Make sure their food and water bowls are properly separated. They may include: Although we may never get to the bottom of the exact reason why a puppy and adult dog are not getting along, it won't be for no reason. Usually a dog of any age knows enough to back off and move away if another dog gives him the verbal and posturing warnings. i was wondering if there is a good way to get the older dog to warm up to the puppy better, or if we just have to wait it out. It is quite common for older dogs to not have the same energy as the puppy, nor the same drive to play. But if the puppy tries to dominate the older dog, if the new dog is aggressive towards the resident dog, or if you see the new dog not getting along with the older dog, you’ll need to focus more on obedience training with the puppy. If you are getting a new dog, you may want to check out the Top 3 Mistakes That New Dog Owners Make. Don't risk allowing your puppy to be harmed if your adult dog shows aggressive signs that precede an attack. Puppies have tons of energy and if we give them extra things to do, they will be less likely to bug the older dog. If you want your new puppy and the older dog to live in harmony, we have some additional tips: If you follow our advice your dogs will be able to live together properly and will surely be best friends forever. Then, the person with the puppy starts to move away. Setting boundaries in the home is a great idea to ensure the dogs get along. Punishing dogs for their normal reactions to each other actually hinder their progress. When some dogs go from getting all the attention to half or less, it can cause upset. It’s easy to book dog daycare, boarding and spa services at Dogtopia using our mobile app. Introducing a new puppy should be done with care. Just like people, however, dogs can not get along with one another.When this happens, dogs living together can become a real headache for their owners, who don't know how to tackle the problem. Puppy Biting Older Dog Biting and chewing on each other’s face is part and parcel of puppy play and getting to know other dogs. Hey, we humans are a social species, and we certainly don’t all get along! Life as the target of another dog’s aggression won’t do your puppy’s behavioral development any good. However, jealousy doesn't necessarily arise from nowhere. Again, this is to stop the older dog feeling threatened. But keep in mind that there is always a high chance of conflict as the dog ages. For a puppy, this will be difficult at first, but this is where training comes in. When Blue first saw Rio, he barked a lot and he also tried to bite him. They may feel like they are not getting enough attention. This allows the dogs to feel secure in their own space. One of the most helpful things is to introduce them on neutral ground. Instead, reward them with positive reinforcement when they leave the older dog alone. It is quite common for older dogs to not have the same energy as the puppy, nor the same drive to play. When Ellie tries to be a bully, get between the dogs, back Ellie away and tell her "Leave her alone". Two dogs fighting within the same household is unhappily common in our world. The puppy wants to play, and will jump on and bother the older dog, and the older dog will growl and snap at him. Often, established pets are reluctant to accept new pets into the household and may even become aggressive. In a rush? The problem is the two dogs don't get along. The puppy wants to play. The problem with a puppy in these situations is that the personality is a tough read and allowances made for a puppy can change when puppyhood is left behind and the puppy personality might be replaced with an adult attitude less conducive to getting along. Junior Watson. Interactive toys and games are great ways for puppies to stay preoccupied. The presence (breed and size) of the puppy may seem threatening to the older dog. If the aggression is limited to certain situations like eating or resting, and otherwise the dogs get along, your first step is to put a physical barrier between the puppy and the older dogs at those problem times. If you have done lots of these tips and the situation does not improve, it might be worth contacting a professional dog trainer to observe and assist. In these cases, we need to ensure the puppy isn't trying to play with them all the time. If the introduction went well on neutral ground, you will need to continue this in the home. An. The adult dog will likely be trying to assert their place in a hierarchy, but it doesn't necessarily mean they pose a threat to the puppy. If she doesn't listen, put her on leash so you have control. Do not immediately assume that the older dog will embrace the newcomer. My latest is guarding his kennel, inside and out. For this very reason, many families decide to welcome another dog into the household. A dog who could handle hanging outside all day on a chilly day will likely need a sweater when out and a bit more time inside with a bed close to the heater. At first, limit the new puppy's space. If the new puppy and older dog don't get along after this introduction, we will need to know why. It means when one dog does not want to be around the other, they are able to distance from them. If your dogs are not seniors, then what they need is a firm hand. Ideally, the two should have separate areas at the beginning. Sometimes it works, sometimes it fails. She just runs away from the puppy, and nearly refuses to look at her. Neutral ground will mean the dog will not have marked the area and we are being less threatening to their security. ‘I get cold more easily now.’ There’s a reason why older dogs like warm cozy beds — it’s not as easy to regulate body temperature. Neutral ground is an environment whether neither considers to be their own. For example, let both … When you are bringing them together, the adult dog should be there first. In the house, it may be worth looking into an exercise pen for the puppy so they aren’t constantly bugging the older dog. Here they should have a comfortable bed, food and water dishes, toys and anything else they need to feel comfortable. Easily request a Dogtopia employee greet you at your car when you arrive and assist you by bringing your dog into daycare for you (select locations only). Not only do we need to consider our resources and ability to provide the right level of care, we need to ensure every member of our family is going to get along. Remember: tired dogs are good dogs. When having a new puppy, we generally recommend crate-training. This will help give the older dog a it of peace as well. This reinforces that when the puppy is away from the older dog, they are doing something right. Making this introduction and the transition into happy coexistence smooth is important. If your dogs are not getting along, please do not punish your dogs. One of the main reasons for a dog not getting along with another is due to jealousy. It is important to not use the adult dog's toys or accessories as the puppy will make it feel like their security is being threatened. It may happen that the adult dog is indifferent to the new puppy, but it may also try to mount or even growl at them. Resident dog treats the puppy as an intruder