Debo's new friend- please help.

Hi guys, its us again with big dilemma. Debo can be very dominant sometimes, mostly with males. Our friends, who treats Debo like their own dog and Debo thinks that they are his people too, they just addopted 1 yr old staffy. Well, amazing news and great for them for doing it. We just want the dogs to be friends, I know we can't predict what it's going to be but if we could start on the right note. We decided that they not gonna meet for a while. They just got him today, so it's a big shock for him. So we don't want to stress him. Plus I've asked for a blanket for Debo that will smell like the new dog. Any others ideas? We also want them to meet on neutral ground. Debo treat their house like his.... Thank you

That's great news, hope you're gonna point them towards a friendly Staffy forum

You're spot on with the neutral ground and on lead too. No toys either that way there's no possive problems either. A lead walk with humans between and then move one nearer and if comfortable move the other in so they are walking together. Hopefully that'll be the start of a good friendship.

Might be worth getting something of the other dogs so that Debo is familiar with his scent too. Looking forward to hearing how you get on

Thank you Ian, Debo can be funny on lead, like can can't protect himself. But we don't know anything about the other dog. They didn't get from rescue center but from owners.

Ian's said exactly what I would. When you do go for the initial side by side walks, find somewhere that you can have them both on long lines and where you can walk a good distance apart while having them on slack but not completely loose lines. In other words, you want them to be near each other but not be able to reach at all, while having no tension on the lines. If they do go near each other, let them sniff and then CALL them away. Don't pull - again you want to keep tension out of the lines as they could react to that. If you do hit pressure on the line, find a way of relaxing it again as soon as you can.

You will be able to judge quite a bit from how they respond to eachother without them having any close contact. Wait until they are both snuffling and pretty well ignoring each other before moving closer. Even if things appear to be going brilliantly, keep calling them apart for a moment so that nothing can build. And don't allow any off-lead interaction for the first couple of meetings.

I think you already know it, but you can't take things too slowly but you can take them too quickly.

First meeting behind us! When Debo saw him, he went all tense. After a bit of walk, he started to pay no attention, the other dog, was really excited and really wanted to go closer. Debo completely ignored him all the time. Not sure what to think about it. Was he showing him that he has no bad intentions toward the new dog or the other way around- I ignore you so don't come close?

Sounds great so far. I would agree with Liz and say do a few more on lead walks so they really get comfy in each others company. Ignoring is probably a case of I know your there but I'm quiet comfortable.

Keep us updated

Ignorings generally a good thing. Dogs don't dissemble, they show what they mean. If Debo had a big problem, you'd know about it. So far so good!

Second time meet. Rocco, new dog, is getting less excited about Debo, today we let them get closer, like 3m. Still no contact. I was present today, for some reason Debo is quite protective over me, so was a bit worried...Hr was still ignoring him, when I went to say hello to rocco and came back to Debo, he checked me with his nose to see if I'm ok. After that, I didnt pay attention to any off the dogs, didnt talk to them or touch them, to not built any tension. I think it's going ok. We are exchanging their blankets today, so they can have something from each others. We want to bring Rocco in to our house, without Debo being there,and do the opposite with DEbo ..

Sounds like all is going well for them both 

We met for another walk, it was dark so maybe because of that, Debo growled a little bit... But then they walked with one person in between and we're fine. Once Rocco tried to come closer and Debo turn sideway to him. They even managed to touch noses. It's a still long way before we let them any loser but they are doing great. I think Rocco is not dominant dogbut then we don't know anything about him...

Don't get hung up on the idea of dominance, it's an old theory that has been discredited now. Dogs do need to know they can trust each other and yes, they do need to get a feel for how strong another is, etc, but their main focus is not dominating another. That growl was probably more a 'respect my space' request than anything else.

It doesn't sound like anything is about to kick off but, if there is even a slight chance of that happening, you don't want an human between them. Dogs can redirect, in other words if they can't get at what they want to they can go for the next nearest thing. Trying to keep two dogs apart with a pair of human legs ain't a great idea!

It does sound like it's going well. Keep them moving and get them snuffling along side each other now.

Thank you Liz, we will take things slowely. I really wantvthings to work out.