I may have done something not entirely reasonable. Help and advice appreciated

Well we introduced T and Monster this evening and all went well. We went for short walk together, short leads first and then I let monster off and put T on the longline.
They basically sniffed each other's pee and ignored each other. Monster has perfected the art of ghosting other dogs and pretending they aren't there as long as he knows they're part of the "group".
M is going to purchase an appropriate sized crate and a muzzle.
Once Liberty is out of flirt mode, we will introduce her to T and all going well, he can then come home.
 
rara007 said:
Kind of strange when that’s literally what they’re bred for..!

The game would be short anyway, the Boston terriers are shredding the ball into 100 pieces. They were only supposed to be on crowd control but got too stimulated.
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My husky knowledge comes from White Fang/Call of the Wild.. aren’t they actually all chasing each other?
Sorry OP, I’ll stop now 😄
 
Well, he's here. I'm in the "what the hell am I doing?!" phase.

Introductions didn't go as smoothly second time round. T is definitely fear / defensive aggressive towards other dogs. My two didn't take kindly to being threatened when playing together, so I have a very subdued T at home at the minute. Him and Liberty in particular have a difficult relationship, she's curious about him and he's scared of her, so she tries approaching, he growls / snaps, and that sets everyone off.

I have set him up in the library, with a covered crate inside the playpen, next to my WFH station. He's gotten used to the crate very fast and uses it to sleep and hide in. Currently he's under my desk and Liberty's sleeping on the rug behind me, both with leads on. I took both on a walk earlier on short leads and after Liberty got over her initial curiosity, everything went fine, and they mostly ignored each other. Lots of lip licking and yawning from T when he thought she was getting too close for comfort, so obviously far from completely comfortable yet, though trusting me to keep him safe. It's harder in the house. I will keep chipping away at getting them confident together.

When I'm not around, T is locked in the playpen and my two are locked in the lounge, so there is a baby gate, a locked door and a full room between them, which I hope is enough for them all to relax a bit.

The original plan was for T to sleep in my room in his crate as he was used to sleeping with his owners and my two sleep in my room anyway. I decided this was not a good idea as he would be trapped in the cage if Liberty (Monster never bothers getting out of his bed once he's in it) decided to sniff the crate and T. So instead, he stays downstairs in the library. T's not really used to being alone: he slept in his owners bed, was taken everywhere and left in the car to stop him eating the cat while they were out (he decided to start eating the car seats instead!). He's definitely feeling lonely and whines when I go out of the room, even just to go to the toilet. I feel terrible leaving him, but it's another thing he should already know as a grown dog and that he will need to know in his future life. He's also not eating the way I would expect him to, with food left over in the morning (I scatter some in the crate and playpen before leaving him for the night) and the half pigs ear I left him was completely untouched.

He is however eating what I hand feed him. I make sure he gets at least one walk his own on the longline in the morning and that's when he currently seems the happiest (I'm thinking being a single dog to generally present, calm owners, may be his ideal home long term). So far, we're gently working on recalls on the longline (comes fast, but tends to shoot past me), doorways (these have been a flash point at his owners', so we're trying to be strict on them - T looks very confused when the door or gate keeps closing on him until he's had permission to go through), not on the furniture (another flashpoint with other dogs in the household and I want his crate to be attractive, which it won't be if he has the choice of my sofas and armchairs), and focus on me along with self control around food.

I'm making sure to spend time alone with each dog, I don't want anyone to feel neglected.

T's only been here since Monday evening, so I want to give him more time to settle and get used to life with me and my two crazies before we ask for more. Everyone now asleep in same room, Monster on the sofa, Liberty on the floor, T on his cushion in the playpen with it's door open.
 
Titchy Pony said:
When I'm not around, T is locked in the playpen and my two are locked in the lounge, so there is a baby gate, a locked door and a full room between them, which I hope is enough for them all to relax a bit.

He's also not eating the way I would expect him to, with food left over in the morning (I scatter some in the crate and playpen before leaving him for the night) and the half pigs ear I left him was completely untouched.

T's only been here since Monday evening, so I want to give him more time to settle and get used to life with me and my two crazies before we ask for more. Everyone now asleep in same room, Monster on the sofa, Liberty on the floor, T on his cushion in the playpen with it's door open.
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I think I would have them all in an airlock situation when you ARE around too. It's maybe a bit early to have them in the room together/walking together if he's only been there for two or three days, I would still be treating him like an only dog and give him more time to decompress. If, long term, he has to be separated/walked alone, then that's just the way it might have to be, I kept three separately in a small house, it was a bit of work but it was doable, but hopefully he will become more accepting in time.

