The neighbors got a puppy. Not sure how Shamas feels....

[Shamas mom]

He's not fence-running, that's a good sign. The fact that the puppy isn't old enough to know that territorial behavior is an option helps here. But he IS stopping to sniff the air, and giving a WoROROROO! (It's his "there's someone at the door" bark)stiff-legged before running off to mark a bush.

Eventually, we are going to want to try a meet and greet, and the plan is to have OH meet the dog while Shamas is at a long distance, this way he sees that the pup is accepted by us and can get it's scent. This method worked with a scary dog where we work(scary because it was direct, strong, and friendly), so it should work with a puppy?? The deciding factor is the property it lives on- this puppy occupies TIKO's yard, and will smell of TIKO. Those two have a longstanding rivalry after Shamas was obnoxiously territorial on their first meeting, and Tiko returned the sentiments. They can't stand each other. TIKO fence-runs whether Shamas is out or not- just to be sure that it's understood that that is HIS yard

This puppy does not have the obnoxious defensive streak that TIKO has- it's only 10 weeks at the moment. Shamas is just noise on the other side of the fence, and not nearly as interesting as the leaf crossing his path

 

[Jacqui-S]

Fingers crossed they become non-enemies ( or even friends )

 

[Atemas]

I really hope your plan works and Shamas doesn’t react to the puppy

 

[Stacia]

Don't even let the fence running start! or it will become a habit to the new pup. My neighbours (not next door) have a new pup, about 18 weeks old now, so we started walking both dogs on leads in parallel and about 5+ yards apart, neither were allowed to interact with the other, the puppy's owner kept the pups attention with treats. Quite soon they were walking closer and all was peace. Rourke could be unpredictable to new dogs, especially down the lane, which the local dogs all believe belong to them!

 

[Selina27]

Sounds like you've got this thought out @Shamas mom good luck !

 

[Shamas mom]

Don't even let the fence running start! or it will become a habit to the new pup. My neighbours (not next door) have a new pup, about 18 weeks old now, so we started walking both dogs on leads in parallel and about 5+ yards apart, neither were allowed to interact with the other, the puppy's owner kept the pups attention with treats. Quite soon they were walking closer and all was peace. Rourke could be unpredictable to new dogs, especially down the lane, which the local dogs all believe belong to them!

Thanks for that tip. I doubt we'll get much co-operation out of the other owner, as he seemed to think we should just let Tiko and Shamas sort it out when they started fence running. The result is two dogs who can't go into their yards without challenging the other.

I'll be working strictly with Shamas here, to teach him to continue his play without focusing on the fence.

It was Bob, the father, who expressed concern about having them meet. It will be through him that we plan training events. He's a Vet, and in a wheelchair, so I think that having OH handle the pup will probably be best to start. He might mistake interest for aggression if he were handling Shamas, and set things back.

 

[Shamas mom]

we're starting to have trouble now: The puppy is barky at his current age of 14 weeks.

One of the kids let Shamas out while the puppy was out, and Shamas had an episode of yelling, growling etc at the fence so now the neighbors are unhappy with us. Every time he hears the puppy next door he gets barky himself- arousal

He can't be in the yard at the same time as the puppy anymore- the best he can manage without losing his cool is the back door frame. If he sees the puppy's brown flicker through the fence, he goes off barking and hackles and tail come up. It SEEMS like overexcitement, but no one's taking chances.

There's talk of putting in an invisible fence at the property line to deter Shamas from going at the fence. But I fear that he wouldn't even notice a mild correction in his haze and a higher level could make him legitimately aggressive.

I'm considering moving the gate, and building a second fence inside our yard as a buffer, in case the little dogs on that side get their faces under and get bitten during the 30 seconds or so it can take me to collect Shamas. Tight wood fencing might help with the fleeting brown shadows too, then I'd only have to train him to tolerate the SOUND of next door. .


He DID meet the puppy in person....and aside from one lunge, where he thought Bob had TIKO....he was really good. I wouldn't let him approach if he pulled, and I separated him every 30sec-1m to take a break. then we walked halfway around the block.

It seems like the issue is focused on the fence.....territorial behavior...or a combination of both

 

[Oberon]

Everyone is brave behind a barrier....

What’s the fence made of? Can you put something on it that’d block out the vision?

 

[Anne123]

Have they met yet? Finn had a Doberman friend with whom he played and they were best friends. Only when the Doberman was in his own garden behind the fence they barked and ran along the fence, even snarled at eachother. I speak in past tense because the Doberman past away...
Perhaps you set up a meeting?

 

[Shamas mom]

The fence is wood, but it's a classic privacy fence, with overlapping boards. You can see diagonally into the neighboring yard

They have met, but only once. They were fine then- I think the fence is the issue. Shamas knows the dog is there, but can't reach it.