Introducing new staffy dog to our old doggie

Hi. We are very interested in adopting a rescue staffy.. We went to look at him today.. he is about 2 or 3, and was taken to a rescue centre after being spotted at a local pound. No one seems to know anything about his background. He has just been desexed, vaccinated and wormed ready to go to his new home..... He didn't seem too worried about all the barking dogs around him, but the deciding factor is going to be how he and our darling old Jethro get on together when they meet next week. Jethro is almost 12, and he has to come first.. if there looks like they may be problems obviously we will not adopt him. Has anyone here gotten a younger dog when they have an older dog already. Any suggestions or tips or anything would be really appreciated. I guess it is harder when you are dealing with a dog who you know nothing about.

Great for rescuing! With regards to introducing a new one to an older I'm affraid I don't know.

Can you introduce them initially before you acctualy take him home? Take Jethro and the new one out together and see how the are?

Nice one for the rescue
1 Idea to help them get along is to get 2 tea towels and rub one on each dog. Then get the other dog to sleep with the others tea towel. This helps them get used to each others scent and will help them feel like they already know each other when they do come face to face

In a couple of days we are taking Jethro to the rescue centre to meet the 'new' staffy. I read somewhere it is a good idea to just walk the dogs, side by side for a while, before they actually make contact. So we hope to do that....we have the dog on hold, and as I said to the people there, it will all depend on how the 2 dogs go when they meet, whether or not we will go ahead with the adoption. The tea towel idea is great, but we won't be able to do that, as we won't get to see the dog till we actually take Jethro there. What about if I put a new webbing collar on Jethro to wear for a few days till we go, and then put that one on the new dog. Do you think that would help at all?? I am not so worried about Jethro as he does get on with other dogs.. but this new dog is strong and young.. he would make mince meat of my puny old Jethro!! Thanks for the advice.

Hi
You can still take 2 tea towels with you when you meet, it will give them chance to get used to each others scent, in their own space later.
Im guessing you will have a couple of walks together first at least before you decide if your going to adopt.
Normally the walk together will help as it's a fun actiity.
Have you got a name sorted for the new staffy?
Hope it goes well. Keep us all informed and plenty of pics of the 2 new best friends

yea defo dont just let them meet face to face, that could be asking for trouble. If i were u then i would take him everyday for liike a week (if thats possible, it should be) and like u said just walk them together, if they want a sniff then great and just let them lead you. That way they will of gradually got used to each other before they meet properly! x

Hi,
BTW Jethro is gorgeous he looks so wise!

I agree with what others have said, initially get the 'new dog' out of his kennel and walk with him for a minute, get him listening to you. When you leave the rehoming kennels get your partner or a friend, shelter worker etc to have jethro all ready to go and just start walking, try to keep both dogs walking to heel and dont let them jump all over one another or stick their wet noses up each other's backsides!!

You can use this settled and relaxed part of the walk to gauge the new doggies first reactions to jethro. See if he tries to pull towards jethro, if hair goes up on the back of his neck or if he is playful and puppylike with a wagging tail. If he tries to challenge jethro immediately and this macho behaviour continues throughout the walk I would be tempted to say you cant rehome him. Jethro is an older dog and if the other dog turns out to be a bully it wouldnt be fair on him.

However if it goes the other way and the new dog seems excited or even fearful of Jethro then you might be able to mold this behaviour and make things more positive. If things seem to be going well then perhaps you or your walking buddy could try taking both dogs together, one on either side to walking them more closely. I wouldn't go much further on the first meeting, if all goes well with this walking beside one another then you could arrange another walk. Each time they meet u should see them become more relaxed with each other. What to do next really depends on how the new dog reacts to jethro, the scented cloth idea is also a good one as the new dog will relate jethro's scent to comfort.

