I'm not sure if this thread is in the right place. If it isn't, then I apologize...

Recently, my friend, her dog, my dog and myself have been going on walks together so that both dogs can be in the presence of another dog. We've done this for 2 days now, going on 1.5 hour walks in the evening and hanging out in the living room when we've completed our walk. The thing is, on their walk, my dog and I walk in front of my friend and her dog because the sidewalk is narrow. My question is, is this a good way for a shy/timid/low confidence dog (my friend's) and a more confident/slightly playful but can be calm dog (mine) to be introduced to each other?

When we're in the house, we let both dogs drag their leashes around under our supervision just in case my dog decides to jump on my friend's dog. Mine is 55lbs while her's is 20lbs and mine is nearly 5 times bigger than her's. Haha. We also noticed her dog will bare his teeth and give a low growl at my dog if she's too close to him. She usually takes the hint and backs off, but sometimes, I feel she's pressing the issue and staying too close for his comfort for a couple seconds too long. She'll back off when she's told off by me readily, but am I correcting the right dog? There was only one time where my dog practiced a bit of avoidance - my friend's dog went to go drink out of the water bowl and when he was done, he went into the kitchen; my dog takes her turn at the water and when he approached, she (almost) immediately left the water bowl and went back to her crate and stayed put. It wasn't until I had to give her a release command + encouragement to come back out of the crate - she hesitated to drink...not 100% sure if she was allowed to. Haha. Silly dog.

I can tell both dogs are somewhat interested in each other, but my friend's dog isn't 100% comfortable around my dog. We plan to take walks and hang out like this every day so that the dogs can get used to each other...hoping we're doing the right thing.

As far as the introduction goes it sounds like what you're doing is fine and I wouldn't worry too much, often the dogs have a way of establishing order themselves. Some dogs just hate each other from the very first moment but in your case it sounds like they're on the way to becoming friends. Your friend's dog knows how to stand up for itself by warning your dog to back off when it gets too pushy. I'd just leave them to it really and give them time to get to know each other better.

One thing to keep an eye on though is that some dogs get possessive over the water bowl and who drinks first... from what you wrote I don't think they would break out into a fight over it but you might just want to monitor them or give them each their own bowl so there's no tension.

When out walking you could alternate leadership and take turns with walking in front so that both dogs feel comfortable in either position. Some dogs just naturally want to be out in front though while others feel more comfortable walking behind. The dogs will let you know.

Can you make a video?
That tells more about the language used by the dogs towards eachother and if you are doing the correct thing.

I totally agree whit Debby. And as long as they have not the intention to fight you don't have to worn them when one of them start to growl.
Here that happens also whit two dogs that are great friends and sometimes it just a way to tell each other something that I don't thing we must involved whit that. But for that you really have to know both dogs reaction so you know it wont get into a fight and keep them on close supervision what you are already doing.( I hope you know what I mean because I don't know my english is clear enough)

About the walking I think you doing that just great The confident dog upfront and then when the other dog is a little bit more confident of her/him self than you can try to turn it around.

How old is each dog? If yours is a pup and hers an adult I would say that this behavior sounds okay. However, if I understand this right, if her dog is guarding his water bowl there's really not much you can do without her permission.
When raising our pups, we always put our hand in the bowl, take the food away, etc. to prevent resource guarding. It's a long process and even Fenris regresses a little when something special is at stake (such as today with a rawhide--which we never give them but they were at their 'grandparents' house.)
But yes, more than one water bowl would be a good way to go. Otherwise I think the only thing you could do, with your friends permission, is to have your dog drink first, then hers second. (if you subscribe to the Ceasar Millan thing). Maybe give her dog a treat for not growling / fussing when your dog drinks first.
And yes, I agree that this is hard to judge without seeing it. Fenris and Freyja would probably look like they're fighting to a 'non dog' person...but they are playing. Sometimes it gets out of control and we stop them...but it can look pretty scary (gnashing teeth and noises).
If your friends dog doesn't like your dog out front, maybe your dog should walk out front, and when your friends dog isn't behaving inappropriately she/he should get a treat. good behavior...treat...good behavior...treat...bad behavior...no treat
This is just my thought, and by no means am I a dog trainer, or claim to be.
We have the same issue with Fen & Freyja--but they both want to be out front...so it's a little nuts! They / we start school tomorrow--I can't wait!!!
Good luck! Hope the pups become good friends.