and this scares him. During the first few weeks, do not leave the new puppy unattended with the adult dog. Ideally, there should be a second person there when you introduce a puppy to an adult dog. Instead, contact a … Make a Good Introduction. So we got a new puppy, and she and my older dog won’t get along. Direct your older dog to his quiet place and distract your puppy by taking him to another part of the house and providing him with a toy. older dog not getting along with new pup. Adopting another dog into our family requires serious consideration. Often the dogs there are too wound up and have bad manners. When at least one of the dogs in the pair was 12 weeks of age or older when adopted, the rate of conflict was 39 percent; dogs adopted from a shelter were … Get Roo her own 'room': a crate large enough to stand up, turn around and lie down with a towel or blanket for bedding. help. Always remember that your older dog might not have the energy that your new puppy has, so take into account any age difference. This could mean that your older dog may want to sleep more, and will be less tolerant of a puppy who is raring to go and who always wants to play! as she snaps at the pup. Distract the older dog to redirect his attention and have another person remove the puppy from the situation. Then, the person with the puppy starts to move away. If the new puppy and older dog don't get along after this introduction, we will need to know why. Feeding two dogs, on the other hand, may be challenging. You may be concerned your puppy and adult dog won't get along, but they have not yet been introduced. Once you’ve created a profile, you can request appointments, review your upcoming schedule and check your appointment history. Hello Rebecca, If Lucy is being gentle with the puppy, despite the growling, then Lucy might just be adjusting to the new puppy. When we already have a dog in this family, we might be quick to think a new puppy is a new best friend. Other Things to Consider. DO NOT just let your dog socialize with unknown dogs, dog parks are a horrible way to to this. Is it possible to get them to get along… Fortunately, AnimalWised explains why this can happen and what we can do to create a peaceful coexistence between a puppy and adult dog. Minimizing the Odds of Conflict Give your older dog extra love. An older tolerant dog can be a great teacher and provide a safe introduction and appropriate correction when your dog is impolite. And the older dog won’t bite her or get aggressive towards her at all. Dogs, like humans, are susceptible to … This way, when the puppy arrives the older dog won't feel threatened in terms of territory. If you want to read similar articles to My Puppy and Older Dog Are Not Getting Along, we recommend you visit our What you need to know category. Instead, it can get … Older Dog And Puppy not getting along. Gender isn’t the only thing that matters If your dog finishes before the other, don't let it intimidate the other pet to get its food. First, make sure the puppy has extra exercise. Before the introduction, it is essential to prepare a specific area for your new puppy inside the home. Puppy and Older Dog Not Getting Along How to deal with a new puppy and an older dog not getting along will depend on what your dogs are doing, and why. He’s not aggressive, but his body language shows he could become so about it. They can then provide positive reassurance and prevent a bad situation. A puppy may be less intimidating for an older dog, and he may not feel like he has to protect his territory. The main thing to watch for it whether or not your older dog is being gentle despite feeling tense. As we said, it is even better to start with the two dogs in separate areas. Do not scold them or shout at them for exercising their natural instincts. If the pup persists in this torment, the older dog is going to get stiffer with her corrections. For senior dog who tends to spend more time curling up, this can become the source of some problems, like … A different approach is to get a spray bottle with water in it. Let them smell each other and be introduced. As I mentioned above, a bad introduction can lead to a lifelong stressful … To learn more about where the puppy should stay, look at this article on where a dog should sleep on their first night. For more dog training tips, feel free to read our articles Teaching Two Dogs To Along and Introducing A Puppy To An Older Dog. The Dogtopia Foundation enables dogs to positively change the world. Rio is scared of the puppy, but as the puppy is getting used to him, the puppy will pretend to be okay and then get up in Rio's face and try to bite him. Q&A: Older dog not getting along with puppy – Segregate or not? There are usually some specific reasons why a puppy and adult dog don't get along. Having an older dog around may make training and housebreaking your younger puppy easier, since the older dog may serve as a role model. Happy and healthy dogs should get along fine with others. If the puppy is demanding attention that the older dog doesn't want to, or is not able to, provide, step in between your older dog and your puppy. Getting Your Old Dog to Tolerate Your New Puppy Getting your old dog used to a new puppy can be a daunting task. Also, separate their eating areas in case one dog is greedier than the other. It will depend on whether or not they have had the right vaccinations to be outside. Jump to Latest Follow 1 - 13 of 13 Posts ... its enough to scare her and send her running for a hiding spot and crying. To accomplish this, we currently are funding programs focused around three worthy causes: Service Dogs for Veterans, Youth Literacy Programs and Employment Initiatives for Adults with Autism. The puppy also follows the older dog everywhere, but the old dog can't stand him. In order to be around the older dogs, the puppy has to already have his social skills and his energy drained so they will accept him into the group. It is better to set up a play date with a known balanced dog. As the person with the puppy starts approaching the older dog, praise the older dog lavishly and give special treats to reinforce that puppy means praise and fun. In these cases, we need to ensure the puppy isn't trying to play with them all the time. Have separate bowls for each and enforce the rules about which dog eats out of which bowl. However, it is also possible that the dog will see this new addition as a threat to their security. We should allow the dogs to naturally smell each other and relax into coexistence. This works best when there is only the puppy involved but you really don’t want to punish the older dog so try to shake the can in the puppy’s ear. The goal is to startle her. I’m not a trainer and have raised (successfully) many well adjusted rescues, some with serious baggage. I have a 4 month old labrador retriever puppy and an 11 year old labrador retriever. They may provide too much affection and attention to the new arrival and not enough to a dog which has previously received much more. If you are unable to help the dogs to get along on your own, bring in a professional. Help the dogs bond A terrific way to help your puppy bond with his older companion is to walk them together.