Tomorrow I am meeting a rescue co~ordinator to meet a cocker spaniel. He is 5 years old and has come from horrendous conditions. He was in a back garden all his life and when found had to have 3kgs of hair clipped off to reveal a dog too emaciated to even be vaccinated and neutered. I have had cockers for many years so immediately offered to help. I have fostered pups in the past with very little issues with my own dogs. However I have never introduced an adult. I am taking my two cockers with me to meet him but I cant take my three large breed dogs as its quite a drive. My dogs are a stable group. Three neutered males, 2 spayed bitches and regularly share food etc. There has never been a fight. My plan is as follows. Meet and introduce cockers. Little walk so they can see and interact with the new dog. I am assured he is excellent with other dogs. Assuming all goes well, take dog home to foster with a view to adopt. When I get home, put new dog into the dog run and let big dogs see him. See how we get on. Again assuming all goes well, take all dogs out for a long walk. The rescue dog has put on quite a bit of weight and loves walking. when I get home, it is my intention to put rescue dog in a crate to sleep as he has been doing so since being rescued. What do people think?

Just to say, put new dog in the run while my lot are outside it. I built the run for when I am in work but they are never in it otherwise. They can interect through the fencing. I will be with them throughout the whole process.

I have never introduced dogs in this situation before, but I would be tempted to take him for a walk somewhere 'new' with the smaller dogs and have a family member or friend meet you with your three large breeds in that place. That way they are meeting on 'neutral' territory.

As I said- this isn't experience- and people with more knowledge might say differently. But that is just how I would personally do it.

I could get my neighbour to meet me with my big dogs but just in case he would bolt from the collar and take off, I was thinking the run might work. I am actually more concerned about my cockers as they are the bosses. The big dogs are easier. Just a lot bigger!

I would be very wary about that many dogs meeting him especially if you feel the cockers will be a bit intimidating.

Are you sure you at ready to take this dog on and give him the time and space to adjust to a normal life ?

I have plenty of both. Have had homecheck, and references checked before they will let me foster. I just dont want to do something silly that will jeopardise them getting off on the wrong paw. We walk with my neighbour and her 4 dogs every evening and no problem. We meet other dogs sometimes and all fine. The rescue dog was seized from a home with 4 labs so he isnt troubled by meeting dogs. He barks when left alone so he was returned to the center by his previous foster.

When I bring new dogs here I introduce via stairgates, one dog at a time and cycle through them, once the new dog is happy through the gate then I let the dogs in, again one at a time and cycle through them, then the pair the new one is happiest with and then I add one at a time until everyone's together.  New dog goes in the garden solo for a while until I'm sure they're comfortable enough to go out with the others - doesn't actually take very long, I usually have newbies in with the group within an hour or two but it does vary.  I will always separate again if they look unhappy and make sure the others give them space.  I also do a lot of clicking - I introduce the newbie to a clicker if they are new to it then throughout the intros both sides get clickered a lot for any and all good behaviour (calm, good body language etc).

With 8 dogs and just me, doing neutral walks etc is just not doable for me but this system has worked well to date with a fair few different dogs (new arrivals, fosters, guests) - including with entire males which used to be Remy's big problem and is now Linc's.  The clickering in particular dramatically speeds things up, and indeed the other day changed Linc's approach towards my friend's dog from "beat itup NOW" to "sniff and wag" within about 30 seconds (Chester is an entire male who Linc hasn't seen since before his issues with them started).

Bless you for taking him on! I would try to do neutral meetings with a couple of the dogs at a time, particularly the bigger ones. But it sounds like you have a lot of experience and can think things through, and change your plan if something doesn't seem to be working. Hope it all goes well!

Well we have had the introduction. It went well enough really and all are calm. He is a little put off by my dogs looking at him from distances but they are all asleep now and he is walking around. Initially there was a few grumbles as my lot saw him but I distracted them quickly and it passed. As long as he stays as he isnt housetrained and has severe separation anxiety. As he was starved, he hoovers food. I suspect that once he finds his feet, he may be quite dominant. I dont think the lady who I spoke to about him had a clue. But he will get his chance here. Its his last chance I suspect.

Its actually upsetting as this is my first experience of handling a dog who has been through so much hell. He has now settled in front of the fire and is resting. My cockers have gone upstairs to bed in a semi huff! Though they are ignoring him. The big dogs are all asleep. I am keen to neuter him asap to stop the marking as he is mighty at it! He ignores the cats and they are currently occuping the crate!

> I am keen to neuter him asap to stop the marking as he is mighty at it!

You may find that doesn't make a difference.  The worst dog I never knew for marking indoors was a castrated male terrier, he was so bad I refused to allow him in the house.

