. If it happens once a year, it is on the dogs and a full moon.

Under no circumstance should you beat yourself up over a situation. Just get on with it. If you treat both dogs evenly, don't have a favorite, try to accommodate perceived idiosyncrasies, and set clear boundaries, then stuff will work out. That has been my experience.

And it is a human thing to ascribe characteristics more human than dog to dogs. It is also counter productive when setting boundaries for dog interaction.

The good news is that dogs forget quicker than people. Makes for an easy recovery from an incident if the human doesn't intrude too much in the recovery.

Too, too much coffee. Not very useful stuff but I'm trying to master this new laptop keyboard, with little success.

By the bye, the two mutts that went at it last week, are down, resting back to back at my feet. Go figure.

 Quote: Mike Arnold

Alas, the best efforts can still be subverted by a random nose to nose.

If not too intrusive, I offer the following personal observation or observations.

It has been my fortunate experience that immersion of a new dog into the ritual of the family, and that includes the family members that are mutts, works for me. Are there occasions when one dog or another takes issue with a new dog? Yup. That's where I come in.

Had a dust up two weeks ago between the two highest drive dogs in the family, and it happened because a piece of carrot got accidentally dropped on the floor. Two dogs went for the scrap at the same time and neither was inclined to back down. Happened in a heartbeat. A treat gets dropped on the floor all the time, well not all the time, and the dogs seem to respect the first come first served protocol Not the other day.

It was two GSDs who were focused on a fight to the exclusion of commands. You got to be a bit nuts to bust up two really angry GSDs. I qualify. They had to contend with a really, really angry fellow.

This all by way of noting that dogs who have been proximate to each other, who get along without attitude for months, can have a bad moment. The solution is to keep them separated for fear a bad moment might occur, or have them together as a lifestyle choice and be prepared to rectify a situation should it occur. I choose the latter.

I also choose to forgive myself for problems that might occur. Put another way, just as my four children infrequently had their moments that required a decisive intervention, so also do I understand that stuff happens with the GSDs that will also require a decisive intervention.

I do not tolerate bad behavior, which I also define. My rules. But stuff happens. I try to learn from it, put it into my things to be aware of folder, and get on with it. You have two really good dogs. They have a really good owner. But in the world of dog interaction, you are a human. You get to set the rules, enforce the rules, modify the rules, and create the atmosphere in which the dogs live. It is up to the dog to follow the rules, and not for you to feel bad when something goes amiss.

Stuff happens, and it may happen again. Life happens. If it happens every day the problem is more you than the dogs. If it happens once a year, it is on the dogs and a full moon.

Under no circumstance should you beat yourself up over a situation. Just get on with it. If you treat both dogs evenly, don't have a favorite, try to accommodate perceived idiosyncrasies, and set clear boundaries, then stuff will work out. That has been my experience.

And it is a human thing to ascribe characteristics more human than dog to dogs. It is also counter productive when setting boundaries for dog interaction.

The good news is that dogs forget quicker than people. Makes for an easy recovery from an incident if the human doesn't intrude too much in the recovery.

Too, too much coffee. Not very useful stuff but I'm trying to master this new laptop keyboard, with little success.

By the bye, the two mutts that went at it last week, are down, resting back to back at my feet. Go figure.

THANKS everyone for all of your assistance, Encouragement, and MENTORING

I count myself Very Lucky that my Male (who outweighs my Female by at least 15 POUNDS) broke off his attack at the First Moment when I verbally intervened soon as the fight started -- HE hit the ground in one nano-second & crawled to a "neutral corner" on his belly ... SHE wanted nothing more to do with any Self-Defense and ran over to her mat.

I did NOT punish either of them, just put each one away in their Separated Crates without treats, and we ALL went to bed overnight -- Everybody sensed the others were flooded with a lot of adrenaline, Tension, and STRESS ... Next day Adobe was extremely subdued (which is the opposite of normal for her) while Adonis was uncommonly assertive (which is not his usual demeanor either).

But by the second day following their Dust-Up, all upset was over between them, and the dogs had returned to acting like themselves -- Fortunately, neither one seems to be "keeping score" for which I am immensely grateful ... With my most recently former breed (AKITA) even just One Altercation frequently produces mortal enemies for LIFE and results in a crate-&-rotate household for the DURATION.

Due to my living situation & work circumstances, all dogs of mine must co-exist loose, Alone, TOGETHER in the home 5 days a week during business hours -- NO toys or treats are EVER left out for them to compete over at ANY time of day or night ... Close proximity to ME when I am present is their Most HIGH-VALUE Resource, and although Adobe is NOT interested in fighting him over sharing my personal space, evidently Adonis IS Willing to aggress in order to HOG my "nearness" all to himself IF she attempts to Pester Him while he's trying to RELAX at my FEET

Accordingly, I will be DOUBLY on GUARD in order to Prevent that Scenario from ever developing again !!!

Dog fights in dogs with a fine coat, so little protection of hair vs. teeth, can be a mess..... a lot easier than squabbles with hairy dogs. In particular, the ruff around a dogs neck really does offer protection.

Your bitch is really lovely. Hoping she can avoid battle wounds!

Thanks for the compliment on Adobe, Betty And yes, I'm really praying she won't end up DISFIGURED for LIFE, but I'm afraid it's still going to LOOK just AWFUL even after the damn thing heals The upper punctures are on her Right Shoulder and the lower punctures are on her right Rib Cage...

 Quote: Candi Campbell

 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.

Just wanted to "update the aftermath" with a Progress Report:

My dogs have completed their Second FULL Groundwork course following the fight -- Adobe & Adonis are now allowed "normal freedom" with me at home in the evenings, and they are Both BEHAVING Beautifully with each other once more, but I will NOT relax too soon this time around ... I am enforcing the Separation of Personal Space safety precaution of "You may lie down on This side of my chair while I watch a movie, and YOU may lie down on THAT side of it" so Adobe does NOT get into Adonis' business when I'm not focusing ALL of my concentration on THEM So far, so Great !!!