puppy too rough with older dog

[hilary2012]

So my dilemma is an 8 week old puppy who is already bigger than our 3year old dog. She is traumatising her, with her rough play; bounding up to her as soon as she's on the floor and biting her and thumping with her paws (all this with tail wagging furiously!). But dog no.2 is getting really sick of it; not eating and staying upstairs all day....will this work itself out or should I intervene?? many thanks for any advice.

[coffeeinbed]

I'm surprised older dog hasn't put the puppy in it's place.

[hilary2012]

She is a complete wimp! Just yelps and cries and runs off with bit ears and tale!!!.........??

[coffeeinbed]

I would use a clear sharp "No!" when you feel pup's bothering the older dog, but it will work much better if she herself told pup off.
Bless her!

[hilary2012]

Older dog has started to growl at little one but little one is taking no notice at the moment..............the second she sees her; she's after her, it's seems like one big game - like having a live toy to play with :-(

[saintmerryweather]

i would give her a sharp no and remove her until she has calmed down if your other dog wont tell her off. she will be used to playing rough with her littermates and at 8 weeks she is still.such a baby. i would intervene though if your older dog wont teach her. make sure she socialises with as many dogs as you can when possible

[moosemama]

I have a really dopey, soft older dog and a loopy, bitey puppy at the moment. My pup is a lot smaller than my older boy, but likes to take flying leaps at him and nip wherever he makes contact.

The first few days he just stood there looking at us with a panicked look on his face if the pup started charging around biting and nipping at him, so we used distraction and reward to redirect the pup's attention onto a more appropriate activity.

A couple of days ago, we noticed him start to curl his lip a little when pup got too much. Then finally, the other day, pup ran up to Lurcherboy, ran underneath his stomach and nipped him somewhere exceptionally painful. That time Lurcherboy really told him off. He growled and snapped at him, but without making contact and pup squealed like a little piggy and shot off with his tail between his legs.

Poor old Lurcherboy was really upset and worried we would tell him off, but we stayed completely out of it and since then he has put pup in his place a few times.

I agree with others upthread. You need to take control and remove or distract pup until the time comes your older girl has gained enough confidence to tell her off herself.

In the meantime, make sure your old girl has somewhere safe to retreat to. Nothing wrong with her taking herself off upstairs if that's where she feels safe. Don't leave them alone together and make sure you are giving your older dog plenty of 1:1 time as well as the pup.

Your pup is very young and only just out of the rough and tumble of her littermates, it will improve, but you need to be the one in control of their interactions in the meantime.

[Bowlersarm]

I would use a crate. Crate the puppy every now and then when she gets too much for older dog. Also overnight to give older dog a break.

Puppies are hard work, gorgeous but hard work, but she will grow out of it.

[HotPanda]

Same as the others have said.

I have an 19 week old Weim and she harassed our older boy dreadfully. We gave them a lot of space from each other, but mainly left them to sort it out between them (with us overseeing of course).
She is much more polite to him now than she was at 8 weeks that is for sure!