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Can These 2 Dogs Get Along?!

Dear WOOF:

I need some help introducing two dogs together. I have a 6 month old cockapoo - she is very friendly to people and other dogs and also very passive and just want to play. My boyfriend on the other hand has a 6-year-old Jack Russell who is VERY territorial, jealous, and aggressive (I think its aggression I'm seeing, maybe it's dominance).

The Jack Russell was never socialized as a puppy and has never been around another dog. We want the two dogs to get along or it may turn into a problem for us - he loves his dog and I love mine so neither one of us is willing to let the dog go. We took them for a first meeting yesterday - we took them to a park that neither of them had been to before. I kept mine on her leash and we let the JRT off his. My dog just wants to play. At first he came up to sniff her and she just stood there, but then he started growling and lunged at her! My boyfriend yelled at the dog and grabbed him and put him back on his leash. We tried letting the JRT get closer to my dog while he was on leash - but he kept barking at her and trying to bite her. We then tried taking them for a walk together and that wasn't to bad - of course the JRT had to be in the lead and he really didn't pay to much attention to my dog. Now my dog is afraid of him and I'm afraid he is going to bite her. I'm ok with him trying to be the dominant one - I could live with that - I just don't want mine to get hurt or bit.

His dog even barks at me if he kisses or hugs me. Is there something we should be doing or do you think this was a normal reaction to a first time meeting? I guess my questions would be:

  1. Was this a normal reaction for a first time meeting?
  2. Should they both have been on or off their leashes?
  3. How often should we get them together to get used to each other and how long do you think it will take for them to get used to each other before we might think about a trainer? We can't really afford one.
  4. Do you think a private trainer might be able to help us?
The JRT is 6 years old and very set in his ways. Even if you walk by his food dish he'll start barking at you and run over and eat his food. If you walk away he'll stop barking and stop eating. He is very jealous of me also. He has lived with my boyfriend alone for along time so I'm sure that doesn't help in my quest for friendship between two dogs. I know people that have two or more dogs and when they brought the new dog into the home everything was fine. I can't even imagine taking my dog to the JRT's house, that will really freak him out.

Please, any input you can give would be appreciated, I would hate for my relationship to end because of this dog, but if we can't get them to like each other we are going to have a major problem.

Thanks.


Hello:

Introducing 2 strange dogs to each other can be a tricky process but in most cases, if each dog has been well socialized things will usually go smoothly. There is no real way to tell how things will go until they are actually together, but there are some key things in your situation that give an indication that things were not likely to go well.

You indicate that the Jack Russell Terrier is 6-years-old, and has had no social experience with other dogs. This is probably the biggest contributing factor to your dilemma, as he has never learned to interact in an appropriate way with members of his own species. Socialization during puppyhood provides the opportunity for learning to read intraspecific body language with regard to greetings, and any subsequent interactions. Since he did not have these important social experiences with other pups and dogs during his early development, he is much less likely to respond well in social situations with other dogs as an adult. Rather than "dominance" being the reason for his behavior, he's more than likely acting out toward her to make her go away because he's uncomfortable and frightened.
You do not mention it, but if the JRT is not neutered, it should be considered immediately. Aside from the positive health benefits, it could help to reduce his reactivity toward her and other dogs in general.

You specifically ask the following questions in your email that I will address individually:

1) Was this a normal reaction for a first time meeting?
Yes, unfortunately the way this meeting went could be considered "normal" given the JRT's lack of social experience with other dogs.

2) Should they both have been on or off their leashes?
I don't have enough information to say definitively one way or the other, but given his social history, it probably would have been best to keep him on a loose leash too. A loose leash during dog greetings is always important for keeping fearful responses (tight leash = lack of ability to flee) from becoming a problem.

In my opinion, the trouble with this introduction was it's duration. You mention that initially he just sniffed her (a pro-social behavior) but soon after, he was lunging at her and acting aggressively. Maintaining interactions on a pro-social level for brief periods - even if it's just 5 seconds long! - then calling each dog away (being sure to reward their call away responses!) helps to cultivate a more relaxed attitude, and increase the potential for continued pro-social interaction (more sniffing) the next time they're together.

3) How often should we get them together to get used to each other, and how long do you think it will take for them to get used to each other before we might think about a trainer?
This question is impossible to answer, but I do like the fact that you took them for a walk together and you mention that went pretty well. Parallel walking can be nice way for dogs to settle in and get comfortable with one another. And it's perfectly fine if the JRT "ignores" her and who cares if he's walking ahead! Remember, he's uncomfortable, so if he's choosing to keep his distance and prefers to ignore her, let him! It's really important that he learn to become comfortable around her doing an activity that he enjoys (like walks) on his own terms. Pushing things will cause him to react in an undesired way again, and each time that happens, he's learning to continue the behavior and your poor little cockapoo is becoming more afraid! Since your cockapoo's developing fear of him needs to be addressed too, parallel walks could help her to feel more comfortable around him too.

4) Do you think a private trainer might be able to help us?
Yes, contact a qualified positive reinforcement trainer - who has lots of experience working with dog-dog relationship problems - right away. They should be able to tell a lot about the potential for a pro-social relationship through observations and more in-depth exploration of each dog's social history, and also give you a plan for how to proceed to help increase the chances for success.

If you are in the Metro Detroit area, please call us to set up a private consultation. If not, please visit out FAQ's page http://www.woofology.info/FAQ.html for a list of organizations whose members are guaranteed to use only animal-friendly, positive-reinforcement methods. All sites listed have "member search" links, so you should be able to find someone in your area.

One last thought. Consider a positive reinforcement/clicker training class for the dogs, especially the JRT. You'll benefit from learning more about how he learns which will help you work through some of the other problems you're having, like the barking. He's just repeating behavior that works for him, so leave the notion of "jealousy" out of it and try ignoring him for the barking, and rewarding him with treats and attention when he's quiet instead!

Best of luck and thanks for writing,

Lisa Patrona, Dip. CBST, CPDT-KA, ACDBC, AABP-CDT

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