Introducing Maggie
I have always been a one dog owner and was apprehensive about owning a pack!. Would I have time to adequately care for each of them with daily grooming and walks? Could I avoid playing favorites? Would the two dogs get along? Etc., etc. The dog was supposedly in good health and current on her shots. I emailed several of you to get your input on what I might be getting into, and received much good advice. So what the heck, I guess it wouldn't hurt to drive out there and look at her. I called the "friend " and made an appointment to see her Friday evening, June 17. Elle, as her former owner had named her, was as friendly as a sheepie could be, although quite dirty and smelly, with mats in her puppy cut. I spoke briefly with the lady about feeding schedule and type of housing she was used to, and was told she stayed outside 24/7 during the month that she had her, with her beagle and basset hound, and they got along together. I felt sure I could do better, and made a date for the following evening to bring Barney along so they could meet on common ground - the culdesac in front of her house. I thought I was very clear to the lady that I intended to take her with me after the introductions. However the following day, the lady called me to say she had to leave town Monday and if I didn't take the dog she was going to turn it over to a rescue center. 
The following evening we (my son and I) met the lady. The dogs seemed to be civil to one another, and after a brief stay we left with Elle in Gerry's PU and Barney in mine. The lady never volunteered to show me the dogs' environment, but I question whether Elle was allowed to run with the other dogs or was penned up. When they brought her out, she strained on her leash as if she never had a bit of obedience training. Turns out she walks like a champ. When I go she goes, when I stop she stops, when I turn she turns on a dime. I think she was just glad to get out of there. 
I think I'm gonna like it here! Meeting Barney was a different story however. After more intros at home we let them both off leash. Barney wanted to play; she wanted to show him who's boss. She snapped at him, Barney wouldn't back down, and the fur began to fly. Once we got them separated, I realized I had a problem that I didn't know how to deal with. I looked for help in the Dog Whisperer and several other books. Did I have an aggression problem or should I just let them fight it out. Again I bugged several of you and am most grateful for the suggestions received. 
For your information, Barney, I'm the Boss! By chance I found out that one of my associates (Kris) at the store had a degree in animal behavior, trained dogs for agility competition and raised Great Pyranees and Cockers. I shared with her the situation and with her guidance started playing a "hot dog" game, where I'd hook one's leash to a post in the basement, while walking the other on a leash around the perimeter, then stop within striking distance of the tied up dog, ask them to sit and then give them a piece of hot dog. Three times with one, then change places and 3 times with the other. Within a week I was able to have them lying down nose to nose, with the leash of the one I was walking laying on the floor. How long would I have to do this? I still wanted to know whether I had an aggression problem or whether eventually the two could learn to play together. I asked Kris if she would come over and evaluate the situation. Last Sunday evening she and Peter, her husband, came over and spent an hour with the dogs. She brought along about a pound of her homemade treats and began working with the dogs; first on leash, then off leash. Within 15 minutes she had them behaving. Like the author of "Dog Whisperer" She established herself as boss right from the start. Then she had the uncanny nack of anticipating when either dog was inclined to challenge the other and would nip it in the bud with a "sit" and a treat. Her evaluation of the situation: Barney is a playful pup, Maggie is a domineering "bitch." 
Using her techniques, I have been able to get them to be civil to each other as long as I'm there in charge: 
Peace at Last So that's where the dogs are at presently. While I still can't leave them unattended together, we've come along way. As for walking, they do quite well, Barney on my left, Maggie on my right. Oh, by the way: Elle/Maggie? Well the former owner never registered the dog, in fact the signed registration application from the breeder was still in the folder given to me, so I registered her as Maggie - a name I preferred. As for current on her shots, she was a year overdue. Except for the dominance thing, she is a real lady. And she loves my 4 month old granddaughter. 
Maggie meets Ryan Oh: and one more sidebar. The breeder was so concerned about "her" dog, she arranged to stop by to see how she was doing. We spent an hour and a half together, most of the time she was playing with the two dogs. Then had lunch together. I've owned pedigreed dogs all my life - all purchased from breeders; this is the first time a breeder showed so much interest in her dogs |
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| George..What a great ending!!! Im very happy for you that both dogs are doing so well!! Im sure Maggie and Barney will be best of pals!! Great pictures...your yard is fantastic!! |
| Congrats George! What a great couple. I guess we can call them a "couple" even though they have the same mom.
Be careful though, 2 can turn to 3 and so on down the way! |
| Congrats George. Maggie is beautiful!
Before you know it they will be best of friends and you won't remember a time they didn't get along. But as my Sister in Law (a Breeder) says they do call them "bitches" for a reason. lol Barney will soon learn that Maggie is boss and all will be well
Elissa |
George, I'm so glad to hear everything's shaping up! They look really happy together in the pictures-- no blood or anything! 
Congrats! Jill |
| Hi,
Wow George! I agree with Darcy your yard is gorgeous and looks like sheepie heaven! The pics are wonderful and lol sorry had to laugh at your expense and at the same time sympathize when you mentioned Maggie's personality trait. Yup, those older females put the young whippersnappers in place real quick! It will get better each day! Jill your post cracked me up!!
