Need help introducing two dogs...

[blindside.AMG]

So here's the situation. My little brother just went on a trip to see my Dad in Houston. Problem is that he got a new dog from the pound about 2 months ago. The dog is an Akita named Annie and she has become very attached to my brother. I visited my Mom's house where the dog is staying and found her extremely upset and going insane without company. I thought it would be better if she stayed at my house while my brother is away. Problem is, I also have a dog living with me. It's my sister's and it's a Siberian Husky.

The Husky is a very friendly dog, loving anything and everything on two or four feet. My roommates and I usually joke around saying that he would unlock the door for a theif if he could. The Akita loves any person she meets but absolutley hates other dogs. We tried meeting these two a couple weeks ago and it wasn't pretty.

Today we bought a muzzle for the Akita thinking she wouldn't start a fight if she couldn't bite. We were wrong, she picked a fight with my husky and he defended himself. Tomorrow we're going to pick up another muzzle for the husky so neither of them can hurt each other. This is the only way I think the Akita can learn to live with another dog. Maybe if they meet each other and fight without being able to hurt themselves they can work it out.

Does anybody in these forums have experience in this? Any comments and suggestions are welcome.

Here's some pics of the two dogs:

Here's Bouche, the husky. He wouldn't hurt a fly and loves everything he meets. He's maybe a little too timid. Don't believe the picture, he's not as distinguished as he looks.


Then there's Annie, the Akita. Loves anything that walks on two legs. As long as you don't bring your dog.

[EclipseRST]

put the muzzles on them and separate them on chains about a foot away.. just so they cant reach eachother! either that or put them in a room together with nothing that is breakable with the muzzles on and let them loose! they will get a long eventually!

[Toksin]

That Husky is beautiful.

The Akita looks badass.

I'm a cat person. NFI how to introduce them.

[pickle]

Or you could let them fight and sell the video on ebay to some weird person who gets off on that sort of thing (Toksin).

[tazdev]

Originally Posted by Toksin

That Husky is beautiful.

The Akita looks badass.

I'm a cat person. NFI how to introduce them.

[CarSuperfreak]

Originally Posted by pickle

Or you could let them fight and sell the video on ebay to some weird person who gets off on that sort of thing (Toksin).

[Tindall2006]

Put them on leashes, and slowly bring them together, if if they start to grow and fight, pull them away, yell no at them, and smack their buts, repete untill they get alone. Big arms help for this.

That is basicly what we did when we got our husky, also, watch the food dishes, and and that, make sure they don't fight over that, the husky may get mad when the new dog goes near his food (in his breed) so, when he grows and lunges at the new dog, yell at him, and tell him no. Also, don't give any teats out, cuz that cauzed even more fighing with our husky, and new dog, but they get along now.

[lorilw]

Good luck on this, you'll need it, and a lot of patience. Have another person with you, and put both dogs on leashes without muzzles, the muzzles may aggitate them and make them more aggressive. Keep them out of reach of each other when they're on leashes, but in the same room. Do this in little increments...take a break in between the together time. If you have a way to gate off rooms, or separate them while they can still see each other that will help also. Muzzle them if they're in the house and off leash though, just in case they get to each other. Will keep damage down. Mind you the Akita is going to be hard to get to like the husky now since in her mind you made her defenseless and the husky attacked her. (not what really happened, I know), but that's what she's thinking.

You will have to do this small bits at a time. Keep them separate most the time, and if they sleep on a blanket or something, swap them out every other day so they get used to each other's scent. When they're in the same room, leash them, always have another person holding one of the leashes. When they're in the house together not on leashes muzzle them, and try to keep them gated from each other where they can sniff over the gates, but not get to each other (hopefully!) They're both capable of clearing a baby gate, but most likely won't, in either case if the muzzles are on, it won't be as bad. Hope this helps. Good luck!

Lori

Originally Posted by blindside.AMG

So here's the situation. My little brother just went on a trip to see my Dad in Houston. Problem is that he got a new dog from the pound about 2 months ago. The dog is an Akita named Annie and she has become very attached to my brother. I visited my Mom's house where the dog is staying and found her extremely upset and going insane without company. I thought it would be better if she stayed at my house while my brother is away. Problem is, I also have a dog living with me. It's my sister's and it's a Siberian Husky.

