Advice on introducing dogs needed.

[hedgehog]

We walk our two dogs down the side of our property daily. Guinness is a 50# German shepherd beagle mix, Pooka is a 20# spitz (of sorts). The dogs each have about 8' of leash attached to the end of the same 40ft rope. I'm at the other end of the rope. This allows them to mootch about checking things on either side of the farm road as we walk up and down.

The neighbor like to walk his dog there, too. Cappy is about a year old and is some kind of retriever. The problem is that if we meet, Pooka starts barking like crazy (his normal response to anything and everything), Guinness starts barking and Cappy just stares. I think it's a friendly "let's play" bark, but Guinness will run at Cappy and sort of shoulder hit him and pretend (?) bite. Guinness used to play like this with our old dog Jack who was about Cappy's size. We think the problem is that Cappy doesn't play like this and doesn't know what to do.

So, should we just keep the dogs separated and under control when they meet, or can they be introduced properly or what?

[surrealAmerican]

1. It's a good idea to have everyone on leashes when they meet, ...

... at least until they get used to each other. Try just walking them in relatively close proximity until Pooka and Guinness can calmly and quietly be near Cappy. Once they've settled down, you can approach more closely and let them sniff one another. If Cappy is afraid, back off right away.
It may take months, or only a few days. It depends on the dogs.

[femmocrat]

2. Obedience training works wonders.

If you haven't taken them, please try to. One of the skills is to approach or by-pass other dogs without a confrontation. It takes practice, practice, and more practice.