How do I sort this one out?!

[ChocDee]

hi!

We recently got a new puppy and that is all going very well. The problem is our older dog who seems to have gone through a bit of a personality change!

In the past she was really good whilst out on a walk, ignoring all people, runners and bicyclists; just very happy to be out and about and often off lead out in the woods. Since the puppy she has taken to spotting people in the distance and running up barking at them which is just not nice or acceptable.

If I stay on top of her I can recall if I catch her the moment she catches sight of them, and then she will ignore them, or if I spot them before she does I put her on lead for a while and then she is ok even when I let her off again
with the strangers still in sight.

But yesterday I was out with friends and I admit I was distracted and she got to barking at a couple. They were understandable not best pleased! Now, how do I make her go back to her old laid back self? She a rescue dog and when she was younger she was very scared and barky towards strangers. I'm just sad that the puppy seems to have changed her, and I hate not being able to trust her...

Also, at home she has endless patience with the puppy, but out on a walk she seems to get really pissedoff with him.

What do I do to make her revert back to her old self?

HELP!

[Elibean]

I'm no expert, but I would guess maybe your old girl feels less secure out than she does at home (don't we all!) and her unsettledness at having a new baby around comes out there....sounds very natural for it to have happened, bit like a child regressing and soiling themselves when baby sister comes along?

I'm sure someone experienced will come along in a bit, but...I would think with patience, and whatever reassurance and training you gave her when you first got her - whatever helped her barkiness then - she'll settle down again. Maybe she needs extra reassurance that you are there for her, looking out for her, when out??

[JaxTellerIsMyFriend]

I think for the foreseeable future you are going to have to walk old girl and puppy seperately.

How old is your first dog, and how old is puppy? I understand 2 walks with 2 dogs is not ideal, but it really is what you should do.

See if that helps 1 dog and go from there.

[scrappydoodah]

Basically you've put her nose out of joint and she's unsure of her place in the world. It took six months for my dog so relax and get back to his old self when I got a puppy. It was hell to start with though, as he started escaping from the garden and running away, and blanking everything I said.

I don't have any answers I'm afraid, but I second walking the dogs separately. You need to do that to train the puppy anyway.

[JaxTellerIsMyFriend]

Sorry, was in a rush earlier and forgot to mention that for the bond between you and your pup to fully establish it is also better to walk the dogs seperately. Otherwise your old dog and new dog will bond and they may not always listen to you when you give a command. They will look to each other and then decide what to do! I know that sometimes that will be the case anyway but walking each dog individually is much better. Besides the puppy wont need as much exercise as a full grown dog.

[Zakinthos]

My friend's adult dog did that when they got a puppy. They thought the adult dog was just being protective of the puppy. It stopped once the puppy got older although I think as others have said, they did walk it separately if they could.

[ChocDee]

Thank you all so very much for your replies and advice! It has been really helpful.

I think you are right that I should try and walk them separately for a while. It will be interesting to see how she reacts on her own. Thinking about it, she has not been making her overexcited harumphing noises about prospective walks lately.

Poor girl, according to her a puppy was a hideous idea wasn't it? We thought she would love it because we lost our old dog back in April and they were close. Bugger, bugger, bugger...

Onwards and upwards and let's hope that things eventually settle!

Thank you once again. DH says hello and thank you too.

[Elibean]

She might love it in some ways, but still feel unsettled - don't feel bad! And pup will be company for her when a little older, and things calm down. I think ANY change takes a few weeks/months to digest, for dogs and humans...