Hello all. I could use some advice please. I've owned Shelties for over 25 years now and have never really had any behavior issues with them. I do now. My story is a bit lengthy but I think the background might be necessary. Please bear with me. Thirteen years ago, I rescued a sheltie puppy from an abusive home. We called him Jet. He was 8 months old at the time and turned in to a very affectionate, very loyal best friend. He got along perfectly with my other two dogs at the time one of which was an older sheltie that I would be losing soon due to renal failure. After losing the other sheltie, I was given the chance several months later to adopt another sheltie puppy (4 months old) because the owners couldn't keep her any longer. They had a small "breeding" operation at their home (shelties) and they had recently had a litter of puppies in addition to still having both the mother and father of the puppies. This puppy they needed to re-home was about 2 weeks older than their litter and the mother of the puppies would "attack" her if she played too rough with her babies so they felt it was more humane to give her to someone else. She was very shy when I met her but she got along with the rest of my dogs okay. She seemed very jealous of Jet since he was my "baby" and would attack him if she thought he was getting too much attention. This was after I had her for about 6 months. I never knew how to correct the behavior as nothing I did ever seemed to work. I lost Jet earlier this year and would now like to add another rescue sheltie (7 year old male) to the pack but not sure how she will treat him. She sticks to me like glue and chases anything that comes close to me (i.e. barn cats). If anyone has any advice on how to correct her behavior it would be greatly appreciated. Thank your for your time.
Need advice please.
- Thread starter nekahno
- Start date
A neutral introduction away from home. Have two people, two dogs, and WALK side by side. Don't introduce face-on or free romping. Just go and walk. Do that a few times and see how they feel about each other and allow them to sort of work as a team. Then you hold both leashes and walk them both if you are able. This was how I successfully introduced my velcro soulmate Aussie to another adult aussie I was bringing in. It was THE best introduction.
When you bring them in, I always go for equal. Two hands, two pets, two hands, two treats, two hands, two sofa cushions with me in the middle. This is what I am doing with my ultra-bonded Shay and my new adoptee sheltie Melli. She wants to be the center of the universe and so does he. She will show teeth if the other gets more than her, but equality is fine in her book. Supervise feeding to prevent stealing, supervise play or loose time, etc.
I have had male aussie + female, same male aussie + male, 2nd male aussie + puppy, and now puppy (grown up) + female sheltie. I has worked for me. The walking thing though really was a great thing.
Best wishes.
When you bring them in, I always go for equal. Two hands, two pets, two hands, two treats, two hands, two sofa cushions with me in the middle. This is what I am doing with my ultra-bonded Shay and my new adoptee sheltie Melli. She wants to be the center of the universe and so does he. She will show teeth if the other gets more than her, but equality is fine in her book. Supervise feeding to prevent stealing, supervise play or loose time, etc.
I have had male aussie + female, same male aussie + male, 2nd male aussie + puppy, and now puppy (grown up) + female sheltie. I has worked for me. The walking thing though really was a great thing.
Best wishes.
I agree, meeting on neutral territory is best. I have been doing sheltie rescue since 2006 & have found that is easiest when dealing with a dog that has known possession issues. Your current sheltie is protective of you so she needs to not view the new dog as a threat. I would also feed them apart at first & feed her first. She needs to gradually change unless it seems to be a real immediate behavior issue. Think of it as a new baby & older sibling. There is an adjustment period & it depends too on the new sheltie's attitude/ personality. He may be ok to let her rule the roost. It can be done but be alert to head off problems before they get to be big ones.
Chris
Premium Member
There are, I agree, some Shelties that are only happy as the sole dog. We took one of these in and found we had to relinquish him to a home where he was the one and only. Tread carefully.
