# Altercation between foster and my dog



## sozzle (May 18, 2011)

Copper the foster greyhound and Stanley have just had an altercation. I had just finished feeding them outside (I always watch them) and had gone back inside the house, husband was around the side of the house and about 5 mins later we heard the most awful noise. I thought they had got a cat and obviously it was all over by the time I'd raced outside and husband had raced the few steps around to the back garden where they were. 

We don't know what happened or what caused it but Copper has a puncture wound in his ear and one on his throat. The ear one has been bleeding quite a bit (not torn) and I have bathed it in salty water and tea tree oil and the throat one which is small is not bleeding.

Copper has been growling at Stanley (for no apparent reason that we can see) and Stanley being the laid back dog he is just backs off and walks away and doesn't challenge him.
What I am wondering is if Stanley has decided to put Copper 'in his place"? or is that too fantastical?

Copper is at the moment very quiet and feeling very sorry for himself.
Stanley has no injuries on him at all.
I'm a bit worried and have left message with adoption people just so they know.
If I have to go out at all I will separate them.
They generally get on ok, don't interract much at all but Copper does at times growl at Stanley as I said before and I haven't witnessed Stanley growling back at him.
I guess I just want to know what is going on in their world and am hoping some of you more experienced dog owners can give me some advice.
Both dogs are de-sexed and we've only had Copper 7 days.

I would hate for us to be failed foster parents on our first attempt.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

i don't think seven days is very long. You'll get better advice from people who know alot more than me, but it seems like Copper needs to be restricted until he understands he can't/doesn't have to growl and fight.


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## BearMurphy (Feb 29, 2012)

how often does copper growl at your dog? If it's something you could show someone from the rescue, they might be able to offer some advice. Are you sure the foster isn't resource guarding something when he growls? could it be fearful behavior? maybe he doesn't know his place in the pack. Not sure how you normally work with dogs but maybe try upping the "nothing in life is free" type of training to give some more structure and not leaving them alone is a good thing to do as well. hope you can figure it out!


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Since I never know how long I'll have a foster dog, my dogs are kept separate from them...I won't even go into the long ordeal of fights between Kenzie and my female Cayenne who we had intentions of keeping but decided that their life was too precious, so we rehomed her.

I have metal child gates all through my house, and move dogs from room to room. Right now, Grimm goes out often and we go to the park and do "chuck it" He'd really like to be with the other dogs but I have found that once they start they won't stop.


.I don't take any chances of altercations to happen because if something bad were to happen, it all lies on my shoulder and I would be the one who would contribute to how that dog continues to grow.


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

Two healthy males are going to scuffle. You haven't done anything wrong. Personally though I would not let them play alone at all and Cooper would be on a long line. He is not a housepet. He need a lot of direction. I don't know exactly how grey hounds are kept but I can't believe socialization is high on the list of training skills. At my house he would go from his crate to being leashed to a person, we would take him on walks with one of my others at a time until everyone could walk together nicely. By then a week will have passed and I can see who he might start interacting with comfortably and start keeping them together on long down in the family room work walking side by side. I try to keep excitement levels down. If he is growling at your boy he is probably testing waters - i would not build excitement between them. Sometimes I sit on the floor in the living room between my intact males on pet and groom them together to keep them calm and relaxed. Cooper should be living a NILIF lifestyle - not to punish but as instruction. The more direction he gets the calmer he can be because he doesn't have to make it up as he goes along he just needs to learn to look to you for whatis next. Anyway, that's some of what we would do here.:smile:


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## GoingPostal (Sep 5, 2011)

Personally I'm a big fan of a 2 week shutdown, most fosters have been dumped, spent time at the shelter, then get thrown into a new house with more strange people, dogs, etc. They have no idea what the rules are, who's in charge, they are stressed. I just do one on one, teach them the house rules before throwing my dogs or new people and situations at them. Seems like often they are so on edge that issues pop up way more easily and quickly, they could have been sniffing around looking for more food and got into it, just crowded and uncomfortable, hard to say but dogs scuffle, it's nothing unusual especially with dogs new to each other. If he's growling at your dog, he's not a happy camper, can you keep them apart for awhile and let him settle down? Once a fight happens their emotions and chemicals are all amped up as well and often lead to another fight soon after because they are more on edge. Give them a break and some time to relax.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

Liz said:


> Two healthy males are going to scuffle. You haven't done anything wrong. Personally though I would not let them play alone at all and Cooper would be on a long line. He is not a housepet. He need a lot of direction. I don't know exactly how grey hounds are kept but I can't believe socialization is high on the list of training skills. At my house he would go from his crate to being leashed to a person, we would take him on walks with one of my others at a time until everyone could walk together nicely. By then a week will have passed and I can see who he might start interacting with comfortably and start keeping them together on long down in the family room work walking side by side. I try to keep excitement levels down. If he is growling at your boy he is probably testing waters - i would not build excitement between them. Sometimes I sit on the floor in the living room between my intact males on pet and groom them together to keep them calm and relaxed. Cooper should be living a NILIF lifestyle - not to punish but as instruction. The more direction he gets the calmer he can be because he doesn't have to make it up as he goes along he just needs to learn to look to you for whatis next. Anyway, that's some of what we would do here.:smile:


that is how we did it with introducing bubba to malia. this is good advice.


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## sozzle (May 18, 2011)

Thanks for all your comments guys. The adoption people have taken him to the vet as they were already taking another dog and they don't pay extra for additional dogs. They were not concerned about the wound but did want him on antibiotics and he won't come back to us because he was only going to be with us for a short time as they had to make space at the kennels for 19 starving older greyhounds that somebody had. Sadly 6 have been put down already the rest are being fattened up and will be temperament tested and hopefully adopted out.

Hopefully we will foster again after we come back from our overseas holiday next month. After all I've bought second hand bedding for any dogs we get and we've put extra hooks and shelves up in our 'dog room' for their coats, leashes and muzzles.

The baby gate thing will also be arranged on our return.


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## riddick4811 (Nov 2, 2011)

Greyhounds can get into a lot of scuffles. Mine do, most very minor and are over as quick as they begin. Due their thin skin though, they can get wounded were another breed of dog wouldn't. Skin glue is your best friend when having multiple Greyhounds. 

When having an issue with a foster, I always muzzle. They are so used to wearing them, it is no big deal to them. Worst fight I had was between a male and a female though. Female was used to bullying the males and them backing down to her, but Linus bowed to no dog and she learned the hard way. 

Also Cooper was new and they have to work out their place. Rebel tried to move up when he came in and he and Ronon had a few scuffles until he learned Ronon might be older, smaller, but he is definitely tougher! Now they are fine together. In most situations, Greyhounds get along really well together and in very few cases do they really need to be separated. Just supervised and muzzled when out in the yard together.


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