bonding tonight advice needed..updated

hi

i'm going to intro Maisie and Mr Fairweather to each other tonight.

Their dog crates have been side by side for two weeks and they both seem pretty ok, they don't take much notice of each other(cages are three inches apart)but they often sit near each other.

i've let them have a few hours at a time in each others cages to get used to the smells etc as well.

i plan to let them spend a few hours in the bathroom meeting and provided they don't fight i would then like to put them back in my spare room....i will have removed both dog crates by then and would like to put them in the run in the room they have both lived in...i will be putting brand new vinyl flooring under the run in a double layer so no smells and they will be the opposite end of the room.......this is all provided they like each other.

supposing they do seem to like each other does my plan seem ok or can anyone see pitfalls, also realistically i cannot watch them for the entire weekend without a break as i have my five dogs to walk etc so are they likely to be safe and also are there key times when they would be more likely to fight?

thanks for your help xx

I wouldnt advise leaving them alone together until they are fully bonded (and then some) can someone else watch them whilst you walk the dogs or someone else walk teh dogs?

Think you have coered teh neutral territory, furnishing the place with food and play things and boxes to hide etc too
And having their'new' bed as neutral as possible too for when they are getting along.

Silly question but are they both spayed/neutered too?

And be prepared for a sleepless night or just sleeping in with them for tonight.

Hope it goes well!!

hi no one else can walk my dogs as no one else will be here.

also yes they are both neutered.

no i wasn't planning on sleeping with them at all, was going to sleep in my own bed in the next room.

It may all work out in a few hours and go to plan but if it doesnt then you have to be prepared to stay with them for a while... alternatively can you start tomorrow after walking the dogs and then have a loger run at it?
It really does depend on how it goes really adn you dont know until you start and then you've started and stopping for any reason means you will have to start from scratch next time.
I am bonding 4 buns at teh moment and have stopped for the night cos it was a bit hairy!! On the other hand, Molly adn Charlie bonded very quickly ( about half an hour) tho I spent about 6 hours with them in neutral space until I took them to their forever room and sat for a further 4 hours. I started at about 1pm in the day.
Also Benji and Poppy have bonded today in about 6 hours, still together and I can watch them for the rest of the eve - and will prob check on them int eh night too.. just have to get the 4 together now! That will be the next 3 days!!

All went fine with mine and were bonded within 12hrs (thats twice i have bonded)as long as there grooming or sitting next too each other you could asume they are ok with each other

hi thanks guys.

well i put them together last night at seven thirty and they chased and scuffled and spun and jumped and a bit of fur went flying.

then maisie just kept sitting next to Mr Fairweather and she had a wash and then started grooming him.

this happened on and off with him being scared and running away and her catching him and she licked his face but then kept chinning him as if to tell him he was now her property.

they had one massive scuffle at one o'clock this morning where i shot out of bed at the noise, but there was only a small amount of fur around.

Mr Fairweather is a little braver this morning and tentatively approaches her but he's still pretty scared and although she grooms him and wants to snuggle he leaps up and runs off.

they do sit near each other for a short while and they seem to eat side by side but it's still nerve wracking.

i'm keeping them together unless blood is drawn...the door is open while i'm down stairs so i can hear any scuffles..but i do have to walk my dogs later and have decided to give them a short walk so long as the buns seem as they are now....they don't hate each other and Maisie will be boss she just needs to get Benjamin to accept the fact.

Hope all goes well,i do no what you mean about the dogs as ive got 4 myself one being a border collie:lol: ,just be carefull as a rabbit fight can be bad as they can tare the other one open and thats why we say too stay with them and so on,rick

I hope it all goes well. My first bond was very scary but was over in five min;s. it was love at first sight

she keeps chasing him and grooming his face and head but then offers her head to be groomed and he runs away and she chases him again.....it's very strange.:?

just another update, whilst i was hoovering they hopped into the same litter box and now they are lying asleep side by side....i'm hoping this is a good sign and not the calm before the storm.

CONGRATS!! Sounds good so far you may find the odd scuffle in the beginning even tho they seem to be doing well together... If benjamin accpets she is boss then things should be fine... But if she is groomign him at teh moment then that is the submissive behaviour :?

All sounds really good

thanks guys

they are laying about six inches apart now and have done less chasing this afternoon. Maisie is lying in the litter tray(like you do)and Benjamin hopped over and has stretched out next to the tray.