Dog Foster Moms/ Moms of multiple dogs

GermanGirl2007

Hello dog foster moms! I mentioned a few posts down that we were going to be taking in a foster dog. I went to meet him today, and he was a very sweet, mild tempered dog who I think will fit very nicely with the temperment of our current dog. However, I am hoping to get some advice about how to integrate this new dog into our home.

He is a 1-yr-old non-neutered male dog (we will be getting him neutered), but is very mellow and submissive.  He is about 1/3 of Popeye's size.  Pop is 3 1/2, neutered and is also very mellow, but he is a bit of a momma's boy, and sometimes gets jealous at first if I give other dogs attention.....but once he knows the dogs, he is totally fine.  From my observations so far (and from what my friend who knows both dogs tells me), the foster dog should be fine letting Popeye rule the roost. BUT does anyone have any pointers about introducing the dogs and integrating the new dog into our home?  How about having to potty train and crate train one, while the other is already good?  Dividing attention?  Working on potential behavioral issues?  I know it is hard to tell what I am up against until he is here, but any advice to help make this a smooth transition would be greatly appreciated.

If you have fostered, or brought a 2nd dog into your home, what can you tell me about it?  THANKS SO MUCH!

ercsa29

When we brought M2 into the house we had M1 and a foster dog. When we got home I took M2 to the park across from our house and DH brought M1 out to meet M2. They sniffed and tried to play. Then he brought M1 back and brought the foster dog out to meet M2. That went ok. They sniffed and foster dog growled a bit and tried to hump. Then we went inside. M1 and foster dog had their kennels in one room and M2's kennel was in a different room. For the first day we took M1 and foster dog out together and M2 out separately. Then we did M1 and M2 out together and then M2 and foster dog out together. Then we did all three. 

We did all meals together. Everyone had their own bowl. We do a lot of NILIF so they all had to sit and wait before they were allowed to eat. It took a bit because M2 didn't know the commands so M1 and foster dog would have to wait longer. But they generally accepted it.

M2 wasn't potty trained when we got him. He never tried to mark he genuinely had accidents. If we didn't read his cues right he would try to hold it as long as he could. If he couldn't he would start to pee and we would say his name and he would stop until we took him out. He caught on quick. But we made sure to tether him to us so could get used to his cues.

M1 was still young when M2 came in the house. She wasn't even 6 months. That helped. Foster dog was older and more of a dominant dog. He would try to hump M2 but generally they got along. M2 reallllllly didn't care to dominate anyone. If foster dog tried anything M2 just walked away.

Now we don't have foster dog and M1 is older. She is now the more dominant one and M2 still doesn't care. 

I wouldn't stress too much about crate training problems. If we need to leave M1 gets kenneled but M2 doesn't. It doesn't bother M1. It calms her and M2 so calm he just lays next to her. 

I would just make sure you ramp up NILIF and take things slow.  

 Good luck! Please bring pictures when you get the pup! 

Melissa17

Pretty much what the previous poster stated. 

We introduced them in a neutral location.

Set boundaries ASAP- with the food for example.  They eat together.  Our foster failure (we adopted him) had food issues at first so it was tough and time consuming on our part, but you get through it.  He wouldn't eat all of his food right away, he walked away and came back for more.  In the mean time we had to make sure our dog didn't eat it.  Eventually he got it and INHALED his food

Let them work it out.  There were some barks/growls and other things that didn't sound or look too pleasant, but no injuries and no yelping occured.  They figured things out themselves.  We also didn't favor the foster- hard to do because you feel sorry for what they have been through.  That is a BIG Mistake!

Sounds bad, but their past is their past and you are giving them a new opportunity.  Don't dwell and make sure you teach them good behaviors.

 Good luck!

jamianderic08

Hi!  We just adopted a second dog in October.  When we took Martin over to the foster mom's house to meet Jetson we met at a park up the block from her house.  We let the boys sniff each other and play a little bit.  Martin's four and a half and Jetson is just about a year now (guessing).  After about 20 minutes we walked back to the foster mom's house with both of the boys.  The mutual meeting ground set the path for the two of them and Martin seemed to get pretty quickly he was no longer an only pup. 

