Just became a bully mom of two

[jennygibbs]

Just became a bully mom of two...HELP!

Hello all :D

My husband and I just adopted a 3 year old male eb, Tank. We also have a 4 year old female eb named Nyla, who we have had since she was a little babe. I've tried browsing the forum for a similar post (may have overlooked-did not find anything), but does anyone have experience with introducing an adopted/older/new EB to their already grown eb? I know it is the first night, but I'm a little anxious and really want them to get along! She is definitely the queen of our house, and spoiled rotten. I think she will have a hard time sharing but she seems to get along fine with my inlaws grown male dogs... They've snapped at eachother a few times, nothing crazy but boy I forget how strong these little nuggets are. Any tips or advice? And I apologize I haven't introduced myself yet, I'm Jenny! Photos of my two kids to come soon

 

[izstigspunks]

Welcome! I also adopted a then 4 year old, while having a 1.5 year old since he was a 'teenager'. My advice would be to watch them like hawks for the first little while. The younger one may exhibit jealousy, as mine did, and mope around or want to be aggressive with the other. That's when you step in and stop the behaviour. Watch for precursors of their next move and stop it if it looks menacing.

Let it be your goal to let them both know that they're stuck together and neither one is leaving (lol), and make them play team games. For instance, tug of war is a fave at my house. Walking as much together, and beside each other, was also done daily. Encourage good behaviour with excitement, no matter how small it seems. Give both equal attention and loving.

Good luck! It may take a couple of weeks until you see improvement, but hang in there. One day, they'll surprise you with how well they get along!

 

[Pati Robins]

Hi and welcome on the forum ;-)
I had few adopted dogs and few fosters -you received great advice -but i just wanted to add that it also depends on the both dogs -yes they might see themselves as being stuck together but sometimes things just dont work out -it a depends on both of the dogs .You need to give them time to adjust to the new situation that they are both in ,observe ,set up some rules pr adjust the ones you already had in place -there is nothing better than some structure for them.
I would separate them when you are out to prevent any accidents ,even tho chances are small as when you leave the house they are pretty much interested when you be coming back ,and usually settle down but there is a small number of accidents also
A good meeting should actually be in a neutral place - ie the back garden rather than inside the home to begin with, just to get your dog used to the puppys smell etc before you bring him into the house.Bullies cam be very territorial dogs ,do both need to learn how to share the space x
But keep positive and calm
, work and play with both of them -make some 1on 1-playtime :-)
And please keep us informed on your progress
Forgot to ask How did you introduce the two to begin with? And how they were towards each other ?Did you just bring the new dog indoors?

 

[dolphin]

Hello, thank you so much for adopting him. You've gotten some great advice already, we've only had to introduce puppies to older dogs but we always did it slowly and kept an eye on them when we did let them be with each other. to EBN!!

 

[JennieS]

Hi and Welcome!!!!
Our girl and boy are the same ages as yours!!! Ruthie is very much the dominate one and i was unsure how she would react once we brought Brutus in. We just got Brutus about a month ago. Our transition was very smooth with them both, it's Brutus and our cats we have problems with I make sure to let Ruthie know she's still in charge. She is likes yours...Spoiled Rotten. I thought she would have a hard time adjusting and i think she misses ALL the attention, but she is doing well. I let her through doors first, she gets first lovins and move Brutus around if he's in her spot. Brutus has come in and pretty much taken over. We are still working with them getting along with toys, that has caused a few arguments, so we haven't played toys in a while. If we do, it's separate because of them fighting or we play outside. They get along great and snuggle. If Ruthie doesn't want him near or she's having some private time with us she will let him know he's not invited. Brutus is not ever the aggressor until it's about toys/bones.
Other than keeping them separate for playing, they do everything together, walk, potty, sleep, eat, get treats. Even when we are laying on the couch they seem to wanna be in the same spot(on me, haha). I'm trying to instill in them that they are a team now. Brutus does really well tagging along with her but Ruthie likes her space.
Good luck with your babies!!!! I just said to brutus yesterday that "I can't remember life before with only Ruthie"...soon it will be the same for you!

 

[brutus77]

Re: Just became a bully mom of two...HELP!

Hello all :D

My husband and I just adopted a 3 year old male eb, Tank. We also have a 4 year old female eb named Nyla, who we have had since she was a little babe. I've tried browsing the forum for a similar post (may have overlooked-did not find anything), but does anyone have experience with introducing an adopted/older/new EB to their already grown eb? I know it is the first night, but I'm a little anxious and really want them to get along! She is definitely the queen of our house, and spoiled rotten. I think she will have a hard time sharing but she seems to get along fine with my inlaws grown male dogs... They've snapped at eachother a few times, nothing crazy but boy I forget how strong these little nuggets are. Any tips or advice? And I apologize I haven't introduced myself yet, I'm Jenny! Photos of my two kids to come soon

