I'm currently looking after my brother's dog while he's on vacation. Roo is a very clever and feisty cattle dog mix. She lives as an only dog and prefers things that way. But because I have two dogs of my own, I've needed to manage her in certain situations to ensure each dog's safety and peace of mind.
Following are some tips to consider when a guest dog visits your home. Either your dog or the guest dog may be a bit rusty with their social skills or may simply be unaccustomed to navigating the ins and outs of sharing a house with another dog.
Pay close attention to subtle body language signals. There's no missing when a dog growls or barks at another dog, but it's far better to be on the look-out for more subtle signs of tension or unease and promptly step in to help the dogs. For example:
A dog may telegraph their concern by being quietly avoidant of the other dog, perhaps maintaining extra space, avoiding approaches, turning their head away, yawning, lip-licking, making a wide curve to get by, etc. My dog, Bond, moves more cautiously through the house when Roo is up and active.
Signs of rising tension might include a raised tail, staring, and a stiff body that's pointed straight at the other dog. These are all common 'tells' for Roo, and by supervising carefully I can intervene before she has a chance to approach my dogs while in that state of arousal.
Be aware that things can go south when the dogs' arousal levels rise:
Entering and exiting through doors can be an energy-charged or even competitive moment for some dogs. To prevent this tension, Roo has learned to back up and wait, away from the door that leads to the back yard, rather than crowding me and my dogs. This keeps her arousal levels low.
Someone at the door -- lots of dogs' arousal levels soar when the doorbell rings or when something outside triggers barking. Tension can quickly rise and some dogs will redirect in an aggressive way toward a nearby dog. When I had guests arrive one day, Roo was behind a gate, far from the door, so the guests could enter, greet my dogs first, and then we let a bit of time pass for things to calm down before Roo was released.
One dog chasing after a thrown toy might trigger another dog to chase them, and that may not always be lighthearted fun. Though my dogs don't fetch, they do want to run around and wrestle with each other after we return from a walk, so I was sure to manage Roo at that time to prevent her from becoming the 'fun police,' i.e., rudely interrupting their antics in a non-playful way.
Practice caution around resources:
Play it safe and feed the dogs entirely separated so there's no chance of food guarding. Even if the dog doesn't guard food from people, that doesn't automatically mean they won't guard food from another dog. Roo, who is eternally starving (according to her!) is a perfect example of that.
Be conscious of how you dole out treats (if that's even necessary), feeding in a way that helps to keep enough space between the dogs so they're not jostling in a competitive way for the same treat.
Watch for any possible resource guarding over toys or chews or food puzzles or even comfy beds. Make them unavailable or separate the dogs when they have these items.
Your attention can be a resource, too, so monitor the dogs' behavior carefully when you dole out attention. It may be smarter to keep any attention you give brief and very low-key.
It never hurts to be calmly cautious if there's any doubt about how the dogs will interact with one another in a variety of circumstances. Supervise carefully to keep everyone happy and safe. At other times, manage in a way to prevent interactions when you can't actively supervise.
If you're in need of any training or behavior assistance,
please get in touch. I'd love to help you reach your goals!
My email is virginiadare2013@gmail.com.
Comments