Hi,
our new 13 week old lab puppy is constantly biting and pulling and just generally annoying our existing 3 year old elkhound. He is being ok about it but she doesnt get his warnings. he plays but it can go too far but she doesnt listen.

is there anything i should do about it or should i let them sort it out themselves?
Thank you.

Id be tempted right now to let them sort it out, Im sure the message will get across soon. Mabel was so full on with her mum Molly and Molly had to get quite stern with her before she really got the message. Best not to interfere

I have exactly the same problem with my 11 week old puppy and thirteen yr old Cav. The puppy keeps running up to my older dog and barking in her face and nipping in her ears. My older dog then retaliates by growling and barking at her and opening her mouth like she is about to bite. Neither of them will back down. I leave them to it to a certain extent but then I worry it might be about to get out of hand so I lift my older dog up onto the sofa where the puppy can't get to her. Now the older dog has taken to barking and growling at the puppy for no reason and vice versa. It has been over a week now but I'm hoping they will become friends soon, failing that I'm hoping they will at least become bored of each other and leave each other alone.

Maybe they will be better with each other when they are able to go out for walks together?

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Rosie and Teya's mummy

With two dogs, especially if one is a pup, you will need to do lots of training, playing etc separately anyway so that the pup bonds with you and not primarily with the other dog. The time they spend together should be limited for that reason, and also to give the older dog a break.

Do plenty of playing and training and hopefully the pup will be too tired to hassle the older dog too much

Other than that, I'd let them get on with it. Often, even a dog that doesn't generally get on well with other dogs will be remarkably tolerant of a puppy - youngsters seem to have a "puppy license" which means they get away with murder! HOWEVER, that only lasts so long. You will find as puppy grows that your older dog will gradually take less and less cr@p which is good - it means he is teaching your little one his "doggy manners"

Lifting the older dog up on the sofa is probably not the best course of action and could make things worse, they are then not on an equal playing feild. Id just leave them to it they will sort it out and follw advice given in colliepoodles post RE training, Playing etc..

This is was I was worried about. But my older dog has severe heart problems and I don't want her getting too stressed.

They are both currently curled up asleep next to each other under the table. Wonder how long it will last

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Rosie and Teya's mummy

My 11 year old dog constantly walks around with 9 month Candy attached to a back leg. She puts up with it. It is normal behaviour and if the older dog doesnt like it they will put a stop to it. I wouldnt worry, they will sort things out one way or the other.

Best thing when the pup starts to hassle your older dog is to engage the puppy in play, shes wanting to play with the older one but obviously due to the heart probs, she hasnt got the inclination to play with this little erksom puppy, wants to flatten it but knows she cant/shouldnt and also knows she hasnt the health, they are very wise our dogs.

Have you got a way of seperateing them for a while either baby gated area or crate, just to give your older girl some peace and quiet.

Another solution is get yourself another puppy they can both play madly together then I am JOKEING before I get rotten eggs thrown at me.

No just make sure older girl has her own space on the floor, puppy plays with you when shes hassleing older girl or you put puppy behind a baby gate to help her calm down, your older girl needs you to help her achieve some peace as she hasnt the strength to do it herself

Good luck

Thanks Mitch4. We have done this a couple of times (trying to indulge her with playing games with her toys I mean) so will continue to keep doing this

Cheers

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Rosie and Teya's mummy

You do have to support your older dog if they are wanting to peace or not wanting to be bothered but if you dont and they correct them you mustnt interviene, its simply the older telling them whats what. Its a good idea to give them a correction when they are being too enthusiastic, not only to give the other one some peace to to make them aware of when you mean no