You're right. There are some shelties that need to be the one & only. I had a rescue named Layla. She was beautiful & great with people but she had to be dominant. She went after my laid back male sheltie twice & I realized she needed to be rehomed as an only dog. I found her a wonderful home with an experienced sheltie owner whose dog had passed away. I made sure he was aware of her personality & stressed she needed to be an only dog. That was about 3 years ago & I still get pictures of her from him. She is doing great & he loves her dearly. My mistake was trying to make her fit where she didn't. You can try taking her around the other dog & see her reaction before deciding.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Thanks everyone for the great advice. The sheltie I am looking to adopt is still available (yay!) and the humane society personnel said that he is not an "alpha" male. So far so good. I have felt at times that my current sheltie would have been better off as an "only child" but I can't get myself to give her up. She is okay with my other dog as long as I don't go overboard with attention. We go to meet the potential "new addition" this week so here's hoping for a successful introduction! Thanks again for the advice! 
Toffee's Mom
Forums Sage
I agree with meeting neutral ground, walking side by side and manage the situation according to the dogs (and your) needs.
TAKE YOUR TIME, never rush an introduction.
Don't concentrate too much on the whole alpha thing, who is alpha etc etc... dogs hierarchies change and are very fluid and dogs react depending on emotional state etc etc.
I pretty much did what Mom2Mellie describes, had a friend help me walk them together when Spruce (formerly also known as Leo) came fresh from the airport to join Toffee and I. Toffee had been an only dog for over 4 years with a tendency to some dog reactivity which I had been fairly successfully working on. I just knew we could do this, when the opportunity of another Sheltie came along!
The walk and introduction was therefore pretty much a non event, they walked shoulder on shoulder in 30 seconds flat and Toffee then didn't mind when Spruce came in with us... I think it didn't dawn on him for some time that the blue menace was here to stay
Shelties also tend to like and understand one another!!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151282275500885&set=pb.512965884.-2207520000.1382305503.&type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151282469935885&set=a.10151282469305885.459170.512965884&type=3&theater
TAKE YOUR TIME, never rush an introduction.
Don't concentrate too much on the whole alpha thing, who is alpha etc etc... dogs hierarchies change and are very fluid and dogs react depending on emotional state etc etc.
I pretty much did what Mom2Mellie describes, had a friend help me walk them together when Spruce (formerly also known as Leo) came fresh from the airport to join Toffee and I. Toffee had been an only dog for over 4 years with a tendency to some dog reactivity which I had been fairly successfully working on. I just knew we could do this, when the opportunity of another Sheltie came along!
The walk and introduction was therefore pretty much a non event, they walked shoulder on shoulder in 30 seconds flat and Toffee then didn't mind when Spruce came in with us... I think it didn't dawn on him for some time that the blue menace was here to stay
Shelties also tend to like and understand one another!!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151282275500885&set=pb.512965884.-2207520000.1382305503.&type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151282469935885&set=a.10151282469305885.459170.512965884&type=3&theater
Well I did the "introduction" as you all described and it was fairly uneventful. She growled once and he backed off and then it was like he wasn't there. Day 1 is over and I think he's learned to give her her "space". So far so good. He's a very sweet boy and I can't imagine why they gave him up but I consider myself lucky to have him and I'm hoping she'll eventually start playing with him. Thanks again for the advice!
I'm glad everything went well on the first meeting. I would like to mention though, although they may understand each other and not get in each others way, don't force them to play (not saying you are). If she wants to play with him she'll show it. My male pup and my female adult dog go through phrases where my female will growl at him if he tries to play with her. Other times, she's the one wanting him to chase her or wrestle. If your female wants to play with him, she'll do it on her own. If you try to intertwine with this it could lead to bad things.Well I did the "introduction" as you all described and it was fairly uneventful. She growled once and he backed off and then it was like he wasn't there. Day 1 is over and I think he's learned to give her her "space". So far so good. He's a very sweet boy and I can't imagine why they gave him up but I consider myself lucky to have him and I'm hoping she'll eventually start playing with him. Thanks again for the advice!