Thankyou so much everyone for your advice. What a roller coaster of emotion me and my husband have had the last week.... Well Jethro and the staffy met.. and they got on like a house on fire! Started off just walking around and soon they were off their lead.... alot of sniffing took place, Jethro actually growled ( didn't think he had it in him! ) and the staffy just walked off! They were so gentle with each other.... so we decided to take a chance and adopted him. Decided to call him Spud. Well from when we got home Spud was just full of love... he was a big sook, followed us around, loved being cuddled... he was crying out for some tlc. The first night he was really restless.. up and down all night. The next day it was like we had had him for ever.. he was always behind us, and him and Jethro just lay around together....but we noticed that Spud was an escape artist and a jumper! We live in the farming area and have about an acre of land around the house, fenced of with ringlock wire. If Spud couldn't squeeze through he just leapt straight over it! He only did this if he couldn't see us.. so we started thinking hmmm what are we going to do when we have to go out and leave him home? There was no way we would leave the 2 dogs locked inside together.. just incase....and then we said well we wouldn't chain him up.. what about a run or cage?? To be honest he had such a beautiful and loving nature that was the last thing we would want to do.. he deserved so much better. No one knew anything about his background but he had certainly been belted as when I was sweeping the floor and got close with the broom he really cringed.. ( it broke my heart to see that.. considering just what a sooky loving dog he was ) We knew if he did jump the fence he would get a bullet in him as all our neighbours have livestock.. their policy shoot to kill.. whoevers dog is on their land! Sadly I got in touch with the rescue centre to see what we could do. Would you believe another lady had also fallen in love with him.. but we had adopted him before she could take her hubby to meet him. Well there was no way he was going to just any old home.. we were going to make sure it was the best possible home we could find. We met the lady, she had another rescue dog of around 2 ( a mixed breed ) and she assured us he would be inside... sleep in her room, she lived on quarter of an acre with really high fencing.. and she was kissing and hugging him as soon as she came over. We just knew that this was it. The lady told us whenever we want to we are more than welcome to visit... and she has promised to send emails all the time with how he is. I don't mind telling you that as they drove off down the road I was blubbering like a baby. I cannot believe just how attached I had gotten to him in that short time. From day one he just oozed love and affection and just so desperately wanted someone to love him.. and it was easy to do that... what a gorgeous fella. So now it is just back to me and Tony and Jethro.....I am so thrilled that he will spend the rest of his days wanted and loved.....

here are the 2 boys......Spud and Jethro

What a beautiful fella.. Spud watching me make tea...

Arr such a sad story but at the same time happy as you know he will be looked after forever. Well done you for putting the dog first even if it upset you. His new owner sounds lovely.
You will still have to get photos and put them on here.
How is Jethro since Spud has gone?
Big hugs and licks from me & Blue ><

Awwww what a love you are not only did you offer him a loving home but you saw he could have better (not love the fencing) so did the ultimate thing and gave him up. He was so lucky to have found both mummys and what a georgeous boy he is, your a angel

.. thanks that means alot to me... he was an amazing loving doggie.....

here are Jethro and Spud saying goodbye...... we are missing his big sooky face already...........

That bought a tear to my eye so I can't imagine how you feel. Its amazing how quickly they get under your skin, and as said before I admire you for putting Spud first and He'll have a happy life and you fond memories of the short time together.

There'll be others

..thanks Janey !! XX he really did get under our skin !!

that story is so bittersweet! im sorry it didnt work out for you guys but you know he will be well looked after!

.. yes Hayley and I guess who could ask for more...... he is one of the lucky ones !! ( he has 2 mummys!! )

My heart is breaking ... his new owner has taken him back to the rescue centre.. she said her dog that she had already went all weird and wouldn't eat and that Spud was widdling alot inside..... going to put a pic of him under rescue and adoptions.. I feel devastated!!

Aww no thats to bad isn't there anyway you can highten your fencing in your garden or have you considered crate training for while your out that way he can be crated while your out to avoid any arguments etc.

vanessa wrote:My heart is breaking ... his new owner has taken him back to the rescue centre.. she said her dog that she had already went all weird and wouldn't eat and that Spud was widdling alot inside..... going to put a pic of him under rescue and adoptions.. I feel devastated!!

He will get a new home I'm sure of that, moo had 3 before me so there's hope yet

Miss Rogue.. I would have LOVED to do that.. but we live in the farming area and have just a ring lock fence around our place...it would cost a fortune to change our fence.. plus there are livestock all around us. You can see that he is not a farm dog and is obsessed with our sheep and chooks.. and next door have cows... if he got through or over the fence and chased them he would get shot. We thought about crating him if we went out.. but if we were going out all day.. what to do then?? He has just been adopted from the K9 Rescue Centre.. I just so want this story to have a happy ending !!

And Janey you have made my day in saying that Moo had 3 owners before you.. she is one lucky doggie !! I hope that this dear fella has the same tale to tell one day.....

It must of been really hard to do what you did especially now he is back at the kennels its such a such but atleast he had a little fun and comfort for while.

Just don't give yourself too much of a hard time