Advice on going from One to two dogs please. Bit of an odd one.

[MartyrStewart]

My SIL called this morning and asked if we would look after her dog until she gets in to her new house.

Long story short, she has escaped an abusive relationship and is in a refuge. BIL currently has the dog but he has gone back to work F/T so she is on her own all day

I have a young Lab plus a kitty and two DC (2 and 6). We will take her because I am a sucker for a doggy sob story plus it would be lovely to be able to give SIL some practical help. As you can imagine, SIL has had a really rough time of it.

I guess I'm asking for any tips to get her settled in. She is a big dog and it will be tight for space, so I'm hoping she won't need to be kept seperated from my boy.

What do I need to consider ? This poor pooch has had a rough time of it too,
I just want to do the right thing by everyone.

Not an expert and don't have concrete advice but just bumping to say good for you to take this dog in. Must be a great relief for your SIL.

Thank you

Quite hard to say what will happen without seeing the dogs but these are some general pointers

Introduce the dogs away from the house. Have them both on leads and walk next to each for about 15 mins or so before letting them sniff each other.

Once at your home do not treat the new dog as if he has had a hard time. Things may have been tough for him but now it is great so start off as you mean to go on with positive training methods and consistency.

What is your dog like with other dos generally?

He loves them, wants to play. In fact he is usually more confident when there is another dog here.

He has met this dog before, and at home is really not territorial - I think he is too dim not to share.

I don't know if this dog walks nicely on a lead - I'm guessing not as SIL lived very rurally so wouldn't need to walk on a lead much.

In the past when I have walked two dogs, if the other one pulls, my boy usually walks to heel nicely so I only have to deal with one pulling.

I think walks and the space issue are my two biggest worries atm. Luckily I don'read the Mail so I don't think she will have my DC for breakfast

When we have introduced new dogs into the home we have walked them as Minimuu suggested. We then let them play together in the garden before letting them run into the house together. So long as they get on together normally you should be ok. Especially as its a dog and a bitch.

They may have a few spats over the first couple of weeks. Its important you let them sort this out between them only intervening if you feel one dog is in real danger. Especially keep the DC away at these times as it may change the dynamics between the dogs - ie if one is protective or jealous of the children. You may feel more confident if one or both of the dogs have house lines on so you can pull them apart without hands having to go to collars.

Triggers with my guys revolve around food and cuddles. We virtually ignored the newbie for the first few days, i.e. if somebody wanted a cuddle, the resident dogs went first, newbie would have to wait, and then it was very understated, just a quick stroke or scratch of the ears. When giving treats, newbie was always last, just so the resident pooches didn't get jealous.

Can you seperate them when you go out i.e. using dog gates? Just until you feel that they have really settled with each other?

Having said that, if your boy is laid back and so long as your DSis's dog isn't a bully, you'll probably have no issues whatsoever.

The biggest problem will be when she goes home to her Mum - you'll be hooked on having 2 dogs and will have to go get another

@ getting another - you may well be right.

They are both young dogs, my boy is nearly a year and SIL's dog is a couple of months younger.

Still have a stairgate on the kitchen (2yo is obsessed with the oven) so can seperate them when out - I don't leave my Pooch for more than an hour or two usually any way.

Despite being a Lab, my boy has no interest in food and quite happily shares his dinner with the kitten, so I am guessing SIL's will be top dog

Just need to get myself fit enough to walk a bouncy lab and a Tank of a Rottie I guess!