Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I really want to get a sibe, but i have a Lhasa Apso and i'm afraid they won't get along. I have adopted a 2 year old sibe, but had to returned it because it bit my lhasa in the face, because my lhasa constatly smell her. it was nothing big it look like a little hole not deep near her nose. but i did not wanted for the next time to be a big bite so i return it. Then i adopted a American eskimo who also try to bite my lhasa apso, i got really attach to the eskimo and did not wanted to take it back, so a close by family member has her and i get to see him everyday. everytime they see each other in the street they start barking at each other like they want to kill each other. I'm afraid that if i bring a new puppy home i would go thru the same nightmare. the eskimo is very agresive towards people too, but i don't know if it is my lhasa causing the problems. sometimes she just smell and that how it usually started at the beggining now it a dog or a big dog smells her for too long she starts growling. Can somebody please give me advise on this manner, i really want a puppy husky. I KNOW IT IS A LONG STORY.

Its probally best to have a one dog home untill your first dog is gone. She may not necesarilly not like other dogs but she just may not know how to interact with them. After two tries I think a third one is just pushing it. Bring the wrong dog home and they moth may get seriouesly hurt. What sex were they all?

Just research the breed,maybe help out at a rescue untill its time for a new dog. Then heavilly socialize it so maybe you can bring in a second dog. But even with socialization some dogs are only for one dog households.
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You know, two bites in a row from two different dogs, it's starting to look like your other dog is a bit of a problem.

Are the dogs you mentioned the same gender as your lhasa? If so, that may be a big part of your problem. Yet, I don't know if I'd risk it at this point. I know that may not be what you want to hear, but sometimes the dog that gets bit isn't necessarily the "innocent bystander" in the game. Sorry
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Chelle and the rest of the crew including, but not limited to Kita and Taiko (the shiba inu wrestle maniacs), Adi (reserved and dignified tabby cat), and all 28 reptiles

Thank you chell for answering, the thing is that my dog does not seems to be doing nothing wrong, at the beginning she meets the 2 dog she growls a little after the first dog bit her, but then she just smells the dog, the first dog was a female so i went for a male the 2 time. the second dog is just agressive with everyone except people that he likes me and my cousins. is weird because the person that i adopted him from said that he used to get along with all her dog (12), but now he does not get along with any dog. so even if i was to get a puppy you still think they might be a problem, would'nt they get use to each other.

I got my first sibe when i was still in highschool and my parents have a mini american eskimo too. they get along ok but before i got my husky pup, i tried to adapt another 2 year old husky and it bit the eski too so we took her back. my puppy was only like 6 weeks old when i brought it home and the first dog and the eski get along ok, my first husky is really passive and the eski is also very aggressive. i recently got another husky and she is very dominant even at 3 months old over the 2 year old husky. my second sibe and the eski can live together but the sibe is mean at times if the eski goes near the sibes bone or something but she'll do that to the other husky too so i think it's just her. But the three of them spend most days together and get along fine. I think the second husky is worse with the eski cause it wasn't raised with it either. and all three of these dogs are females. Hope that helps let us know.

If you get a male puppy from a great Siberian breeder that will take the dog back if you are having trouble, then you can probably try it. You may want to have your current dog checked out by a vet to see if there's anything medically wrong with it (same goes for the eskie). Arthritis, cataracs, etc can cause behavioral changes and movement changes that effect dog/dog language and interactions.

Each individual dog/puppy is different and in cases like this, you have to be ready to deal with things. A book called 'Feeling Outnumbered' may help you manage a two dog household. Also, when you introduce these dogs, you need to do it carefully, on neutral ground (even with a puppy) and work up to longer and longer interactions between the dogs.

You can also bring in a behavior specialist to watch these dogs interact. It's possible the dogs are fine and the size difference between the dogs is the real problem and nothing more. Spitz breed dogs play VERY rough. They may just not know the other dog can't handle that kind of play.
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Chelle and the rest of the crew including, but not limited to Kita and Taiko (the shiba inu wrestle maniacs), Adi (reserved and dignified tabby cat), and all 28 reptiles

Thanks everybody for replying to my message it is really helping because it giving me different points of view and similar situations, i'm thinking about getting the sibe when he is like 6 weeks old so they could growup together, i think it would be hard for 2 dogs that grew up together not to get along or at least to tolerate each other. sibebabe your situation is similar to mine since you had a small dog like mines and it gives me hope that my dogs will get along too. my dog is not as agressive as the eskimohe is possesive of toys and people food when he steals it but not with his food. the eskimo bit a kid down the block and the trainer who came to train him. I would read some books like chelle suggested on dogs body language so i could know if they are getting along or when they are not. anybody else has any advise or a similar story please post. i will let you guys know when i get my dog how everthing is coming along.

