Intro Of New Houndie

[Katpickles]

Hiya, so we're working out whether to get a second houndie. Our girl Foxy Bubble has been with us for nearly a year now we LOVE her. To help us work it our we are houndie sitting a friends grey. We are on day 4 and things are OK, but we go back to work in a couple of days and need some advice on what to do.

 

Foxy is established in her home, she is comfortable being alone and we have a standard leave the house routine that involves nose work, package game and distraction as we leave.

 

We walk, then get ready, have breakfast, then ignore, before putting out her enrichment stuffs.

 

With Squiggle staying, we're not able to do this. They happily share each others bowls, but Foxy has some high value resource guarding (working on it but SLOW, now pawrent tolerant, and lets us trade up, not OK if it's another hound).

 

Squiggle is also more hyper than Foxy, she's a jumper and play pounces, another thing Foxy tells her "No" to. If we are in the same room and say settle then they will, but if we are not, it quickly becomes a zoomie inducing situation.

Muzzles are absolutely on during play, but when we are with them and at night they co-exist well.

 

I'm hesitant to leave them inside together as free range houndies, I worry that Foxy will crack the sh*ts or be overwhelmed by Squiggle (who doesn't seem to read the I don't want to play signals unless monitored). But maybe I'm being too cautious?

 

My options while I am at work:

1) leave one inside, the other outside and they can have their own space. Con: will be warmer (25-27c). There is undercover areas and shade.

2) Leave both free range inside muzzled. Con: Play unmonitored.

3) Both inside, babygate seperating them (not enough jump room either side for that to be issue). Con: one houndie will have more room than the other.

 

Would really appreciate your thoughts

 

Xox Foxy Bubbles Mum.

Edited April 8, 2018 by Katpickles

[BatterseaBrindl]

I assume that Foxy usually has the run of the house when you're not there.

Is Squiggle used to being alone all day in his house? Is he also used to being free?

 

How long will they be alone?

Why not do a test run today for an hour or so?

[cleptogrey]

i always crate the new dog. once my dogs are acclimated they have the run of the house. as a matter of fact i'll be in your situation monday. my female gh suddenly died in the end of last year and now that i have returned home(after escaping 4 nor-easterners) i am doing a trial with a whippet whose owner suddenly died the beginning of jan.

 

so, the crate(s) will be erected today, felix loves his crate, so i'll put 2 up and let felix go in and out as he pleases and the new boy will use it while we are out. even though i am getting a 5 year old who has lived in a home, knows crates, knows kenneling.... it's new rules, new house, new routine.

 

so my philosophy is better safe than sorry. muzzles do not work here, only if i wish to have scratched walls! but i will muzzle felix (since i have greyhound size muzzles) in the car in the beginning. again, better safe than sorry. also, i know that a baby gate in my situation will be futile, whippets jump.

[greysmom]

Agree. Squiggle isn't your dog, so *more* caution is warranted to make sure no one gets hurt. Separated and muzzled is what I would do, and definitely do a trial run before you *have* to leave. Hopefully they will both just sleep anyway, but that's what I would do.

 

PS - I love both their names!!!

Edited April 8, 2018 by greysmom