Gotcha. Yes, I think time is the key. Fenris started out being a fearful puppy, so we took him around as many people / dogs / situations as we could, and gave him lots of praise and treats when he was acting non-fearful. And ignored him or corrected him when he was fearful. (He got to the point at one time in his puppyhood when he would completely freeze if there were cars going by...which doesn't work when you live in the city!)
We also had him around some dogs who acted similar--didn't want anything to do with a boisterous puppy. We let them sort it out and everything was fine...no bites ... just a lot of growling, posturing and teeth bearing.
I guess knowing how to read their body language is key.
Good luck, I'm sure you'll do fine

Well... Actually it is alright to start playing with the dog around things he is scared of. What you don't want to do is to comfort him, but you can be there for him. Those are 2 different things.

I you are in an area that scares the dog and he wants to hide behind you: Perfect! Let him hide. Don't let him bark, but to confront scarry situations together is alright. He should learn that he is safe with you and you will protect him as a leader should.

Where it goes wrong is when you pet him when he starts showing of by barking behind your legs or when you move away from the object that scares him.

There is a thin line between these two.
Can't really explain in English, sorry But it is ok to reassure, provide support not to comfort your dog.

As far as possession over food and water. There is no difference.

A lot of dogs show aggression towards other dogs over the water bowl, nothing you can do about that. Doesn't matter that you are the boss! You don't play a part in that discussion between dogs

I never take food away from my dogs! I 've seen numerous cases where from that, aggression increased or started. If a dog has something what is his, it is theirs!
YES: I am allowed to go near their food or chew-thing and I don't allow any growling or whatever. But to take their food?
Why?
If a pack has their prey, the alpha gives the rest permission to eat, do you thing the alpha is allowed to just take away their food again without any objection???

When they steal something from the kitchen or whatever, I take it back from them. Sure. But to take back their for too often will just give the opposite affect sometimes.

If a dog has aggression towards people in case of food, show them that you are no threat... Stand in a safe distance that the dog allows and just start throwing treats on the floor. Everytime a bit closer, but don't take their food.

We are alpha's.... but: In my opinion it doesn't mean we have every right to do whatever we want or how we want it.
A good alpha let sometimes things go...Avoids a conflict and it that way lets the other dogs see that there is nothing wrong.
A good alpha dog in a pack doesn't have to get into a fight or always has to let the others show he/ she is around and is the boss.

Karen and miran,

Many thanks for all your advice. Very helpful. I just have a question about how the human should react when the dog is fearful of something... What happens if the dog whines instead of barking/growling? I'm guessing he trying to say he wants to get out of the situation...?

Well, actually you CAN pick up your dog... But a lot of people do it at the wrong moment or the wrong behavior. That is the problem.
If your dog is scared or overwhelmed by the situation without being nasty to an other dog or human, you can pick him up. Just don't get him out of the situation. Stay there until he/she calms down.
If a dog start biting and growling out of fear or just because he thinks he can get away with it because the owner is nearby: Don't pick him up!

