new dog/old dog problems

Question
Hi. We have two dogs. One is a Jack Russel mix almost a year old that we have had since she was a puppy- her name is BabyRuth. The other dog is fairly new to us- we have had her a week- her name is Cinnamon. Cinnamon was a stray, but it seems  she was owned at some point, because she is housebroken and listens fairly well. The vets said she is about 10 months old.
We are having problems with Cinnamon nipping Baby. We are not sure what to make of her behavior- if it is play or not. She will run towards Baby when she sees her, nip at her, but her tail is wagging the whole time, and it almost seems like she wants to play. Baby does not take to this well, and takes off and hides. Cinnamon will see her again later, and repeat the same behavior. We are worried we have a problem here- can you advise us? Thank you for your time.

Answer
Dear Donna,
Thanks for the question. When dogs play, they usually reverse roles -dog A might chase dog B, then dog B chases dog A - dog A nips dog B, then Dog B nips dog A. Dog A is on top, then Dog B is on top.

When one dog is always the "aggressor" and the other dog is constantly running away or hiding, that's not usually considered healthy play. If one dog is constantly "controlling" the other dog, that is an indication of an unhealthy relationship.

Obviously I haven't seen your two dogs, so I can only guess. Cinnamon is probably trying to play but Baby is not comfortable with the play. Does Baby have any experience playing with other dogs? Did she get much play time with other dogs when she was a puppy?

I'm sorry I can't tell you exactly what to do. I don't have enough information to determine if the problem is with Baby or Cinnamon or both.

Is Cinnamon a herding breed mix? Where does she nip Baby? You stated,"Baby does not take to this well". Exactly what does she do? Is her tail down? Does she growl? Is she lowering her body? head? Does she avoid areas because of Cinnamon's presence?

Does Cinnamon disengage or continue to pursue Baby - even after Baby has moved away? How far does Baby move away- into another room, a few feet?

In all honesty, even if I had answers to these questions,  it'd be difficult to offer substantial advice. I can give some general advice. For now, prevent Cinnamon from bullying Baby. Attach a leash. This doesn't mean you'll scold Cinnamon or jerk the leash, you'll just keep her from tormenting Baby. You could even let the leash drag and just pick it up when Cinnamon get too rowdy. Take Cinnamon for lots of walks. She may need more exercise.

From my blocked perspective, I would recommend that you contact an APDT trainer in your area - or - at the least, buy the book- Feeling Outnumbered? How to Manage and Enjoy a Multi-Dog Household by Patricia McConnell. Visit http://apdt.com and search for a trainer that can come to your home. Good Luck- Thanks for writing.