I also have my "original" bully Brutus from a baby who is now 1 1/2 and we rescued another in December. Our Frankie is 2 1/2. When we first brought Frankie home we introduced the two outside of the home. We took them for a long walk on a route unfamiliar to Brutus so there would not be any territorial issues. They did great on the walk but when we tried to bring Frankie into the house Brutus wasn't having it. So we kept Frankie in the kitchen area with a see through kiddie gate and Brutus in the rest of the house. We did this for about a month. The purpose of this was to let Brutus know 1. Frankie was there to stay and 2. so Brutus could get used to the smell and familiarize himself with Frankie. Eventually Brutus started bringing his toys to the gate and shoving them underneath so Frankie could play. We also noticed Frankie would put his body sideways against the gate, which upon research we found out meant he was submissive to Brutus. When we saw this happening we started with them both harnessed and leashed for visits. This was ok for a few times, but really when we thought they were showing that they had the order worked out, we let them free and they really get along great. Sometimes Brutus can get on Frankies nerves, they are great at telling each other to back off without any major problems. You are going to be essential in this working out because you have to understand your bullies. When they are together there cannot be any head on staring, rigid body stances, or posturing. Don't go by growling because I have found that there is a great amount of growling and mouthing while they play. If you see either or both of your bullies in a downward stance, (front paws down and butts in the air) this is playful and not aggressive. Also an open mouth on faces, necks and general body is also play. We have an empty 12oz soda can half filled with coins with the top taped that I lovingly call the "puppy bomb". When they get too riled up, I will loudly tell them "ENOUGH". If they don't stop, they get the puppy bomb thrown in their general area and this stops any nonsense. By now they will calm down with the tone of my voice. Also every now and then I will give each one "special time" just for like an hour or two, where one will be crated and the other out and then the the next night i will switch the order. I do this maybe once a week because it allows them alone time with us and they can relax or not have to share a certain toy or maybe they don't want to deal with one another. Brutus can be an nuisance licker and can be quite annoying if you aren't in the mood. You get my point though. It was tough in the beginning and I can honestly say there were times when I thought about giving up. I am so so so glad I didn't. Frankie is a beautiful bully and such a great addition to our family. Brutus loves him and they are great friends. If you find your having trouble or have any questions please feel free to ask. I will be more than happy to help. It is worth all the frustration for what you will get back out of giving a great home to a bully that needed one and your established bully will have a great friend to grow old with!

 

[brutus77]

Hi and Welcome!!!!
Our girl and boy are the same ages as yours!!! Ruthie is very much the dominate one and i was unsure how she would react once we brought Brutus in. We just got Brutus about a month ago. Our transition was very smooth with them both, it's Brutus and our cats we have problems with I make sure to let Ruthie know she's still in charge. She is likes yours...Spoiled Rotten. I thought she would have a hard time adjusting and i think she misses ALL the attention, but she is doing well. I let her through doors first, she gets first lovins and move Brutus around if he's in her spot. Brutus has come in and pretty much taken over. We are still working with them getting along with toys, that has caused a few arguments, so we haven't played toys in a while. If we do, it's separate because of them fighting or we play outside. They get along great and snuggle. If Ruthie doesn't want him near or she's having some private time with us she will let him know he's not invited. Brutus is not ever the aggressor until it's about toys/bones.
Other than keeping them separate for playing, they do everything together, walk, potty, sleep, eat, get treats. Even when we are laying on the couch they seem to wanna be in the same spot(on me, haha). I'm trying to instill in them that they are a team now. Brutus does really well tagging along with her but Ruthie likes her space.
Good luck with your babies!!!! I just said to brutus yesterday that "I can't remember life before with only Ruthie"...soon it will be the same for you!

Jennie, we also had some issues with certain toys. In the beginning, I would say about a month, no toys were allowed. Then we introduce two of every toy so they had the option to either play together or alone. I have found that Brutus does not share well with any kind of bone. Antlers, nylar bones, anything like that. So they are gone. They do well with Kong tuggies, Kong pacifiers, stuff like that. Also to [MENTION=10886]jennygibbs[/MENTION] I would not give them any toys until you are sure they are getting along and comfortable with each other and you are comfortable knowing there body language together. I did not give any reason to fight at first. I still will pick up all toys around 7pm and they know this is wind down time. They can get really crazy when they play.

 

[jennygibbs]

Thank you all so much... I feel better already! They definitely will NOT be playing with any toys together for a while! They both slept on our bed last night (oh boy), Nyla by my head, Tank at my feet and did great. Gave them their breakfast at the same time, but different areas... Worked great, and they pottied together. Had to break up a fight over a toy Tank got a hold of, and now every single toy is put away. They walked GREAT together, which was a huge relief to me. Now we are sitting on the couch together, and they're sleeping side by side. Unfortunately he did not come with a crate, as I thought he did, so when I have to leave the house tomorrow I'm going to borrow a friends crate (thankfully its a huge one for a lab!), and leave him in there while I'm gone. I figured I would give him a toy as well while he is in there, and Nyla can have her toys. Any reason why I should not do this? I'm kicking myself now for selling my old crate and doggy gate-those would have been useful now! When I saw him in our local animal rescue I had to apply... it was his second time up for adoption, so the thought of this poor guy having to go through so many homes and lord knows what kind of treatment he received killed me.

