Soda Cracker lost his best freind!!

[canvasjockey]

Well, not lost, they just won't get to play together as much! Our new next door neighbors brought their dog Toby home, a young (2-3 yrs) neutered medium size mix from the Humane Society.

We let them meet a couple of times under controled situations, eventually just leaving them in their yard for "playtime" where these two boys would have tons of fun running, humping each other - much to the horror of Mr. Canvasjockey and Mr. Neighbor - and, naturally, peeing on each other to the point of both needing baths afterwards. They seem to genuinely love each other, SC trys to talk to Toby over the fence and starts whinning to go over there when he hears Toby barking next door.

This Friday they got a new pup from the HS. He's a 6 month (neutered) cute brindle pit mix named Docker. He gets along fine with Toby, though after a couple days Toby seems to have tired of the super-energetic and muscular pup. We went over and met Docker, who was nice enough, but when he met SC (Mr. Canvasjockey was holding him) he growled and lunged snapping at him, in manner that appeared dog aggressive.

SC was clueless, still wanted to play but we put him in the house. Needless to say he won't be going over there to play for awhile. We might try to arrange to have Toby only play in our yard, but we have a pool and a rabbit and he's not used to either - so we'd have to take it slow. I have strongly reccomended that they get him in training asap, and allow Toby to establish a dominant role - though I talked to them today and they are worried that Toby is allowing Docker to dominate him.

We are starting to look for a Golden Retreiver in the near future (it's supposed to be my birthday present, but I am insisting on choosing him/her), either a pup from a breeder or what I would prefer - a younger rescue (1-2 yrs) if I can find one and the rescues work out. So he will have a playmate soon, but hopefully him and Toby can still get some time, and they work with Docker so that he can join in as well!