Our little Toy Fox Terrier, Benny, likes to bully other dogs when he first meets them... he won't bite or anything... he just barks and he may act like he will bite but he never does (he bluffs). We have to bring him to meet the dog we are applying to adopt but i am afraid that he will bark and then the shelter will turn us down. Benny will be fine after the two dogs spend some time together (he usually takes 30-40 min. and after that he is fine with other dogs) but i am afraid the shelter will turn us down thinking he is a vicious dog. Any suggestions. I'm thinking of taking him to the dog park before we go to the meeting and try to socialize him with some other dogs. Do you think this is a good idea? And what else can i do? The dog we are looking at adopting is a 2 year-old female chihuahua and Benny is a 4 year-old male Toy Fox Terrier. Both are spayed/neutered. They are both in the same height/weight range.Thanks!
2006-12-31 16:35:32 · 8 answers · asked by DancerABT 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
You need to learn how to take control of Benny when he barks at other dogs. You may not think this but barking is him showing aggressive behavior towards other dogs.
So what you need to do is practice socializing him with other dogs before taking him to meet the new dog. Don't do it last minute and go to the dog park on the same day that you go to take Benny to meet the new dog. Instead start now! Take him to the dog park to meet other dogs and socialize with them, but before you go to the dog park AND before you go meet the new dog you should take Benny on a nice long walk.
Walk him for about 45 minutes. This way his energy is drained and will make him more managable for you to work with. Also dont forget to practice leadership while on your walks, simply make him heel by your side and walk him with the leash all the way at the top of the neck where it is the weakest and correct him by pulling towards you to the side whenever he tries to go ahead of you. Also make sure that he is calm when you put the leash on him and be sure your the one who walks out of the house FIRST.
Now when you take him to the dog park keep him on the leash and walk around the park with him. Allow other dogs to sniff him. If he does not allow them to do this then you need to make it happen. Simply grab him by the scruff on his neck and make him sit or stand or you can hold him, but make sure you are holding the scruff on his neck. The reason is that this is how the mother carries around her babies and it is a natural way for them to be held. It will also make him feel safe and will allow other dogs to sniff him.
When he decides to bark at another dog you simpley need to correct him. You can do this by having the leash in your hand with a choke chain on the very top of his neck and just give a firm tug and a command (ie "no") in a low, but deep voice. You can also give a firm touch with your foot or hand and then make him sit to calm him down.
When he is completly calm in the park then you may let him off the leash to freely visit with the other dogs. If you practice this with him before you go to meet the new dog then Benny should be set. He may bark at first, but once again still correct him and allow the new dog to smell him like I said before. And dont forget to tire him out on a long walk before you go to meet the new dog.
Good luck getting your new pup! Best of wishes to you and I garentee this will help you!
2006-12-31 16:57:46 · answer #1 · answered by Em 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Let him bark.
These folks are experienced in the wild ways of dogs and will know exactly what to look for.
Warn the people how he is, and tell them that he will settle down, but just let your doggie do his thing.
Keep in mind that the shelter's goal is to get the dogs adopted into great homes, they know what they're doing, if it seems like they aren't gonna get along, the right thing (if super sad) is to pass on that dog.
If they don't get along, keep looking, just because he didn't like that dog, doesn't mean you can't get a different one.
Ultimately, you are doing the right thing, both by going to a shelter and having them meet before you make a tragic mistake.
2007-01-01 00:45:34 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
The shelter you are adopting from should have a behavioral assesment done on each animal before putting him up to be adopted. They will determine if that animal is ok with other dogs or cats, or children. They should also be familiar with dogs who bark at other dogs (or cats, children, etc). You should discuss this issue with the behavioral assessment people at the shelter, and they will help you through the process of assessing whether your dog is a good match for the new dog.
2007-01-01 02:54:19 · answer #3 · answered by sim24 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
let him bark, more than likely the shelter will expect the meeting to take more than 30-40 minutes so they can see eachother starting to get along. Dogs are just like people, it takes time for them to get used to other people (or dogs in this case). If you still feel uncomfortable about this meeting, call the shelter and explain to them your situation, they'll understand.
2007-01-01 22:52:42 · answer #4 · answered by dog_luver714 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
let him act how he acts. this is the only way the shelter people will know if they are going to get along. if every dog acted perfect they would be out of business. they understand dog ways and as long as your terrier isn't aggressive i don't see any problems. if this is a behavior you do not like in him then i reccomend taking both of your new dogs to training. it will help the new dog bond with you and your older dog feel more comfortable that you are in charge and can help with unwanted behaviors from both dogs. good luck. and thank you for shopping at your local shelter!
2007-01-01 00:55:04 · answer #5 · answered by cagney 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The shelter staff should understand that dogs socialize and determine their dominance by barking. I would suggest some socialization before going to the shelter. You may also want to walk/exercise him to try to tire him out a bit beforehand so he is not so hyped up.
2007-01-03 23:20:37 · answer #6 · answered by falcongirl1974 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You might put a muzzle on him, one that will stop him from barking OR biting. He might be less likely to feel bullyish if he knows he can't defend himself. I'd try him muzzled with other dogs first, to see what happens. Also, keep them apart at first, allowing them to get used to seeing each other first, then sniffing each other. Don't rush them.
I have a domineering large dog.
This technique seemed to work for us, when I introduced a much smaller dog. It probably won't work for every dog, though.
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2007-01-01 00:46:44 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
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You can ask a breed expert on this portal
2007-01-01 05:23:47 · answer #8 · answered by manoj g 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