She's Here! She's Here!

[LyonsFamily]

Meet Elli! (formally NADSR courtesy post Stella from Chicago) Odin and I were in Chicago this weekend visiting my husband and blowing recalls on his CSAU test and we picked her up on the way home last night to bring her home with us. She's 2 years old and quite the little rocket. She's a mini version of Odin and everything he's not. She's only 40lbs (compared to him at 72!). She's also a total spaz and loves everyone. We're working on intros. It'll take some time, but they've already come so far and it's just day 1. We're doing a foster to adopt with a 2 week trial period to make sure everything works out.

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Freedom ride

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It's 3 am, why are you still in bed?

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Odin, why is your head so big?

[Sugars Mom]

Congrats!!! Great size!

[johninny]

Congratulations to you and Elli and Odin !
Odin will have a ball with her I bet.
TeXan, who has now been here 2 months and 2 days has gone from 20lb to exactly 40 lb yesterday at age of 5 months.

[Stacy_R]

Congrats! Best friends in the making?

[Sugars Mom]

Yes, can't wait to hear how things go!

[anniewang83]

Congrats on the new addition!!! We look forward to more photos!

[LyonsFamily]

Thanks guys! I guess the nervousness didn't last too long. We decided to let them play with Odin's muzzle on. After about 10 minutes of chase, I took it off and it was like they are long lost friends. The wrestling won't stop.

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[Sugars Mom]

Awesome!!

[Revhendo]

She's gorgeous! Looks like Odin is going to have a heck of a wing girl there.

[Stacy_R]

AWESOME! What a beautiful pair.

[johninny]

you have created an entirely new realm of happiness in Odin's life!

[Dutchringgirl]

How awesome ~!!!!! They look like they are getting along great !!!

[katm4110]

Congrats!!! What an awesome out come.... Odin has come so far! I really hope Stella and Nico hit it off like this!

[Christie M]

Congrats! I love my "pocket Dutch." LOL.
And the agility and flyball options are endless.

[LyonsFamily]

you have created an entirely new realm of happiness in Odin's life!

I had no idea it would be this great this fast. The first 2 days were awful with the crating and rotating and growls and barking. They're all so happy now. I do love having a pocket Dutch. She's so compact and has already learned to lay flat on the ground when Odin comes running at her so she doesn't go flying. We worked on jumping today. I had to lower the jump cups a lot for her.

[katm4110]

how did you do the initial intro? did you crate Odin more than usual? Stella is never crated anymore unless someone comes over that she doesn't know. She behaves herself and doesn't tear anything up. I expect a lot of noise from Stella when she meets Nico... she's super talky and barky now. I know Odin is or at least was pretty reactive so I'm curious as to how you did this! They look so happy together!

[LyonsFamily]

how did you do the initial intro? did you crate Odin more than usual? Stella is never crated anymore unless someone comes over that she doesn't know. She behaves herself and doesn't tear anything up. I expect a lot of noise from Stella when she meets Nico... she's super talky and barky now. I know Odin is or at least was pretty reactive so I'm curious as to how you did this! They look so happy together!

Odin has a 4'x4' xpen he stays in routinely, so he got put away in that when needed. Elli came with a crate. We worked a lot with him in an xpen with other dogs around before she came. I've been going to private lessons for a few months now to help with his triggers. He regressed a little when we moved to Michigan.

It seems that Odin doesn't like when other dogs make eye contact and he fixates on the eyes so much he reacts. We've been working on him smelling another dog first and rewarding for that. His first few lessons were literally butt smelling sessions. My trainer would get a stable dog friendly dog out and hold him/her with their butt out for Odin to sniff. As the weeks went on, we'd work on Odin letting the other dogs sniff his butt while I held him. After that, we did loose leash walking with him and other dogs and did a little group obedience long sits/downs. I was prepping for him to take his CSAU (French Ring Temperament test). We passed the social parts and loose leash walking even with a dog 6 feet away, but he blew right passed me on his recall and tried to leave the ring to get to my husband, so we didn't pass. I was happy with those results though because the rest is just proofing under distractions and is more of a practice thing than behavioral problem.

