My female lab mix, Lucy, has not really taken too well to the new puppy (Scout). She seems to be less then thrilled with his puppy energy and playfulness. I allow interaction between them but only when I am right there watching. If Scout gets too playful or Lucy seems to be getting increasingly agitated I make him back off or separate them completely. However, I do want Lucy and Scout to get to know each other better and live in harmony, so I try to allow Lucy to dole out some of her own warnings for the puppy to back off which she does with a growl or growling bark. Last night I think she actually nipped him with her teeth, although there were no physical marks left on the pup. My question is should I continue to allow Lucy, under a watchful eye, to tell the pup when she has had enough or should I stop it before it starts? I don't want Scout to become timid or afraid of other dogs.
Re: New pup and old pup not gettng along. I would say yes , allow your girl to give Scout a ticking off , if he was still with his Mum, this is exactly what she would do . Sensible to watch and supervise , the odds are that when the weather is better and they are outdoors more together , they will begin to interact more . Pups can be pests to older dogs and need to be put in their place , Scout will get the message and learn respect
Re: New pup and old pup not gettng along. I used to wish my old dog would tell the puppy off, as she made his life a misery and he was far too long-suffering with her! I would say, go with your instincts. If you think Lucy is just telling him off and putting him in his place, then don't worry too much. Obviously keep an eye on them - and make sure Lucy has her own space where she can escape from the pup. Make lots of fuss of her, so she doesn't get jealous, and also increasingly do nice things with both of them, so in her eyes he becomes a good thing to have around, rather than an annoying interloper!
Re: New pup and old pup not gettng along. Good luck, I hope they become best buddies in no time. We brought a new energetic lab puppy into a home with an old collie when I was a kid. The collie didn't think much of it! A putting-him-in-his-place was always short and sharp (never drawn out or protracted) and didn't do any harm. Puppy did the old dog lots of good too though eg old dog was a thin guy, and a picky eater, but soon came to realise puppy would clear both bowls in a flash if he didn't get stuck in, or left anything - and nearly doubled old dog's food intake overnight!
Re: New pup and old pup not gettng along. I also would let her correct him. Usually dogs won't hurt each other although the new pup might cry. Our little puppy pesters Phil and he will give a little woof (sounds like a snort lol) and she cries and runs away, only to come back two seconds later. My little maltipoo/chihuahua will give her corrections and she really listens to those - but also cries. I like to just let them sort it out on their own, under supervision since our pup is very small, and put her up when she gets too rambunctious (or hand her over to the kids; they tire her right out!)
Re: New pup and old pup not gettng along. Its fine to let her correct him, sometimes pups can make a telling off seem much worse than it is by screaming when they've actually not physically been hurt but just been scared. She'll teach him boundaries and how to be more appropriate around dogs in general. If you know others with vaccinated dogs that are pup friendly then try to meet up with them too, this way he can meet dogs with different greetings, play styles and ages. Try not to tell Lucy off around the pup, it may make for a negative association - you could counter condition her to him too by giving her rewards and attention when he's in her vicinity (him being around is a good thing then!) She'll get used to him slowly though Jenn
Re: New pup and old pup not gettng along. Thanks everyone for the advice. I was thinking it was okay for her to correct him but I had read that a bad experience with another dog can have lasting negative effects on a puppy so I wasn't sure. I try not to tell Lucy off when she does it but I have done it as a reflex. I will continue to supervise their interactions and hopefully they can learn to co-exist peacefully very soon. I do agree with Kate, once this darn weather gets better they will be able to go outside more and actually play.
Re: New pup and old pup not gettng along. A growl, growly bark or even a nip won't do lasting mental damage to your pup Those are normal adult responses to puppies who overstep the mark. The puppy will learn that it can control whether it gets a growl or not by regulating its own behaviour. I'm sure they'll be best buddies, given time.