What you see with a lot of smaller dogs is that they start barking and nipping towards other dogs or people and run back to the owner, or start the minute they are near the owner.
Then you should step away.

all the upper advice is great. And at the moment something like that happened and you don't know what to do (when it is only behavior without fighting and so) ignore it. Ignore is at a moment like that then better then react in a wrong way.
And if he wines instead of barking I would tell him the same as if he was barking. But in a way that you keep in mined that he does it out of fear and not out of being a bad dog. (I hope you know what I mean by that because in both situations I use a different tone of voice)

My dogs are not allowed alone with chew things, just to prevent things like this. I have 6 dogs here....you don't want to see them all getting in to fight Trust me...Been there, done that.
I should correct the 4 month old first, it has no business with that of the 10mnth old, and even tho they are both pups, for now the 10month old is dominant over the 4 month old.
Put them both in a corner and make sure they both can chew in peace.

If the older one stays in his place and warns the younger one without harming it, perfect. Otherwise I would correct the older one as well by voice and stand by him if he corrects it in a more subtle way.

Thanks Karen!
Of course, this situation was at my in-laws house...but they're our dogs and I need to work with them on that (them as in the in laws ). For now, the dogs are done going over there on a regular basis, so I have much more control over how things go.

(an unimportant detail as to why I took the rawhide away: Fenris had eaten most of his and softened up the bit that was left. Freyja stole the softer bit, so Fenris took what was left of hers (which was most of the thing.) The trading was done without a peep from either dog. Once Freyja fished the small bit, she wanted the large piece back and that's when Fenris went a little nuts. He didn't hurt her, he just sounded much, much more aggressive than I've ever heard him. Fenris is probably too tolerant of Freyja. And while he is the older one, I think Freyja is working out to be the dominant dog. They're almost the same height now! But Fen still outweighs her by 25 pounds.... all in all, if it were my choice they woudln't get rawhide anyway. i'd give them something else. But, maybe that was good for Fenris to establish dominance over Freyja?)

They are male and female?

Maybe she will get more dominant, maybe end up equally....
I also know males and females where the bitch seem the dominant one but just up to the point that the male allows it and vice versa.
In my opinion he had the right to put her in her place and she accepted the correction?
Trading chews happens here as well sometimes. I know which dogs like the softened chews and who don't care. So, if I see one looking out to steal a softer chew, most of the time I make the trade for them to avoid problems.

The get things over here at a regular base, but just never without my presence. Also nobody is allowed to give them something without my being there.

Rawhide is that really white chewy stuff? That they roll up?

I never heard stuff about binding up their stomachs... I almost lost Magu because of something like that (was rushed into surgery... 1/2 hour later and it would have been too late) but that had nothing to do with things like that. I give them as well.
Also a pup in teething, why not? If it hurts too much it will stop anyway I would guess.

Yep rawhide isn't great because large chunks are hard to digest. Chewing off tiny bits is OK because they will pass though their system but if they swallow the larger pieces (or the rubbery part that's left over) it can end up staying in their stomach or obstruct their bowels, leading to bloat, which can require surgery. Bully sticks are better because even if large pieces are swallowed they can still be easily digested.

Quote:

Rawhide: Many dogs have been autopsied with bits of undigested rawhide in their stomachs. This has not been the cause of death outright, but certainly causes its own share of problems, it inhibits food digestion. Rawhide is also a common choking hazard. Sure many dogs eat rawhide every day and survive, but equally so, many choke and die. Rawhide should never be given to an unsupervised dog or a dog in a crate.

rubbery part?

Ok...guess I don't realy know what rawhide is Anyone got a picture of it?

We already don't give the dogs nothing without our presence. One reason is to prevent fighting, other is to prevent choking.
That can happen with any kind of chewy stuff! Bully sticks, pig or cows ears etc... makes no difference.

Ok, read it.

Yes, it is all true what they say.... But than again: It can happen with almost every chew stick thing you give them.!
Think you should look at your dog... If they eat it completely without swallowing big parts: Perfect! Otherwise, take it away when the remaining part is too little to chew but too big to digest and the dog is likely too swallow it.

Sometimes I think they want you worried and afraid for everything. There is always something to find that can harm your dog. Sure it is safer to give them a kong, but lets keep a dog a dog! Let them live a little....