The Husky is a very friendly dog, loving anything and everything on two or four feet. My roommates and I usually joke around saying that he would unlock the door for a theif if he could. The Akita loves any person she meets but absolutley hates other dogs. We tried meeting these two a couple weeks ago and it wasn't pretty.

Today we bought a muzzle for the Akita thinking she wouldn't start a fight if she couldn't bite. We were wrong, she picked a fight with my husky and he defended himself. Tomorrow we're going to pick up another muzzle for the husky so neither of them can hurt each other. This is the only way I think the Akita can learn to live with another dog. Maybe if they meet each other and fight without being able to hurt themselves they can work it out.

Does anybody in these forums have experience in this? Any comments and suggestions are welcome.

Here's some pics of the two dogs:

Here's Bouche, the husky. He wouldn't hurt a fly and loves everything he meets. He's maybe a little too timid. Don't believe the picture, he's not as distinguished as he looks.


Then there's Annie, the Akita. Loves anything that walks on two legs. As long as you don't bring your dog.

[FireBball972]

no no no no, you did it all wrong!

this is how you introduce dogs




Bouche, meet Annie

Annie, meet Bouche







sorry, had to say it

[blindside.AMG]

Hey, thanks for all the input guys (except Pickle ).

Apparantly my sister and older brother tried again this afternoon with both dogs having muzzles. Didn't work. Bouche is extremely traumatized now. It really isn't in his natural to fight, growl, or even bark. We're thinking we just have to have them avoid each other until my little bro comes home from Houston. If this was a permanant situation then we might try harder but for only one week it isn't worth putting the dogs through all that stress. Oh well.

[pickle]

You're welcome.

[jnglgurl]

That is what I was going to ask you? If you absolutely had to have them together. The two breeds are aggressive breeds and they both are very protective. Dogs of these natures (especially the akita) have to be around other dogs at a very young age and raised together. If your brother got the Akita at the pound then who knows what he had been through up to that point.
It is best to keep them away from eachother. Dogs start at an early age trying to establish who is boss. When they are rough as puppies they are already trying to show eachother who is the leader of the pack. If you have to get them together you will have to let them go and then when they begin to fight, you or someone strong, has to grab one at a time and put them on their backs and look at them in the eyes and say no!! DO NOT LOOK AWAY UNTIL THEY HAVE!!Establish to both of them that you are the leader of the pack. But you will have to stay with them or they will fight once you walk away.
My brother has a German Shepard. But he recently got a new Malamute (closs to a husky)because the husky was going to be put to sleep for fightning w/ other dogs. He tried what I mentioned about and it worked...the two dogs are fine together. But the German Shepard isn't aggressive really either.
Last time I was down there I took my Boxer over there. (he is just 6 months)But the other two dogs I thought were going to kill mine. He came running and just wanted to get in the car. Even he was like "screw this"!! LOL!! Hope this helps!! Like I said w/ two aggressive breeds you could have your work cut out for you if you feel they have to be together.
Good luck.

[tonioseven]

I find that alcohol usually helps in these situations.

[lordvektra]

off topic but I want that husky haha, I think they are the most beautiful dogs ever even if I am a cat person.

[Suislide]

my girlfriend had to introduce two cats to each other recently.

same sort of situation. one was aggresive and hated other cats, the other was timid and couldn't care less.

we tried tying them up in opposite corners of the room so they could scope each other out, but that just further aggravated the aggresive cat.

then one day, the door that was seperating them accidentally got left open while no-one was home, and the two had a battle royale. my girlfriend came home to find lumps of hair everywhere, but when she went into the TV room, the two cats were asleep in the same chair.

now, they're the best of pals. they still play-fight every once in a while, but they're buddies and they don't hurt each other when they do it.

it's probably not the same for dogs, but i just thought i'd share what happened in my experience.

i have 2 dogs, but couldn't offer any advice. we had Holly for a year before we got Maggie, and Maggie was just a puppy when we brought her home (you could fit her in the palm of your hand). Holly took one sniff and growled. didn't like her from the second she got in the house, but they never fought or anything of that nature because they were both too young at the time.