Hello everyone, We have a 5 1/2 month on silver lab and just got a new puppy who's a 10 week old maremma sheepdog/Irish wolf hound and is 30 lbs lighter than our lab. My question is how rough is too rough. Our lab Zeus loves to play with other dogs but for the most part has just played with bigger dogs or dogs his own size. He likes to chew on the new puppy and pulls him by his scruff sometimes. Our new guy Odin plays back but sometimes I feel it gets too rough, Odin will whine and Zeus does back off but then just goes at again. Zeus is always following Odin around and has to go sniff out whatever Odin is in and will take toys away from him and gets mad whenever Odin has something and won't give it up to him. Zeus has always played rough even as a little puppy. He used to pick on my parents bichon and outs both dogs necks in his mouth. Neither one yelps but I'm just concerned Zeus is too rough. Any thoughts? I should add we've only had Odin for 5 days now.. Will Zeus and Odin stop this rough play or is it normal ? Thanks
It doesn't sound all that appropriate to me - I wouldn't expect an older dog to pull a puppy around, or make them whine. It sounds perhaps that Zeus hasn't been around puppies very much? I'd intervene, and not let this persist. They don't have to play - I have a new puppy with an older dog, and I don't want two Labradors playing in the house, or my small garden, so I discourage them and much prefer them to do quiet activities together, sniffing together, or chewing the same stick and so on. I don't mind a few play bows and a little chase, but that's it. Plus, I don't want my young puppy to be running round for hours with an older dog, her joints are not even yet formed and it's more appropriate for her to play on her own or with other puppies with the same level of stamina that she has.
I think you will have a sense as to when it's getting too rough. But at 5 1/2 months he's still a puppy and won't have adult manners with a pup. I think you will need to separate them a lot. Even if they are playing well, the pup will need plenty of rest for the skae of his growing bones. My Tatze was 15 months old when I got my first guide dog puppy and she got too rough from time to time. I divided the room and taught the the command 'enough' which meant they both went to their own side of the room. I would never let another dog pull a puppy around, that's not appropriate play imo and could very quickly get out of hand. If the older dog has a toy/bone/chew I don't let the pup take it away. (I learned this with my last pup, Twiglet, who grew up thinking she had the 'right' to remove anything from any dog! This was due to Tataze allowing her to take anything she wanted. She's having to re-learn her manners in that regard now that she's at Big School!)
Thank you, I don't let Zeus pull on the puppy I break them up as soon as it starts getting a little rough, Zeus (the older one) is the one that takes toys from the new puppy and barks in his face if he wants it but puppy doesn't give it up. I do have a puppy play pen I'll have to set up so puppy isn't constantly in his crate... I have been in contact with a trainer that will come out to our house and help us work with both pups. Zeus is just very possessive and jealous. I feel bad for the new guy
Zeus used to go to puppy daycare before we moved, it was only for 2 weeks and he was 3 months old at the time but the ladies never said he was too rough with any dog.. And there was dogs of all sizes and ages at daycare.