Keep us posted on their latest adventures George and thanks for formally introducing Maggie..she's a beauty! Marianne and the boys |
| Now that I have my own rescue, I feel like a full fledged member of the forum. |
| She's a doll... lol.... sounds like you, and they will work it all out. Females are usually the alpha dogs between dogs, even when they both view you as alpha, it is only natural for her to be alpha over Barney.
Congrats!  |
| Congratultions, George!
She's beautiful! I'm really glad you have been able to take this girl into your home and have made the extra effort to make sure she & Barney can live in harmony in the long run. The pictures are great and I look forward to hearing lots more about their adventures together. Welcome Maggie!! |
| Thank you George, for opening your heart and home to Maggie. Barney and she will work things out and pretty soon they will run your home. |
| Congratulations George!
Maggie is just beautiful, and I always love pictures of your sheepies and the grandchildren! What a story, its wonderful you were able to rescue Maggie, she will have a great home- wait until she finds out about your homemade treats! Best wishes, I'm sure she will be perfect company for Barney, sounds like they are doing great with your care and training.... Its wonderful your breeder is so supportive, what a wonderful resource for you ! |
| Maggie is such a pretty girl, George! Don't worry all will be well once Barney realizes Maggie is now in charge |
| I suspect a conspiracy; all you gals insist that the female will be boss. Somethings wrong with this picture! I'm sure glad Barney can't read. And how long will it be before he get's the message. If I let them get together (with leashes on but loose) within seconds I'm grabbing the leashes and separating them. Even with a fence between them they go after each other. |
| I have 3 boys and Daisy, she is the youngest. When she's crabby the boys run in terror, she rules the roost |
I can't believe how many of these posts I've missed - argh! 
Anyway - congratulations on Maggie, George! She's gorgeous! And not to worry - even though she will probably remain alpha, in no time she and Barney will be the best of pals. BTW, refresh this old lady's memory - how old is Barney?
Love the pictures, and can't wait for more pics and stories! Chris |
| Chris,
Barney was just 9 mo on July 5. Maggie will be 2 on Sept. 8. |
| Hi George,
The reason Barney isn't letting Miss Bossy tell him what to do is perhaps due to his age...he's hitting his teens..and boy they are just like the uprights at that age. Be patient it will pass, they need to sort out whose going to run the household. Yup he's the pre-existing dog in the house and so initially will be alpha..but he's still a pup in her eyes and she's the mature female. I have the utmost confidence that you won't even recognize the same dogs in a few weeks. Marianne and the boys |
| Well for good or ill, or maybe I'm just getting impatient, then again I can't really expect dogs to play skip rope or a game of catch, so I figured that when two herding dogs play the only things they have to play with are their mouths, paws and bodies. So.... this evening I let them both in the yard together with leashes on and pieces of hot dogs in my hands. I started them both sitting together, then gave each a piece of hot dog so they knew who was in charge, then let them loose. Immediately they started "playing" (or was it roughhousing, or was it fighting) anyway I figured as long as either of them wasn't yelping or bleeding, I'd let them do their thing, until I felt they were getting too rambunctious (sp?). At that point I stepped on their leash, told them to lay down, gave another sedative (hot dog) and made them stay for a minute or two (meanwhile the mosquitoes were having their own meal on my legs). I then let them go at for round two. Repeated the time out, and then a third time. Each round only lasted several minutes, but although there were many body blocks and mouthing, with all the hair they have I doubt they could have done much harm anyway. After the third bell and rest, when I let them go, Barney got up and went to the door. He had enough, and Maggie jumped up on the picnic table to rest. The biggest problem? With their leashes on throughout all this, when either stopped to pee, naturally you know where the leash was.
I think we're all getting there. Thanks for all your encouragement, guys. Especially Butterstotch and Marianne. |
| I'm glad that worked out for you George. I think a few more sessions like that and they'll probably be okay together. I was thinking about this situation yesterday and started to post something to that effect, but was hesistant because I'm still new to the multiple dog thing myself.
However, that's kind of what I did when I was fostering Caroline and Cooper last month. She was about three years old and Beau was just seven months at the time. She was definitely in charge. I allowed them short play times together on the leash (just she & Beau at first- Cooper much later). They eventually worked it out. I figured it was kind of like with my two-leggeds, as long as there's no blood involved, let them work it out themselves.
Good luck & Keep us updated! |
| George,
It sounds like you're doing a great job. It's hard not to get impatient when you just want them to get along-- it doesn't seem like too much to ask! I think Marianne hit it on the head too with the idea of Barney being in his teens. The last month or so, Clyde's been particularly rambunctious and has really been pushing Lucy around a lot-- just being really annoying to her, nothing vicious so I think that's what his problem is too. Luckily, one of mine has a tail and it's alot easier to read what's going on if there's a scrap! Jill |
| Gee, a tail, how convenient. If he misbehaves at least you got something to grab on other than a leash. |
| Lucy's the good one though-- I never need to grab her! Clyde is really tough to grab these days because I took his collar off him because of the matting. He's amazing slippery for his size! But, Clyde with a tail would mean taking everything off all the tabletops in the house permanently. He's clumsy enough without one! |
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