Trying to get my two labs together - Sky 10 yrs and Red 16 wks. Sky who is very gentle, really doesn't want to know Red, in fact frightenened of her. Tonight, I have tried Julie's tip of harness on younger and pulling her back when she lunges, leaps etc. Started doing sit, down, stand games with them both in front of me and treating - excellent. Both within inches of each other and doing everything synchronised - made DH and I smile . Need more ideas please for doing more of this. I know we still have to put them together to sort themselves out (supervised) but for the moment, maybe this approach will help.
Well done! That sounds like good progress. We often have puppies and young dogs visiting. Lilly is a bit of a grumpy girl. They seem to soon learn, these pesky puppies. If she does play and sometimes we are surprised that she instigates it!) it tends to involve a soft toy/tuggee and a game of tug. Not quite sure how to encourage that, but better tug with a toy than tug with Sky's lower lip
Find it games are good. Train it separately first. So throw kibble on the floor and say 'find it'. It's the easiest thing the world to play. The dog learns to look for kibble (later it's best to move this to toys because it makes an even better game) on the cue 'find it'. Then you can make it a bit harder, and gradually make it harder and harder until the pup will search a room on the cue 'find it. You don't need to advance it too far before you can use it with the two dogs together. Just throwing down a handful of really tiny treats - on a smooth but not slippery surface is best - and say FIND IT! Then you can get the dogs happily sniffing round together. In no time at all, this will work in the garden etc. and both dogs will happily sniff out treats together. You can combine this with training an attention getting cue. If my puppy was annoying my older dog (these days it's more mad play between them than anyone being annoyed) I raised my arm with a fistful of kibble and said 'ready!' when they looked at me, I said 'find it!' and threw down the kibble. 'Ready!' is now a great interrupter cue. I used it to good effect when Betsy had her first pheasant and was messing about. 'Ready!' had her looking up, and 'Find it' had her moving away from the pheasant. Worked like a dream.
Thank you. Will definitely do the 'find it' game separately today with a view to them doing this together. Sky is extremely food orientated and as she never had treats when she was young for training, she is well up for her 'share' even if they are tiny treats or kibble! Will try the tug toy game at some point but not sure this would work as Sky has never liked tuggy toys. A ball has been about the only thing, she has loved to retrieve in the past. Now she is an old lady and has what we assume is arthritis in her front legs, she is getting stiff and refusing walks. It was good to see her animated last night and this morning she immediately came and stood by the kitchen gate to check Red out for a minute. Usually she is in a hurry to get away as fast as possible! More ideas if possible please? Really want these two dogs interacting positively as much as we can manage now. 2 months of separate living has been grim and I want to be more proactive in getting them together.
It doesn't all have to be doing something. Doing nothing actually worked really well with mine, when they still wanted to rip the puppy's head off. I just sat on the floor with one either side, giving tummy rubs. As thy learned to relax around each other, this turned into gentle games of bitey-face, which lasted only a few seconds, but with me in the middle, I could supervise it really well and ensure it remained positive. Does Sky like to be petted?
We worked very early with a "settle" with Bramble. Although Casper is only 8, he does have arthritis and back stiffness. He doesn't like being bumped because of this. Benson seems to understand, and although they play together, Benson just seems to know. Bramble didn't, so she got a few nips and growls from Casper in the early days, mostly he tried to ignore her. Working on a calm settle did help. Number one priority was managing interactions, so Casper could become more relaxed around her. Games like hunt the toilet rolls was a good game. Basically toilet rolls stuffed with kibble dotted around the house. Casper gets regular check ups with the vet too, he is on a regime of careful exercise, weight control and diet with vet recommended supplements. He also gets massages if he seems a bit stiff. Now Bramble is just over a year old, they have a great relationship together, she is older and wiser, and just adores him! Her favourite game is dangling a toy just out of his reach!
The snuffle mat is good - my two share it very happily and it lasts about 20 minutes. I had to stand on it at first as Mollie tried to carry it away lol But I have a bobbly bath mat which is four times as big, a quarter the price and would have been just as good!
Yes Sky does like to be petted. I have been sitting on the floor with a dog on each side for a few weeks. Red has a Kong to keep her occupied and also her lead on her harness but I am not having to hang on so tightly to this. This is generally a relaxing time. Last night, I was able to make more of a fuss with Sky. I do observe them checking each other out. My DH is good at giving them both a bit of rough and tumble (when he is not too,tired!) - I can see Red waiting her turn .
Sky is on tablets for her stiffness. Her refusal of walks started at the same time we got Red - pure coincidence and she was checked out at the Vets and given pain relief. She has put on weight the last few months so your comment about Casper has triggered the need to get her weighed and discussion with the vet nurse. Gosh there's so many things to think about but they will all get done
They have these snuffle mats at training - might buy one next week. Will remember the need to stand on it as I suspect it would be Red trying to cry away .