I'd give the puppy 8 weeks with his/her mom. Six is too soon to separate. The extra two weeks will give the mom time to teach the puppy how to be a dog (dominant/submissive roles, etc). Not to mention the pup should still be nursing at least until 8 weeks.

Walt

I have to agree 6 weeks is too early!! My dog was sSSSOOO super shy and it was hard to overcome. She turned out to be a great dog but it took lots of work and socialization. lucky i have good friends with good dogs that she played with. but 3 months is hard to because their so set in there ways by then.

yeah i think you are right i will wait until he is 8 weeks, does anybody know about how much does the average husky weight at 8 weeks?

I guess somewhere around 10-12 lbs. Mine didn't take long to tower over my mom's Miniature Schnauzer.

Walt

First, dogs don't know anything about size. A chihuahua can be dominant over a Great Dane. It's not about "Husky" vs "small dog".

When you add a new dog to your family (pack), regardless of size, it takes everybody a while to work out the pecking order. This is totally normal. Most dogs will take turns at being dominant/submissive until they figure out who's the boss. Of course YOU should be the Alpha.

Personally, I think you gave up too soon on both accounts...

As long as the dogs aren't really hurting each other, you should ignore the barking/snapping that seems like they're killing each other, when most of the time they never touch. If you videotaped a dog "fight" (like you might see at a dog park) and slowed it down, you'd see that they usually never actually make contact with their teeth. They growl, bark, snap, whine, shriek and it all happens in a flurry, but this is all part of "the dance". It scares the heck out of people, though.

Adding a puppy should be fine, as 8-12 week old pups are usually naturally submissive. Eventually either your Lhapsa will be the boss or the grown puppy (Sibe) will be the boss and everybody will be happy knowing their roles.

Walt

well the first dog did bit her in her face it was nothing big but you could see a little bit of blood. the second dog bites human i could imagine dogs. I just get very nerveous around them because my dog is so little. but i thin with a puppy would be easier. I brang my friend 6 week old puppy to my house and my lhasa was running aways form hime as if scare that looked very funny running aways form a small puppy that just wanted to play. but my lhasa never try to hurt it or snap at it, so i think everything should be fine. thanks walt you message was very helpful.

Is it possible that they take their role as alpha without fighting?and wil the puppy once is a little older try to attack my lhasa? sorry for so many question

I don't think "attack"...

It should start with posturing, body language, maybe eventually growling, but that's usually it, unless the second dog won't back down. But if the pup grows up with the Lhapsa, I think it would bond with it.

Walt

thanks walt for your post they are really helpful you seems to know alot about dogs and their behaviour, are you a dog trainer or have you been around dogs alot?

I agree with Walt on what he has told you about the situation. I have two dogs of my own, an American Pit Bull Terrier and an APBT/Pointer mix, both are approximately 70lbs. My mom has a 20lb border collie mix and an american eskimo, both of whom are actually dominate over both of my dogs (even though they could easily over power them). The only two that ever have a dominance "battle" are my boys and as Walt mentioned it never gets serious although at times people think they're going to kill each other. It's usually just growls and posturing as mentioned previously, and very rarely snapping at the air towards each other becomes an issue (never actually making contact). But just remember that you interfering with this behavior can make matters worse, and 99% of the time contact will not be made. You have to think like a dog when living in multiple dog households.

Thanks. Just a lot of observation, interaction, reading, etc. Like the other person said, you have to think like a pack. Dog communication is very easy to understand, once you learn their body language and vocals.

Walt

Thanks everybody, I will definatly read a couple of books on canine body language and Multi-dog households before i get my dog. I just get really nerveous when they start to bark and snap at each other because my dog is like 10-15 pounds the most, but i will have to deal with that. i really think that the eski would of have bit her on the count that he bit two other person. thanks everybody which me luck on getting my new dog.