Bringing in a new dog with an old sometimes aggressive dog

[Topcat]

About 2 1/2 years ago, I adopted two female senior dogs, a month apart. The first one I adopted , a 9 year old Golden Retriever, was very sweet and nonconfrontational. The second once I adopted, an 8 year old Yellow Lab Mix, was also very sweet but much more the alpha personality. They got along instantly when I brought the Lab home. I only ever had one problem when the Lab jumped the Golden over a chew stick, I believe because she thought the Golden was going to stop her from trying to take a piece that had fall off, when actually all she did was turn her head to look at what the Lab was doing.The "attack" ended quickly when I yelled, and my Lab was then very contrite. My Golden wound up with a chunk of skin taken out from under one of her eyes. She never even tried to fight back or defend herself in any way. She was a very sweet and docile girl. I use to take both dogs to the dog park once a week for several months when the Lab suddenly started to bully other dogs and pick fights as soon as she got through the gate. Before this, she just ran around and played with them. I was very surprised when her behavior changed, and for the life of me, I can't figure out why it did. The Golden, more of a people dog, could care less about the dogs, and she just walked around looking for people to pet her. The two were never together while we were in the off leash area. After a few incidents, where my Lab had to be pulled off of other dogs, I stopped taking them to the dog park so the other dogs would not get hurt. It broke my heart to stop taking them, since my Lab loved going there, but I couldn't take a chance. My Golden passed away this past October from liver cancer, so its just been me and my Lab and my cat (never any cat issues; apparently she was raised with cats.) The two dogs lived together for 2 years before my Golden died. I recently was presented with the opportunity to adopt a senior male Greyhound who is 12 years old. He currently belongs to a pet sitting client of mine, and they are being transferred to Alaska with the Army and cannot take the Greyhound with them. They have had him for several years. I have pet sat for the Greyhound for 3 years on a frequent basis. He is an extremely sweet, happy, and nonconfrontational boy. The people use to have another, younger Greyhound when I first started pet sitting for them, but they rehomed him because he was too rambunctious for the household (new baby). The two Greyhounds had no problem getting along. I knew there was a chance I would have a problem with my Lab meeting the Greyhound and ultimately bringing him into our home, and that the initial meeting would have to be in neutral territory and done slowly. Our first meet and greet was a week ago at a neutral spot. For a couple of weeks before the meeting, each dog had in their possession a towel that the other dog had slept on, walked on, or otherwise scented by laying on it, so that when they met, their scent would not be totally new to them. In the couple of weeks leading up to the meeting, I also mentioned the other dog's name frequently to my Lab and spoke about him in a very upbeat and happy tone. Meeting one went better than I thought it would. We got there first and when the Greyhound arrived, I immediately started talking about him by name to my dog in a very happy and upbeat tone. They got out of the car and walked to the sidewalk about 4 feet away from us, and my dog immediately started to do her crouch/stare position that she does when we are walking and meet up with another dog. (That is usually followed by her lunging and snarling and just being ugly.) As soon as she started to narrow her eyes, before she even had a chance to lower her body to a crouch (and I knew what was coming) I broke that concentration and snapped her out of that mode. The Greyhound did nothing while my dog checked him out. At one point my dog put her head alongside him and growled very low, but briefly. We then walked together for about a half hour with no incident. Today, we met up for our 2nd walk. This time, the Greyhound was already there when we arrived. Again, I spoke in an upbeat, happy voice, pointing him out to my dog, saying "look who's here!," etc. When we got out of the car and approached the sidewalk where he was, she immediately went right up to him, very quickly and intently, and tried to bite the side of neck. I checked her and disciplined her, and she backed off. It was a very purposeful and abrupt attack. Again, we walked together for a half hour, this time with me walking both dogs for a short distance, and we had no other episodes of aggression from my dog. My Lab pretty much ignored the Greyhound after initially smelling him after she tried to bite him. She did not do anything when at one point the Greyhound sniffed her butt. She just acted like he wasn't even there and continued to sniff at the grass. My client has until the middle of August before she has to have her dog rehomed, since her belongings will be shipped out by the Army that week, and they'll be staying in a hotel for another week to 2 weeks before they leave for Alaska. I know that we still need to get to the "bringing the other dog into the house" stage before we will know if this is going to work or not. I am very concerned that it may not, and even more concerned that , if I do adopt the dog, that when I am not home, my Lab might hurt him. I need to make sure, when we make the decision that I will take him, that it is the right one. As much as I want him, (and I REALLY want him!)I even more do not want him to be harmed. I need good, sound advice on how to proceed at this point. The owner and I discussed, today, meeting one or two more times at a neutral location to see how that goes, and if it goes well, our next meeting would be to bring both dogs into my backyard, on leash, (from the outside) to see how mine reacts to him being in her outside turf. We thought we could do that for a few visits and then lead into bringing him into the house, both on leash, if it goes well inside. Then that's a whole 'nother story; handling the inside meeting. I need advice please. I SO want this Greyhound to be mine! Thanks!

