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Introducing Toys To Multi Dog House


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Recently got our first greyhound, whos 5. We have had her a week. We currently have 10 lb Yorkie, whos also 5.

 

Obviously our new Grey, Paisley, has a low prey drive.

 

Paisley has been trying to play with our Yorkie by bouncing around with her bottom in the air and twirling with tail wagging. Our Yorkie doesnt understand that play yet and I think still intimidated.

 

We briefly introduced a soft toy and our grey initially didnt show interest. On second introduction on another day the grey was playing with plush toy, not allowing Yorkie to play too. Ended up taking toy to back of crate and was resource guarding against Yorkie. But let me take toy away as I became uncomfortable with situation.

 

Probably too early to introduce toys.

 

Our Yorkie loves plush toys. The Yorkie is more toy driven then food driven.

 

Any suggestions? Anyone else had similar situations?

 

Would separate play times be smart for the time being??

Not trying to encourage any fights or guarding.

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being so new I would definitely separate them when playing. Even with a low prey drive I would worry your Yorkie might look like a stuffie or toy to your new grey and something bad will happen. I'm over protective but that's my $.02.

 

congrats on the new addition! But I would give them some time/space for now.

Kim and Bruce - with Rick (Rick Roufus 6/30/16) and missing my sweet greyhound Angels Rainey (LG's Rainey 10/4/2000 - 3/8/2011), Anubis (RJ's Saint Nick 12/25/2001 - 9/12/12) and Zeke (Hey Who Whiz It 4/6/2009 - 7/20/2020) and Larry (PTL Laroach 2/24/2007 - 8/2/2020) -- and Chester (Lab) (8/31/1990 - 5/3/2005), Captain (Schipperke) (10/12/1992 - 6/13/2005) and Remy (GSP) (?/?/1998 - 1/6/2005) at the bridge
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Greys often like to rough house with other greys when it comes to play, so definitely a little early to let her play with a small dog. She is going to need to learn to be somewhat gentle when it comes to play before pairing them up, or at least trained in a few commands like stop,wait, leave it, etc. so that you can control the situation if it gets too wild at playtime.

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I have 4 greyhounds and we have to have separate play times with toys. They just get too wound up, and it only takes a second for things to turn in the wrong direction. Plus, one is a true resource guarder so we have to be careful she's playing nicely. Our toys - except for one or two boring ones - are kept put away so we can control when and who is playing with them.

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I would not let them play, I would not even let them be in the same room alone after such a short while.

(5 pound toy sized Prague Ratter living together with 63pound Galgos, one newly adopted, is what I have here)

It is not only the preey drive that can cause trouble but also simple inter dog agression as the dogs have not bonded yet. Right now they seem to accept each other most of the time but they are no pack just strangers learning to get along with each other.

Edited by Rakete
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Oh, and as I consider the combination of very small dogs and very large dogs not to be ideal (allthoughI always kept large dogs and small ones together) I want to write a little more.

 

I would never expect a (new) sighthound to have a low prey drive. There only has not been any trigger situation yet.

 

Has your Grey been fostered? Has she allready lived together with smaller dogs?

 

1week post adoption is a very short time. It is highly likely that you do not see "the real dog" by now. Same with prey drive. I learned in this forum that some call it "honeymoon phase". I see it more like a zombie or autopilot state of being. Everything goes well because the dog is overwhelmed with impressions and has no idea what will happen next, so it simply functions and tries not to get in trouble.

 

For the sake of both of your dogs - one is highly at risk of injury or even worse and the other one is risking loosing a home,(because who would keep the dog that did damage to the other?) I would be careful and alert at least the first weeks or months. Not afraid but prepared to monitor and manage things if needed.

 

Large hound vs small dog can cause double trouble. On the first hand there is inter dog agression or simple comunication. They are so different, that even a wrong step on the smaller dog could do harm. Quarreling over a bone might end with a bruise for large dogs, but with severe injury for a small dog.

On the other hand: the small dog could get jealous if the large and new one gets to much attention. It might even attack the large one. This could also lead to trouble for the small guy.

 

And there is prey drive. As long as you have not been in a situation you do not know how a dog really reacts.

 

Small dog safe in the house does not mea small dog safe outside. Safe with the one small dog does not automatically mean safe with every small dog.

 

Right now you have a greyhound that does not turn into killing mode if there is a small dog around. That is great. Something you can work with if needed. But you do not know which are the triggers of your hounds prey drive.

 

My old boy never reacted to squeeking sounds of small dogs, a foster did. Not during the first "autopilot" weeks, but as she had settled in. Both sighthounds hat quite a handful of prey drive but not the same triggers.

 

I would follow the common advices considering socialising dogs that have to live together like not too much attention for the newcomer, seperated feeding, no toys or food around when unattended etc plus some extra "prey drive monitoring": no running together, not letting the large dog try to animatethe smaller one to play (as this is situation that can go wrong. At the beginning. Example: some hounds try to animate their future bait to run so that they can go after it), letting the leashed or muzzled dog see lots and lots of small dog moves, let it hear lots and lots of small dog sounds and you might experience that the hound reacts not so safe anymore. Hopefully not but I would keep this in mind. Small dog gets hurt or scared im the dog park and screams like the large dog never has heard before - for some it is a trigger, for others not. You never know till you know.

 

This is how I introduce small dogs or cats with hounds I do not know well. Your hound does not know you by know, you do not know her andso do the dogs vice versa.

 

Better safe than sorry. One week into a new home is nota time span that allows to be shure that everything is okay.

It is not even if it where to large dogs that do no not know eacho other. It is especially not in a case like yours.

 

Be careful. Don't be scared. But be prepared that there could be problems ahead. Give yourself and your dogs time.

They have to bond, you have to bond with the new dog and them as a double pack. Time and not to much confidence in "low prey drive" or that dogs get along well right from the start.

 

(In week to after the introduction my ratter planned to kill the big boy,I am shure. And he did not like her to be that bossy. So we had some potentially critical moments in like week 2 and 3. Two months after adoption they seem to get along quite well and are allowed to run together if there are no other large dogs around, but I still have an eye on potential triggers)

 

 

Good luck! Have fun with your dogs. I have(despite my horrorstorytelling. It works out great in most cases)

Edited by Rakete
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