new dog=fighting with my other dog

Question
i have a 2 yr old border collie mix that i have bought in the pound. and he has ajusted to my family very well, today i bought a lab/retriver mix which is also 2 and i bought her at the pound. when i was at the shelter they told me that the lab would be the most dominant one but when i came home it was a different story. they also told me that the dogs should sleep seperate for the first day just to get use to each other, but when i came home and i let both dogs in the backyard the lab was sniffing around and the border collie the one i had already, was just following her. Then i noticed the lab tried to get on top of the border collie but he wouldn't let her so he would fight back, there would be some growling but not to where i had to pull them apart. the border collie has also tried to get on top of her but she would not do anything.

and everytime i went to pet one dog the other went running to me to be pet.
they walk fine together on a leash but i am really scared that they will hurt each other

do you have any suggestions on what i can do??

thanks
renae

Answer
It sounds like they're just establishing rank between themselves, Renae. I would not allow either dog to mount the other, if it were me, though. You don't have to be forceful; just say "NO," or make an 'eh eh' sound when you see one dog trying to mount the other. If they do not respond to that, then go and physically remove the dog that is mounting from the other dog. Then throw a ball or something to get their mind off dominating.

I would highly recommend that you begin NILIF (Nothing in Life is Free) training with them ASAP. This will ensure that you remain in control of the dogs and they will learn to respect you as alpha. Your border collie was there first, so I would do everything with him first, and if you are petting him and the lab comes running over and tries to hone in, ignore her. If you are petting the lab and the border collie comes running over and tries to hone in, give a sit command and THEN pet him. As of now, you want to treat him as if he were higher in rank than the lab; that may change in the future, but for now, since he was there first, he should be above her.

I would not leave them alone together just yet.