good training/behaviour young CSV

[Baz]

Originally Posted by Czertice

I have been warned that if you already have a dog, the wolfdog puppy might bond more with the dog than with you, or be too much dependent on the other dog.

My housemate has 2 bitches & when I brought my puppy home (aged about 7 weeks), she originally slept downstairs with the other girls. I was at training a week or two later & the trainer asked me to call her, which I did but I got no response, he asked where she was sleeping & I told him & he said exactly the same, that she was bonding to one of my housemate's dogs. His suggestion was to take her to sleep in my room until she was at least 4 months old & then slowly move her out as I wished. Immediately that I did that she started to respond much better to me, she still has 2 great friends to play with but she knows who her "daddy" is.

Originally Posted by TimoleonVieta

May I ask, considering you had Shiva the cat at the time you brought your puppy home, how you think things might have gone had you had your own 8 month old female collie dog or similar at the home when you introduced Raksha to your lives.

It is a hard thing to hypothesize but do you think this may have helped Raksha bond with other females & been a managable relationship in itself.

I am attracted to this combination because I feel that a well loved & secure collie is one of the most humble animals on earth. That it may prove to be a nice foil & friend for the CSV. Not only that I want a CSV so much but couldn't wait 13 years or more for another collie!

Again I can only give advice from my point of view (1st CSV, female aged 9 months) & from what I've read, but my girl had no problems with my housemate's dogs whatsoever & about 6 weeks ago I adopted a little stray mongrel & at first my CSV was a little jealous but after 2 weeks they were like best friends. I have read & believe it to be true (again at least in my experience so far) that CSVs will get on with most animals that are in your household (including livestock), so I don't see that having a Collie should present you with any serious problems, I would say that because of the strong pack instinct I think it's not a bad idea to consider another dog as a companion, problems are more likely (or should I say possible) with strange or unknown animals & people.