# HELP! My new dog won't leave my other dog alone.



## desertshi (Jul 23, 2008)

Hi there everyone. I have never been into this particular forum. I have stuck mostly to the goats, pigs, chicken forums. But I have at last come for HELP! My dh and I have a 2 year old mixed breed female dog who has never been bred, but is not spayed either...yet. I just brought home a new blue heeler male who is also intact. We took him from an older man who had a few too many heelers in his care at a ranch.

He is about 1 year old. Has never lived inside the house. We are training him to be inside. He is doing really well when he is the only dog around. Then our other dog comes around and he freaks out. Totally ignores us and goes about sniffing, nudging and otherwise treating our female dog like she is in heat even though she is not!! She sits when he tries to mount her and then snarls and flips around to nip at him. But he continues to do it. I have put him on a leash and jerked it and told him "no" but he continues to act as though I am not even around. 

I know that the best thing is to get them both fixed. I am going to do so, but live in a remote part of Mexico and don't get out much. We are opening a non-profit clinic here soon, but until then I need a quick fix. Should I just keep them away from eachother? I hate to put one outside as I love them. They live inside! Any help is GREATLY appreciated!! Thanks in advance! (Sorry is so long. ;-)


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Sounds like normal doggie behavior to me. Stop "correcting" the new dog. He is really still a puppy and is acting like one. Your female is interesting to him because she is another dog. When she snarls and snaps at him, she is teaching him proper doggie protocol. I would put them outside together for periods of time and let them become acquainted. 

The blue heeler is not only a puppy, but a high energy dog that needs a job. You don't want bothering the #1 dog to be his job. Give him something to do, fetch, anything that will get him running. While he plays with you he will be less interested in #1 dog. While you play, work in bits of training. Have him give you a sit before you throw the toy, have him wait after you throw it until you release him, etc. This will work off his energy, train him well, and get him to pay attention to you and respect you as the boss.

If you correct him by using the choker, he will associate her with being hurt, which isn't what you want. You have to work him and have him mind you in low distractions, in a normal tone of voice, before you can expect him to mind you with a high distraction- the other dog.


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## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

If your female is not spayed, she may be starting to come into season or recently went out. You may not see the signs but he can smell it. Older males will usually know when to buzz off, but young males don't realize that 
I disagree with putting them outside together to let them become aquainted...if he persists and does not back off when she tells him off...she can do some real damage. 
Personally, when bringing in a new dog or pup, I have a 2 week quarantine period for the new dog. During that time the new dog is kept apart from the other dogs and exercised in a separate area. During that time the new dog is crate trained (if it is not already) and is kept in a separate area/room of the house and pottied in a separate area than the other dogs go. I work with the new dog on training during this time. After that time, the new dog is introduced to another dog through a fence, crates, etc for several days to a week. They can have contact but not be left unsupervised and both are under control when on the property. Then I will also take them out to a non-territory area and let them have real contact there. There no one will feel compelled to protect territory as it is nuetral and they will play. Then we come home and watch closely for challenges. I immediately step in when either dog tries to challenge the other. I don't allow challenges in my presence....I am the alpha and the only one allowed to challenge. Once that rule is enforced and understood, then they can run together.
Since they have already been exposed to each other there is no point in quarantining, but you can still put the training into effect and develop a working relationship with the new dog before allowing him to have contact with her (if you know for a fact she is not in season or coming in). Then reintroduce them on nuetral ground and work from there.


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

^I agree with this. It only takes one time together to wind up with injured dogs or an unwanted litter of pups.


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