The not eating thing will probably be a stress response.
 
CorvusCorax said:
I think I would have them all in an airlock situation when you ARE around too. It's maybe a bit early to have them in the room together/walking together if he's only been there for two or three days, I would still be treating him like an only dog and give him more time to decompress. If, long term, he has to be separated/walked alone, then that's just the way it might have to be, I kept three separately in a small house, it was a bit of work but it was doable, but hopefully he will become more accepting in time.

The not eating thing will probably be a stress response.
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Thank you for your advice. I'm perhaps being a bit too greedy in what I want. They're currently all asleep, so I'll leave them as they are for now. But when they wake up / I finish work, I will go back to keeping them separate for a while. They will get glances of each other in passing, but through doors/windows.

Yes, I suspect the not eating is stress from the upheaval of his life. I'm not worried at the moment, he is still eating a bit and he's got a fair bit of flab to loose anyway.
 
pistolpete said:
It takes the time it takes and they don’t have an agenda but familiarity usually cures anxiety with dogs. Got everything crossed for you as T is super cute!
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Thank you! He is cute and actually a very loving little dog. He would like to be my shadow, but I already have 2 furry shadows, so they will all have to learn to either space share or time share the shadow position.
 
poiuytrewq said:
Good Luck TP! He's a lucky little dog to be given a chance.
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Thank you!

I've weighed him for the record this morning and he's at 10,5kg (had a bit of a laugh because the food he has says for dogs under 10kg - which he should be!).
T's back to being an "only dog" at the minute. I think I'll give him 2 or 3 weeks before seeing if he can get along with my two again. He doesn't like being left alone and whines or howls when I leave the room, but unfortunately, he'll have to get used to it, the others also need attention. Luckily, I'm on holiday Friday evening, so I'll have a bit more time for everyone. Not so luckily, I've a couple of very busy days booked (before I knew I was taking on T) that are going to require some organising. I think T may have to come with me and stay in his crate in the car for some of it. I'll park somewhere quiet and take him on short walks when needed.
 
poiuytrewq said:
10.5! He's bigger than his photo looks
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He is rather fat. No ribs to be found! Unfortunately, I don't really know what is healthy weight should be. For his food, I've gone for the amount recommended somewhere between 5 and 7.5kg and it looks like a lot to me, but he's not gobbling it down and looking hungry, so it's obviously enough for now. That might change when he feels more at home. He's also sleeping a lot at the moment, which I think is good. It's probably partly him adapting to a new home and partly feeling he doesn't have to be alert for the next visitor, cat, dog, rabbit doing something.
 
Titchy Pony said:
He's rather short on his legs, but quite long in the back. His head is currently tiny compared to the rest of him.
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Years ago I took in a collie who's owner got ill and died. She was massive and her it was her head that looked rediculous on her big barrel body. Its the best feeling when the weight comes off and they look healthy again.
 
He looks a very similar build (and colour!) to my young dog - she's racing snake lean and is pretty much bang on 7kg. Incidentally, she also doesn't really eat meals. She has about 10 pieces of kibble at meal time and apart from that it is all from hand during walks or while pottering around the yard etc.

Well done for taking him on, hope he continues to settle
 
Sorry guys, I meant to update you earlier, but nothing is going as planned this week.

T is slowly settling in. He obviously enjoys being an "only" dog, but hates being left on his own. He wines or howls when I leave "his" room. This seems to be getting better with time and access to the sofa (I gave in, he obviously needs cuddles and affection as well as structure, and the floor is uncomfortable for me!). Hopefully he will keep improving and I'm holding out hope that he will eventually be ok with my other dogs, at least at quiet times and in my presence, it will mean more time for everyone and less "no dog's lands" in my house.

It's not been all plain sailing. I'm a little confused by T's refusal to eat when I'm not there and only semi interest when I'm there for his kibble. I'm used to really greedy dogs and T always came across as greedy. I wonder if he was just wolfing food down in his previous home just to stop the other dogs having it rather than actually enjoying it. He does however seem to really like the sachets of paté I keep around as a special treat for my other dogs, so he's not going to starve any time soon.

He's ragged my shoes (while they're on my feet) 3 times and this seems to be brought on by excitement. Rattling (water!) bowls, food time, unexpected visitors. Each time a short, sharp "No!", followed by a time out, seems to have worked. I clearly need to work on very gradually upping the excitement around him while he controls his emotions. I am happy to say that last night he was amusing himself by ragging the half of a pigs ear I gave him and the loo roll tubes that he also has. All his own stuff, that he's allowed to rag to his heart's content. We're also playing tug with his tug'enough toys, which he will gladly give up for a bit of paté. I was rather sad that his owners brought down some toys for him (a kong, a treat ball) all still in their dusty wrappers. They would have been more use if the dog could play with them. The only used toys are tiny rope tugs that you can't play with with the dog unless you fancy loosing a finger or two.

