Introducing a new puppy - doesn't always go smoothly!

Just seen your video. First all, very impressive editing and production!! I love the bitey face at the end. Tolerant Shadow having a paw plonked on his head and eyes like that!

 

Just love you way your dogs are accepting Luna now and they can be together. Sky our older dog really doesn't like Red and I worry how this is going to go. Sky is very very placid and just looks for an escape route. They are in effect being kept separately and I am having to use the lead on Red much more than I want to. My husband says they will be ok but I can't see how time is going to improve this situation. Feeling really guilty about all of this and because of my desperate tiredness just want to give up at the moment.....sorry more gloom from me

 

Great video and lovely to see what progress they've made. Luna looks very laid back and independent, happy to lie on her rug and play by herself while you played with Shadow.

My two get on very well together and take it in turns to instigate play, but Tuppence doesn't like me giving Wispa any individual attention. Wispa, despite her 'protective' tendencies and boisterousness when she gets over-excited, often gives way to Tuppence, who pushes in with her "Me, me, me!"

Wispa would even let Tuppy steal her food when she was a puppy, so for a while meals had to be closely supervised. Yet Tuppence has always respected the 'treat order' when both are being given treats (and Wispa is always first). She regressed to trying to steal food, though, when we had a visiting dog recently and she left her (full) bowl to try to eat the visitor's food!

It's still all work in progress three years later!

 

They will get there eventually. Puppies are annoying, but Red will mature and become less so. Do you have a pen you can pop her in when she gets too much for Sky?

 

Thank you for replying Fiona. When we got Red four weeks ago, it coincided with Sky going lame in one of her front legs so we pretty much kept them separated whilst she recovered. Sky has however, started declining walks with my husband, something they have always done. Think she may have arthritis. Last week she was keen to come in the kitchen where Red is based, so we let her in when we could both supervise. She really wasn't keen on Red jumping on her and nipping her but she still came back next day for more. At the weekend, she finally turned on Red and did a bit of teeth baring (first time she has ever done that but we were pleased to see as Red backed off a bit). So far this week Sky has chosen not to come in kitchen unless Red is asleep in her crate. Sky spends most of her day in the sitting room lying in the sun (when it's shining) so her routine is fairly static. Do hope time will change all this. We didn't get another dog to have them separate and if we are all going to do all the exciting things we were doing before we got Red a lot has to change. Don't want to force the situation. I do get the dogs together each day on their beds (Red on lead) and feed them treats, always giving Sky hers first.

 

A long as Sky is being appropriate with telling Red enough is enough, then there's no problem with that. My two were excessive with it, so I couldn't let them do that. But, yes, you have to protect Sky, too. Now that Shadow has accepted Luna, she has become a bit of a pest to him, and he won't tell her off, just looks a bit miserable! So I am separating them when she gets too much, and am teaching him (a note out of @Boogie's book) that he's safe from her when he's on the sofa.
Keep up with the introductions, mutual tummy rubs, one either side was very helpful for us, as the adult dog was nicely relaxed and getting plenty of attention even with pup around.
It's still very early days and you won't have to keep them separate forever. It really was like a switch being flipped for Shadow, but after a lot of positive interactions - and a few disasters, too!
Willow still isn't that keen, but she's going through her own troubles right now, so that's fine. She has good body language and makes it very clear when she needs space - she bares her teeth and gives a low growl or a bark. She does this to her brother, too, when she needs space - it's just part of who she is and it doesn't escalate. It means Luna is very respectful of her, though, and doesn't fuss her at all.

Your mantra needs to become, "This, too, will pass"

 

Thank you Fiona. I haven't done the tummy rubs, only had them sitting or in the down position either side of me (Red on lead) and feeding them small treats - Sky always first. I will start doing the tummy rubs as both love them. I think I am slowly adopting the mantra in relation to Red as I can see so much progress and responsiveness. We are making sure Sky gets as much attention as possible but she is now opting out of most of her walks which shows she doesn't feel up to them. We expected this to reduce (hence one of the reasons of getting Red) but not so suddenly. This and her response to Red has made me feel so guilty as she is such a lovely lovely gentle dog.

Learning such a lot from you Fiona and everyone on this forum. Thank you.

 

They're just fine now....

 

Brilliant!

 

Oh that's so great!!!

 

How do you keep that white sofa clean! My tan leather one is beginning to look a little scratched and mine are not even allowed up on it! The younger one will sneak up and look out of the window if someone comes if I am not in the room! OH is getting annoyed, I need to be able to keep it as pristine as yours!

 

My niece uses baby wipes on her white sofa.

 

It's not that clean, honestly! A bit of a sponge down once in a while seems to work wonders. I have a special leather care kit, but it's a real faff to use, so just use soap and water

 

Oh what a lovely photo! Wonderful to see Shadow playing with little (well not so little now...) Luna. Especially after those early, sometimes quite tense months

 

She absolutely adores him now. She does hero-worship in style, this one. Heaven help us when she has her season. If she loves the boys this much now....

 

Lovely to see Fiona x

 

Aw so cute, all your hard work definitely paid off Fiona. A huge well done and isn't Luna growing up to be a beautiful girl xx

 

'Hanging off his ears and lips' so reminds me of two labs we had in childhood. The pup was merciless to the older girl who was patience personified. She'd lie on the floor and the pup would drag her around by her collar! But when the older girl cut her head on some barbed wire and was out of sorts, the pup would stand over her and cry and lick her wound. This is going back over 30 years and I remember it so well.

 

Thanks, sounds much easier with soap and water, so will have a go

 

That's fabulous. I love that pic! Do you think it's time, or that she's "big enough" to play with now? Looking at that pic, that's about the size Bessie got to when Burke decided he'd be more than Grumpy Grandpa with her, and when they started playing together in earnest.

Cracking up about the "hanging off his ears and lips." Same with Burke. To the point that his majestic beard is almost completely gone and his ear hair has been trimmed by her constant mouthing and nibbles.