[Ari_RR]

I am not an expert, but here are my 2 cents...

The likelihood of your Lab going after GH seems high. I would resist. I would in fact resist bringing any 2nd dog, not just this particular GH.

That said - I also get the part of you so wanting this GH to be yours. Sometimes we just want something, it just has to happen.

So, I would phrase this question differently... I guess you can try different things to make it go well, but if they fail - are you prepared to have an arrangement where your 2 dogs are separated? Walked separately, fed separately, while each given plenty of attention and interaction with their humans?
If you are - then I think this would cover the worst case scenario.
If not, and having them separated at all times would break your heart or budget or lifestyle - then I would pass.

Again, just 2 cents worth...

Edit: oh, and i would give that dog park a break... A very long break. Especially if yours is the kind where a bunch of random, strange dogs are forced to be in a close proximity to each other, in a fairly small confined area, with nowhere to get away from bullies and scary dogs, while their humans congregate in a corner, sipping coffee, too lazy or ignorant to interfere...

[gwd]

i'm afraid i'm with ari's dad here. i'd also remind you that the GH has VERY thin skin and little body fat.......a bite could do some serious damage...........even more than it would to some other breeds.

[Topcat]

Thanks for the input, gw and Ari. In answer to your question, Ari, I actually, for 2 weeks prior to telling the GH's owner that yes, I would want to try to take her dog in, gave the whole matter a lot of thought and gave every possible scenario every consideration, since I know the GH's personality and habits very well. I had already devised a plan to keep him in a separate area when I am not home and to provide a kennel for him. It would be in a large master bath area which leads into the master closet which is where I would place his kennel so he would have the cozy haven of the closet and the smell of me on the clothing to keep him feeling secure. Greyhound rescues actually highly recommend kenneling GH's since they are use to it and feel safe there. He would have the area where he would have his kennel and then an area in the master bath where he could stretch his legs and lay in his nesting beds if he wanted to, all away from my dog, and with the radio playing classical, which is what he is use to. I would also feed him in there as well. (My dog has never shown any food aggression with my Golden. They use to eat 3 feet apart.) It's not without its inconvenience, but believe me, I know how it is to have to accommodate the special needs of my dogs in the past (due to illness). It's not easy but I do it for the love! Walking them apart is no problem. I've done that before as well, sometimes for the one on one and sometimes because my Golden walked so much slower than my Lab. The GH does not get walked regularly currently. He just runs a very large yard. I'm very torn. I hate the idea of this GH having to be rehomed at his age (12) and after living with his current owners for so long. Breaks my heart, and I do love him so much. He's a great dog. I can't help but feel that my dog's actions are pre-emptive strikes; that is, she is going to be the aggressor and not give another dog the opportunity to be the aggressor with her. The question is, after she realizes the other dog isn't a threat to her and isn't interested in being alpha, will she then accept him into the pack. She disciplines easily and is never aggressive with people and is really a very good dog otherwise. And again, this behavior suddenly appeared after I had her for almost a year. I wish I understood why, but I'm not a behaviorist. I got input from the head of the GH rescue who said when we are ready to try to have them in the house together, I should walk them both together first (with mine muzzled) and then just walk right into the house with them together to help establish them as a pack. This is the kind of advice I need; knowing what the right way to do the house part is. I'll only have one chance to get it right!

[Ari_RR]

You may want to take a look at this thread for some ideas...
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=17064

[Wes]

I would also drop the notion of "alpha" from your mind. There is no alpha. There is no pack. You have two unrelated dogs, one of whom is likely fear-reactive. I would strongly suggest you rethink bringing this hound into your home, not only for his safety, but for the happiness of your lab in her senior years.

[JudyN]

I'm sorry, but I'm another one who thinks this would be risky (though I'm not an expert).

One thing that bothers me is that even if everything seems to be going well at first, the greyhound is going to become feebler with age in the not too distant future, and dogs can often pick on ones they perceive to be weaker (in the wild a weak pack member could endanger the whole pack, though I don't know if it's correct to extrapolate that to your situation).

Your lab is also not young and there's a chance that she will get grumpier as she gets older.

So if everything does go well, just when you think you can relax and let them have more contact, it could suddenly turn sour - and by that time the greyhound will be bonded to you, even older, and very hard to rehome

I think you have to listen very hard to your head rather than your heart on this one - but whatever you decide, I wish you and the dogs the very best (and even if you do go against the feelings here and take on the greyhound, the experts will still be happy to advise).

[Topcat]

Thanks all. I hear you. I've done nothing but think about this for the past month. I want to do the right thing for everybody involved. I appreciate the input.

[emmabeth]

I think I would see how an initial meet works - parallel walking though, not you walking both together but someone else walks the GH, and you start out with your girl behind and a long way apart and you slowly catch and walk parallel to the GH , and then you gradually get nearer.

If even THAT is not achievable, then I think it just isn't sensible to continue, because even separated, they will both be aware that the other is in the house and this could potentially cause a lot of stress.