T also obviously knows how to jump up at door handles to open them. Luckily, I can lock the library door and that door handle needs replacing anyway. Surprisingly, this hasn't translated to him trying to jump out of his pen. He is also exceptionally clean in the house, with not a single accident, which could have easily happened due to stress.

T's met my parents and was on his best behaviour. We all sat and chatted in his room while he was in his pen until he'd settled, then I let him out with his lead on. to say hello while my parents mostly ignored him. We went on a short walk together and T was fine. Mum, who can't walk my other dogs due to their size and her health was even able to hold his lead. T kept looking to me for reassurance, but seemed fine with it.
 
Titchy Pony said:
He's ragged my shoes (while they're on my feet) 3 times and this seems to be brought on by excitement. Rattling (water!) bowls, food time, unexpected visitors. Each time a short, sharp "No!", followed by a time out, seems to have worked. I clearly need to work on very gradually upping the excitement around him while he controls his emotions.
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I used to walk a GSD who would do this, usually triggered by moving him from one place to another (and usually while I was trying to leave our garden to take him home). He was always on a leash when it happened so I could physically stop him, hold him away from me, and calm him down before proceeding, so if you haven't already got one on him, a light house line or hand line might assist.
 
CorvusCorax said:
I used to walk a GSD who would do this, usually triggered by moving him from one place to another (and usually while I was trying to leave our garden to take him home). He was always on a leash when it happened so I could physically stop him, hold him away from me, and calm him down before proceeding, so if you haven't already got one on him, a light house line or hand line might assist.
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T wears his harness all day, so I do have something to grab if necessary (it comes off for bed time). I sometimes leave a house line on it and sometimes not. I'll try and make sure the line is on when anything exciting might happen. I'll also have to see how I hold such a small dog away from my shoes... I need practice with the littlies.
 
Latest update: T has been with me nearly 3 weeks. He is settling in well and has really calmed down a lot (though he still jumps up and bites my door handle if very excited and I locked him out of the way), a lot less whining and howling when left alone. I've dropped the strict airlock between T and the other two. They are still no contact but currently I'm in the kitchen with T lied quietly on the rug near my feet and Liberty is lied quietly on the other side of the baby gate. T can retreat into the library whenever he wants if he feels it's necessary. I will be away all day for work tomorrow, so Have left strict instructions to my parents for looking after T for the day and I think they should be fine.
Last night there was a massive thunderstorm and I had to take T out for a pee. Bad timing the biggest thunderclap happened while we were out in the garden. But I'm really proud of T, we did run... straight for the kitchen door to be let back in. I sat with him a while afterwards and he was calm and fine when I left him to go to bed.
T's lost just over 1kg in two weeks and is already looking so much better for it. Still a bit more to come off yet. I need to talk to his owner about medium to long term plans for him. I want to change his food as he seems to be a very itchy dog and his coat is a bit rubbish. He also has terrible long nails, so have started on positive associations with the dremmel (I've got to do it with my two as well, so may as well work on every one at the same time). I'm thinking I want to keep T, but if whatever reason this isn't for the best, I can't really see him returning to his owners, I don't think he will cope with their lifestyle and will probably revert. He would make a lovely only pet for someone who doesn't receive many people at home or want to take the dog absolutely everywhere.
Another set of neighbours who know M and therefore T well aw him in the crate in my car yesterday and commented on how calm he was in there and how good he was looking. I'll take that as a good start to keep building on.
 
I missed this the first time round - great reading and well done. I am a terrier person - it took 3 months to introduce the two I currently have. My house was like Jurrassic Park with airlocks and animal movement systems. Resource guarding terrier is always worried and that's how long it took for him to see that litterally no one wanted any of his things or his food. Now, they are thick as thieves. Terriers are designed to be cautious. Mine also has a bite history and both OH and I have both been bitten although TOUCH WOOD we understand all the triggers now. Our terrier is never permitted to be off lead around strangers, he wears a muzzle and absoulte no contact with children of any age. He loves a flirt pole and squeaky toys and has learned to share those after YEARS of careful management around toy situations. He does hunt and kill rats and rabbits and partidges, but he finds them a bit MEH and prefers a squeaky toy that will continue squeaking for a long time and not just once then dead. While also has separation anxiety which got better once he bonded with the other dog. They sound similar! They would fight to the death I am sure./
 
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