When Elli came, they didn't get to interact at all in the beginning and took a 5 hour car ride together. She was crated, he was in the back seat. When we got home, they went to sleep in separate rooms. The next day, they each got to smell each other's butts with me holding the front half. I had planned on taking them on a walk together, but it's been 100 for the last 2 weeks and it was just too hot. I sat inside with him in the xpen and her on a leash and just got closer and closer with her, rewarding each of them for no reaction. Eventually I got them to do a down stay together. He was in the xpen, she was right outside it leashed. After a good 15 minute session, they got split up again and we repeated it a few hours later. I wanted to end every session on a positive note and not rush anything.

I really tried to limit Odin's time being crated because I didn't want to change his routine too much. Elli was used to being crated in her foster home. I wanted to give them at least a day of seeing each other in the house, smelling the shared areas, but not actually interacting. On the second full day of being here, I took them outside to a semi-neutral area on draglines with Odin in his black rubber baskerville muzzle.

She immediately play bowed him and he chased her a bit, but there weren't any signs of aggression. She dove into the fish pond and Odin was trying to get her out, but was stuggling with the muzzle on, so I just took it off him while I pulled her out. I didn't need him falling in with a muzzle on. After that they just started playing. I hadn't planned on it happening that way or that soon, but they really bonded. I was planning on doing a good 2 weeks of crate/rotate with walks and short shared training sessions before they could full on play. They're still not left together when I'm gone and probably won't be for a few months. She's a shoe eater and has to be crated anyway.

If I were to give you advice, I would have the dogs go on walks together for a few days before doing anything drastic. Just let Stella feel him out and give her space. Do you have any places in your house to separate them with baby gates or even a close door? You can switch blankets back and forth between the two of them every day they're apart to introduce them to smells. The butt sniffing really seemed to help Odin a lot, but I don't know how to describe it in words for someone else to do.

[katm4110]

Oh wow! Stella hasn't been up close with another dog since she left the kill shelter in Oklahoma lady September. She was very reactive but she can now stay neutral with some whining when we walk past other leashed dogs.

I do have rooms that are gated off Stella's fat ass won't jump a gate but I'm guessing the puppy probably can and will. The foster mom said she had a Siamese cat who hated Nico and two who didn't and he knew to steer clear of that specific cat after it only hissing at him once.... as long as he's not pushy I hope Stella will learn quickly he's not a threat. She has issues with other people interacting with the kids but I think she'll learn to accept him pretty quickly like she did my step daughter.

Stella is a quirky dog but her desire to please me and be obedient is what I'm banking on for this working out... she always listens to me.

I think I get the butt sniffing..... I pretty much hold Nico so he can't turn around and have my husband leash Stella (ill put her e collar on as back up) and let her sniff his butt?

Is it important he do that to her? I can't imagine her being a big fan of that but hey ya never know she may enjoy having a younger man around

[Christie M]

I would just condition to a basket muzzle and then give them much more free reign. The muzzle will stop someone from getting injured (which is really, really rare) and take your interference out of the equation. No offense, but usually when humans "help" with introductions they often add stress to the situation and inhibit clear communication between the dogs. If there is no blood, then its OK - at least that is my thought for the most part. I don't let anyone get truly punked, but they have to work things out some and 99 times out of 100, a male and a female will be just fine. The female will put him in his place

Remember - with all of that restraint and leashes - if the dogs are in conflict there is only fight or flight. If you are removing the flight option with tight leashes....and sending all of your nervousness down the umbilical cord/leash....then there is no flight option. You will cause aggression where there was none.

[katm4110]

How long will it take to get Stella used to a basket muzzle? Nico flies in next week!

We got a male for that exact reason and specifically wanted a young not too pushy one