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Help!! Have i made a huge mistake!!!

6 replies

3kidslou · 23/06/2012 08:00

I have a fox red unneutered 2yr old male lab and wanted a companion for him and thought it would be nice to have a second dog. Yesterday i got a female lab puppy as i read male and female get along well together and i intend to get a spayed as soon as soon as possible. However ozzy has taken a dislike to the puppy showing his teeth growling etc. last nite he settled and try to play but this morning hes gone for her and made her yelp and now shes absolutly terrified of her im really worried to the point of phoning the breeders and taking her back, is it the male and female thing...help!!

OP posts:
NuggetsForTeaAgain · 23/06/2012 08:31

oh dear Shock. He is probably just getting used to her....Call the breeders for information and advice

ditavonteesed · 23/06/2012 08:34

not really got any advice, someone who knows better will be along soon, in the mean time I would take you boy out for a lovely walk to distract him, i wouldnt think it would be the male female thing, just a new dog in his territory. it will take time.

daisydotandgertie · 23/06/2012 10:59

No. Calm down.

He's just throwing his weight around and making sure the puppy knows what's what. There's is always a settling down period. Make sure the older dog isn't left alone with the pup during this period, and make sure you make it clear what is acceptable behaviour and what isn't. You are the person who decides how people behave in your house, not him.

It's nothing to do with dog/bitch interaction, more to do with an established dog reacting to change.

Have a read of this which is lifted from another forum;

I think a lot of us, myself included in the beginning, have a bit of a fairytale image of the older dogs falling head over heels with the new pup, the moment it totters through the front door. Ok with some older dogs this may well happen.....some dogs genuinely LOVE puppies.....but a LOT don't.

Puppies don't come with any manners. They upset the usual routine, they are rough and often noisy.......and generally they don't know when to stop. No wonder a lot of adult dogs get miserable and grumpy with the nuisance intruder.....the pup walks in and turns their nice cozy world upside down. This doesn't mean that the pup won't "grow" on the original occupants though.

This subject crops up time after time, so I thought I'd write a little piece on it to help put any worried minds at rest.

I think a lot of us, myself included in the beginning, have a bit of a fairytale image of the older dogs falling head over heels with the new pup, the moment it totters through the front door. Ok with some older dogs this may well happen.....some dogs genuinely LOVE puppies.....but a LOT don't.

Puppies don't come with any manners. They upset the usual routine, they are rough and often noisy.......and generally they don't know when to stop. No wonder a lot of adult dogs get miserable and grumpy with the nuisance intruder.....the pup walks in and turns their nice cozy world upside down. This doesn't mean that the pup won't "grow" on the original occupants though.

If you make sure that the older dogs can get away from the pup when they want to and if you make sure that the pup doesn't pester the living daylights out of them, things usually come good in the end.

Sometimes this takes only a matter of days and other times it can take several months and this can vary from pup to pup because of their different personalities....but in the vast majority of cases, they WILL bond in the end . So don't rush things; let the older dog take it's time in getting to know the pup.

There is no need to try to "make it up" to the older dog or to make sure it gets extra attention, as this may make it think it has a good reason to be upset. But do make sure it has an escape route, so it can rest without being pestered, pulled about and jumped all over.

Personally, I DO let my older dogs occasionally tell off a youngster (if they have the balls to), when it is being particularly bad mannered but I think you have to know your own dogs very well to allow this. In telling off, on very rare occasions, mine have flipped the pup over and held it by the throat whilst really growling .... and to some people this may look as if the older dog is killing the pup, especially if it squeals. I don't allow this very often though because I don't really want the older dog having to be that fed up, in fact it has probably only happened once or twice and often the telling off just consists of a snap, a grumble or even just a "look".

I don't allow "bullying" whether that is the pup bullying the older dog, or the older dog picking on the New Kid.....as far as I'm concerned "I" am the Boss and bullying "Ain't Nice!".

Other than that I tend to just sit back and wait for that moment when the older dog either initiates play with the pup, or decides that it would be nice to share a sleeping space with them. Then I know things are moving in the right direction .

As I said before though.....these things can't be rushed.

YouveCatToBeKittenMe · 23/06/2012 12:31

My collie hated my Springer Spaniel puppy for 2 weeks when we got him. She even growled when his breeder approached her holding the puppy.

She bit or snarled at the puppy every time he came near, and occasionally went in for a full on fight.
However my spaniel had spent his first few weeks around numerous dogs, so was really good at reading other dog's body language and after a couple of days kept completely out of her way.
This made her curious and a bit put out. After 2 weeks she decided she didn't like being ignored and decided, much to his horror that she would like to play!
They have been friends ever since, they still very occasionally have a scuffle, usually over food and my spaniel hasn't ever cuddled up to sleep with her (unless they are in the car together), but they play and live together quite happily.

I'm sure your dog will come to accept the puppy once he's made his point!
My dog is also called Ozzy Grin

3kidslou · 23/06/2012 20:29

Ahh thanku soo much for all of the advice, things are a little better, ozzy did try to play with the puppy which is good, he keeps having a sniff of her with no growling so thats good. Puppys terrified of him and and stays well out of his way so at least that gives him time to get used to her, fingers crossed all will be ok!!

OP posts:
crazyspaniel · 24/06/2012 13:53

My cocker bitch hated our other dog when he was a puppy, and snarled and snapped at him whenever he came near her. They were OK together on walks, but they couldn't be in the same room together for weeks, and couldn't be left along together for about a year. They now have an entente cordiale and have even been known to snuggle up on the sofa together. At one point we were on the verge of returning the puppy to the breeder, but I'm so glad we stuck it out!

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