It is best to get your dog use to other dogs before you thke them on a shoot
While I like to focus on gun dogs, I find that introducing your gundog to other shooting dogs is done in a similar way than you would with any other dog. It can be a stressful time for both the dog and owner and it really needs to be done correctly, especially if it is the first contact your dog has with other dogs. The first experience can set the tone for all the other introductions and can really make or break a dog.
Generally, when it comes to introducing your dog, it is always best to expect the worst case scenario from happening. Even if you know the dogs or the owners of the dogs, there is no way to know how the dogs will react to each other. In addition, unless you know the trainer, you won’t be sure how the owner will feel about the interaction or what he will stop or allow to happen.
For this reason, you should always make sure that all the dogs are leashed before you start the introduction. While the dogs may be working together off lead, the initial introduction should be done in as controlled a situation as possible. If it is possible, I would recommend making the introduction before you begin hunting together. This gives you a bit more of an idea of how they will work together and will alleviate a lot of the worries you will have, especially when you are hunting with live rounds.
Start by bringing the dogs together on their leads but make sure there is a space between them. Start with 10 feet and watch both dogs to identify any signs of aggression on either side. Make sure to stay relaxed since your anxiety can trigger some forms of aggression in your dog. Also check with the other owner on how their dog is doing since they will know him much better than you do.
If there are no signs of aggression, it is time to shorten the distance. Place the dog in a “sit” and then have the other dog walk past her. Make sure that he never comes closer than the half the original distance. Once the dog has passed, repeat this with your dog walking past the other dog while he sits. Repeat several times and check for any aggression on either dog’s part.
When they can handle this, you can start moving towards each other head on. This can trigger some aggression so be very careful not to come too close to each other. Once they are comfortable, have the dogs sit about 3 feet from each other. Praise them for their good behavior and then gradually shorten the distance until they are able to greet each other by sitting and sniffing.
Each time you shorten the distance, take the time to allow them to adjust to the new closeness before moving closer again.
Once they have greeted each time, simply sit back and relax. Don’t let them off lead but give them more freedom in increments. First they can sniff faces, then they can start to sniff the body, then they can get closer and slowly start to interact in other ways.
When they don’t have any aggression indicators, and they are familiar with each other, you can begin working them together but it is important to still focus on the dogs and make sure that some aggression doesn’t occur when you are working them.
Be sure to read other posts on my blog, especally on breed type to understand more how they get on