Anyways I thank you ALL so much and will keep you posted on progress. Crossing my fingers for the best!!!

Here is our new guy Tank, feeling right at home. I bought him his own toys so he really doesn't want to let this one go!

And my goober Nyla, who I'm overly attached to! She turns 4 at the end of April!

 

[Petra]

Hi and welcome Maybe someone has already mentioned this but I'd take them both for a walk together before letting them inside your home and yard. Walking is a great way for dogs to bond and as both are on neutral ground they don't have any reason to feel threatened or protective. It will be easier for Nyla to let Tank in if she already knows him and has a good relationship with him outside of her home. It will be hard for her to share and as I understand it they are already introduced to each other in you home. I'd still recommend taking walks with them to bond

We have 3 bulldogs and one of them doesn't get along AT ALL with the other two, the only time they can even stand to see each other is when during walks.

We had Boeboe and Bennie from when they were babies and when they were about 8 and 5 month old we rescued a couple of older bulldogs, Joey (female) and Frasier (male). They all got along great at the beginning but Boeboe constantly annoyed Joey and one day she just got enough and now they don't go together at all So I'd keep an eye on them and make sure one doesn't irritate the other or act dominating. Bennie and Frasier started to fight terrible when Bennie grew older and we had to re-home Frasier as he also got aggressive towards me.

I wish you all the best of luck thank you for adopting<3

 

[brutus77]

When they are separate they can have toys. It sounds like it is going well for you. Thank you for being Tanks second and final home. He looks like such a sweetheart. Rescuing is such a rewarding experience for all involved, including the bully!!!!!

 

[jennygibbs]

Hi and welcome on the forum ;-)
I had few adopted dogs and few fosters -you received great advice -but i just wanted to add that it also depends on the both dogs -yes they might see themselves as being stuck together but sometimes things just dont work out -it a depends on both of the dogs .You need to give them time to adjust to the new situation that they are both in ,observe ,set up some rules pr adjust the ones you already had in place -there is nothing better than some structure for them.
I would separate them when you are out to prevent any accidents ,even tho chances are small as when you leave the house they are pretty much interested when you be coming back ,and usually settle down but there is a small number of accidents also
A good meeting should actually be in a neutral place - ie the back garden rather than inside the home to begin with, just to get your dog used to the puppys smell etc before you bring him into the house.Bullies cam be very territorial dogs ,do both need to learn how to share the space x
But keep positive and calm
, work and play with both of them -make some 1on 1-playtime :-)
And please keep us informed on your progress
Forgot to ask How did you introduce the two to begin with? And how they were towards each other ?Did you just bring the new dog indoors?

sorry Pati not ignoring you still getting the hang of how to use the forum, it's been years since I have belonged to one! lol. When Tank and Nyla first met, his foster parents brought him over, and upon hearing the doorbell (like always) Nyla ran to greet them first. She walked outside to smell him before they came in and all was fine. His foster Dad was also a dog trainer so he was a big help in spotting the signs of aggression and how to stop before it happens. However, most of their meeting that day was inside our home. Thus far most of their snapping at eachother has been over toys, and Nyla snapped at him when we were all on the couch together, which I am assuming she was jealous of how close he was to me. We walked this morning and I think we will walk again tonight once it's cooler, its pretty toasty right now in northern California! I was happy with how well they walked, hopefully I can snap a picture of it tonight!

 

[2BullyMama]

the gang has you covered so I am just going to add CONGRATS,, and thank you for rescuing!!

 

[jennygibbs]

Hey all. Things have been going really well with Tank & Nyla. HOWEVER, in the past week that we have had Tank, he is showing some signs of aggression. Which is weird for me because I've never really met an aggressive bully! It also makes me sad, because I do not know how he was treated between his first owner, then foster home, then second owner, and again foster home As far as our home, and having friends over he is not aggressive at all. I brought him to my office, and he has jumped up at, and barked at my coworker, and attempted to bite someone that visited today. It breaks my heart. Any advice?? I work with family (INLAWS) and they do not want me to bring him anymore after today. Do you recommend a spray bottle with water & lemon juice to reprimand him? I don't know what to do, all I know is I feel very very sad for my new guy.

 

[Vikinggirl]

It sounds like you've already been given great advice and suggestions, just wanted to welcome you to EBN. Thank you for rescuing Tank. Your babies are beautiful, and I'm sure they'll be best friends before you know it.

 

[minibull]

Do you recommend a spray bottle with water & lemon juice to reprimand him? I don't know what to do, all I know is I feel very very sad for my new guy.

I'm sorry I don't have an answer to your question but I'd like to revive this thread to see if you found a solution and if anyone has any tips. Your bullies are both so adorable! Nyla looks as though she could be our Buttercup's sister.