AboutLabman Expertise I can help you with your new dog. I am experienced in, and trained in techniques the average person can make work with dogs, especially puppies. I strongly believe in obedience training and the need to give your dog proper leadership. I have been raising a new puppy every year since 1991. I know housebreaking and protecting the puppy and the house from each other. I can explain the the feeding regimen you can easily follow to give your dog the same long, active life life as highly valuable dog guides. I try to give answers you can make work.
The mark of a real expert is knowing the limits of his knowledge. I will not try to answer questions on breed standards, AKC registration, etc. PLEASE DON'T SEND ME MEDICAL OR BREEDING QUESTIONS. An internet forum is not the appropriate place for them. Even if I could tell what was wrong from a handful of symptoms, you would still need to get the medications from your local vet.
Breeding should be left to those not needing to ask simple, basic questions. Books have been written about it. Rather than ask me a question, start reading. Those unwilling to do the work it takes to produce quality puppies should spay/neuter their pets at 6 months. I will not answer questions that sound like a poorly prepared breeder.
Experience Like many, I grew up around dogs, but never realized how much I had to learn before my family started socializing puppies for a large dog guide school. The school shares their experience from thousands of dogs with the people they entrust to raise their puppies. Their recommendations on training, feeding, and care come from a large, well documented program. After it is a year old, they X-ray every one of the hundreds of dogs they breed every year. I continue to attend monthly training sessions with trained volunteers and professional staff. I share experiences with others doing the same. The school must have sturdy, healthy, well behaved dogs, that will have a long, active life. If that is what you want too, I can help you. In addition I have done extensive reading, and the 4 years my daughter was in 4-H were a real learning experience for Dad too. That exposed me to more breeds than the Labs, Shepherds, and Goldens in the dog guide program.
Question My parents have two dogs. One female beagle mix about age 9 who is the pack leader and a male Chow mix around the same age. They just moved into my Sisters house who has a male Black Lab age 2. The lab is great with other dogs but my parents dogs are being aggressive towards the lab. I tried to help my parents by introducing just the male dogs first. We took them each on a leash outside the home and walked them around the block and then sat in front of the house and let them hang around each other both on leashes. The lab is scared and the chow still wants to bite him. My dad seems to think that putting all three dogs together and "seeing how they do" will work but I know different. Can you give me advice that I can give to my dad on how to help introduce the dogs. Thank You so much.
Answer Letting them meet on neutral ground was a good idea. I don't know how much it helps, but can't see how it could hurt. Much of how well 2 dogs will get along depends on their personalities and the leadership from the owners. Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/ For more on being top dog, see http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm
The Lab could be sending signals of dominance the chow mix can't accept. Some of this is subtle, stiff legged, leaning forward, head position, eye contact, etc. If the dogs are given good leadership, then they are competing for lower ranks and it is less important to them. Even so, when some dogs with an inborn high dominance drive are put together, it is difficult for even the most experienced people to keep peace.
Are both dogs neutered? It is no cure all, but you are fighting a losing battle not to. Do so if not already.
Taking over as top dog will take a while. You may not be able to leave the 2 of them together alone for a while.