Once home, we kept Jetson in a kennel overnight in our bedroom for a couple of weeks.  He was potty and crate trained when we got him (bonus!) so thankfully that wasn't an issue.  When we were leaving for work though we quickly learned that Jetson didn't like to be in the kennel while Martin wasn't (and we weren't within sight) for the entire day.  He destroyed everything that we put in his kennel and his kennel door and bottom (it's a large folding kennel).  We went and picked up another kennel for Martin and although he doesn't love being in the kennel, the two of them do great and nothing is ruined any more. 

When feeding we did two seperate bowls and still do. 

Patience is the biggest key I think -- dogs seem to work out the kinks on their own (usually), but being patient was huge for us.  Good luck!

Janell's Nest

jamianderic08:

Hi!  We just adopted a second dog in October.  When we took Martin over to the foster mom's house to meet Jetson we met at a park up the block from her house.  We let the boys sniff each other and play a little bit.  Martin's four and a half and Jetson is just about a year now (guessing).  After about 20 minutes we walked back to the foster mom's house with both of the boys.  The mutual meeting ground set the path for the two of them and Martin seemed to get pretty quickly he was no longer an only pup. 

Once home, we kept Jetson in a kennel overnight in our bedroom for a couple of weeks.  He was potty and crate trained when we got him (bonus!) so thankfully that wasn't an issue.  When we were leaving for work though we quickly learned that Jetson didn't like to be in the kennel while Martin wasn't (and we weren't within sight) for the entire day.  He destroyed everything that we put in his kennel and his kennel door and bottom (it's a large folding kennel).  We went and picked up another kennel for Martin and although he doesn't love being in the kennel, the two of them do great and nothing is ruined any more. 

When feeding we did two seperate bowls and still do. 

Patience is the biggest key I think -- dogs seem to work out the kinks on their own (usually), but being patient was huge for us.  Good luck!

After two failed attempts at fostering we ended up going the puppy route and the bold is what happened with us.  K was kenneled while we were away and S got to roam free.  I think part of the destruction happened because K would whine in his kennel and S would bring him toys to calm him (we have pictures of every toy in the house around K's kennel) and K would pull them through the crate and shred them!

Our attempts at fostering failed because the first foster we got apparently had issues with his female owner and didn't want to listen to me, and when he tried to come at me S shut him down and attempted to attack him in my kitchen and I wasn't going to let the fur fly.

After talking more with them and discussing all of our options we decided that for S the best option was to introduce a puppy because he was very protective of me and it just wasn't going to work because most of the shelties in our rescue come with some issues...

GermanGirl2007

Thank you so much for the advice!  The plan is that my friend is going to bring the foster over on Friday, and bring the dog to an open space near our house, and we will meet them there so they dogs can meet and sniff each other.  Then, we can walk back to our house together. (I have read that walking together is a more neutral activity). I also read to put the new dog in it's kennel and let the current dog sniff, and get used to the new dog being there.  The new dog is likely not housebroken well since it has been a stray for awhile, so he will be crate training to help with that.  He will likely be in his kennel much more than Popeye is in his at first. 

A few of you mentioned eating at the same time....I have a few questions about this.  First, the person at the Humane Society recommended feeding them separately since foster dog didn't pass the food bowl test.  I also read that you should feed the existing dog first, to help maintain the pack order and avoid dog fights.  How do you feel about this?  Yay or nay?  I should add that I am planning on having separate food bowls, toys, leashes, crates, beds, etc. for the dogs to give them their own space. 

I think Popeye will be ok, but I just want to be prepared as possible, and do the introductions the right way, and slowly....I know it will be an adjustment.  Also, I will post pictures when the boy arrives. He still doesn't have a name, but we are working on it!

sjb&apa

I would definitely feed them separately if the foster has some resource guarding issues. That will probably get better after he realizes that he's going to get fed on a regular basis ... he's just not used to it yet since he was starving as a stray. I would also give treats separately at first. The foster will likely be very cautious of any person or pet getting near his food for awhile, it's better to be safe and feed him where Popeye won't accidentally get too close.

The plan for introducing them in the neutral space and walking back to your house sounds great. 

ercsa29

I think if you supervise them while feeding them you should be fine. That way, if a problem does arise, you can deal with it right then instead of finding out in a few weeks. 

You could feed foster dog in the crate so he can get used to the kennel and then you can teach him the "kennel up" command.

We've always fed together and haven't had a problem. A stern "eh eh" usually works if M2 tries to steal M1's food because he eats twice as fast.  

GermanGirl2007

Ok! Thanks again for the feedback, I will keep you all posted with how it goes!  Wish me lots of luck, and send some calming, positive energy Popeye's way as well.