Often dogs mark because they are insecure,a and of course testosterone gives confidence, so theoretically you could make things worse for him by neutering.

Also I'm sure you know that neutering can make Spaniels coats a nightmare, making grooming unpleasant.

Its early days and things will settle down. Our rescue dog hoovered food and very quickly trusted that he was here to stay and would be fed regularly and has already lost the hoover technique. He just goobles down food like a normal dog =)  if yours hasnt been in a home before he wont know that he cannot toilet there as previously he has lived in his toilet. Go back to the puppy basics and you may feel that there is no dire rush to get him castrated. You have done a really lovely thing in taking him on, I hope he realises what a lovely 2nd chance hes been given and showers you with as much love as I'm sure you will show him x

> Our rescue dog hoovered food and very quickly trusted that he was here to stay and would be fed regularly and has already lost the hoover technique. He just goobles down food like a normal dog =)  if yours hasnt been in a home before he wont know that he cannot toilet there as previously he has lived in his toilet.

Yes my rescue girl was like this at the start, although she wasn't emaciated. It's clear she had lived a long time in kennels (not just in rescue) and there were some toilet accidents at the start. It does help if there's already another dog around to show them the ropes though. We've had her 2 years and she lived at my sister's to start with but has now been here permanently a month, it's amazing how much she's learned just from copying my existing dog.

To the OP: On some rescue forums I'm on, I've seen that severely malnourished/starved dogs that come in to foster are given quite a few small meals a day... better for their digestive systems I would think, but also might help with the obsessiveness about food that many develop, if they are constantly reminded that there is food around and they will get fed.

He is after a good walk and its bedtime and he is in the crate barking constantly. I mean constantly! I suspect he is actually deaf as he doesnt react.to any form of sound. He was asleep and I clapped my hands.by his ear and not a budge. It would no doubt add to his issues.

Oh...poor boy.... :(

Oh...poor boy.... :(

The constant barking lasted 40 mins and then he fell asleep. An odd bark during the night but better than I thought. Let him out a short time ago to do his business and have his breakfast and we are aiming for another snooze as its Sunday!

I found that giving serene-um in the first couple of weeks really helped my recent rescue boy.

He was in a state of confusion, unsettled and heightened activity being brought into a two dog and three cat household.

He didn't know how to stop or how to behave with them all plus the new rules ( asked him if he had been given any boundaries before and he shook his head lol)

It just have him time to get used to things with something inside him to calm him down.

He is now fine settled and knows the routine and calm in situations where he would have almost been crawling up the wall with heightened excitement ! He still has his moment but they are now manageable by distraction techniques I use.

I am sure it will and a few weeks for you new lad to settle in but I am sure he will be fine !

> Often dogs mark because they are insecure

This.  My little guy Logan (min pin also with a horrendous past) marked almost constantly when he arrived - after about a week he didn't mark at all in his kitchen area where he spent most of his time, but when I let him into the rest of the house he marked all over the place almost constantly.  It was pure insecurity - once he was used to that kitchen area it just stopped.

Valerian is good for calming dogs, I prefer the tincture to the tablets (I get mine at Holland & Barrett).

Oh dear. Something else for the poor boy. What about using a dap collar or products to calm him down? He must be feeling very anxious with going from a garden to a home, being around people and dogs and now you know he probably cant hear too. May help to settle him down a bit?

This poor boy is currently at the vets after suffering a seizure yesterday afternoon. He was asleep on the couch when it started. The rescue and I have decided that if it is something serious, the best option may be to put him to sleep. He really is a tormented soul whose whole reason for life revolves around being less than a foot distance from a human. He slept well in the crate, kept it spotless and was doing well with my lot. Its so upsetting comparing my cheeky confident cockers to this poor boy. He really has suffered so  much in his little life. He even hopped on the couch as he was copying whatever my dogs did. Fingers and paws crossed.

Poor boy and poor you. Everything here crossed for you both. Please keep us updated xxx xxx

Oh dear I wonder if his issues then have an under lying medical condition poor little lad :-(

I hope it is a positive outcome x

Aww such a shame, my heart goes out to you and him, poor lad.

Poor boy, just when he is being given a chance at life.

Any news ?

Well the vet cant find any major reason for it with the resources he has. He is going to spend a few days with a volunteer who has no other dogs as the vet feels my busy house may be too much for him right now. I spoke with a behaviorist today with regard to the separation anxiety. He feels the previous fosterer really hadnt a clue and enhanced the barking etc. he said since the dog slept soundly on his first night here was very encouraging. Though he didnt offer much advice about the daytime barking. But either way, all is on hold now and I can only see how he progresses over the next few days and to see if we willget another chance.