Puppy driving me crazy!

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We have an 11 week old lab, he's lovely, very sweet but my god he's annoying! We have a 3yo Rottie and he just doesn't leave her alone, she's got scabs all around her muzzle from where he's been biting her.

We can't take him out for walks until next week and no amount of playing in the house and garden seems to get rid of his energy, has anyone got any tips on how to stop him ambushing our rottie? She tells him to stop but not very firmly so he just goes back for more. He's quite responsive if I tell him no and will stop and sit somewhere else but as soon as I turn around he's straight back over to her. I know this is typical puppy behaviour but short of putting him in his crate every time they get too rough I don't really know how to teach them to play nicely.

Sorry that was a bit of a ramble!!

I can't offer any great tips, but just wanted to say that in my experience there comes a point every time you get a puppy when it seems like a complete and utter overwhelming nightmare!!

I used to threaten regularly to put mine on eBay 😀😀

It will get better, he'll learn and the older one will sort him out or get used to it- this happened with my older one who was very bored by the puppy at times, but they are now best buddies and it really has, in the old cliche, given her a new lease of life.

Hang in there, sure some of the experts will be along to help you...

I used to pop my puppy in his crate with a treat or a meal (it's handy when they're so young and have so many meals a day as they can then be coaxed into the crate for each one) when he was getting overwhelming for the older dog. Invariably he then fell asleep.

Alternatively, with another couple of puppies (terriers, need I say more?!) I would have to distract them with toys so they left the big dogs alone. Anything they could get their teeth into and that kept them busy for long enough for them to forget how exciting the other dogs were.

Also, 11 weeks isn't too early for basic obedience training - just easy things like 'watch me', sit and down - should appeal to his lab stomach, and a bit of brain stimulation will hopefully tire him out a little bit.

It is bloody exhausting though. I swear my puppy days are behind me!

We've been doing basic obedience with him, he knows sit, down and bed but may crank it up a little when he's in pestering mode!

I don't know whether we should be letting our older dog tell him off herself or get involved to stop him harassing her? She gives him very mixed messages, tells him off one minute and then starts playing with him so it can't be very clear to him where the boundaries are!

You should not be letting him pester her to the point she has to tell him off. This could lead to her resenting him.

You need to keep them separated when he is in pester mode and build his bond with the humans in the family and not over bond with the resident dog.

Agreed - most pet dogs don't really have the full range of social skills they need to fully communicate - I think we've domesticated them to a point where they're quite reliant on us to teach them how to be with other dogs.
In a larger group of dogs, away from people, she would likely growl, snap and possibly even bite the pup to dissuade him from getting in her space. In the house this probably isn't behaviour you would deem acceptable, and if she's previously been taught not to bark, bite (or mouth) or growl then she may get more stressed out by not knowing how to keep the puppy from annoying her.

Best to teach the puppy to be calm and to leave her alone, and to separate them sometimes to give her a chance to be comfortable.

We are massive fans of crate training for puppies. Our dog loved her crate and even now she loves her bed. Popping the puppy into the crate when everyone needs a break is amazing.

I feel you, 10 week old cocker spaniel... And a 3 year old/7month old. Bit off more than I can chew.

Also my pup has a very sensitive stomach, was pooping up to 20 times a day (with blood) when we first got her. On a protein diet at the m, having to cook chicken for her, along with cooking for everyone else.

Currently ignoring my house, baby is asleep and toddler is at nursery. I need this breather x

LexiLulu I have a 2 year old and a 7 month old as well! Snap! We didn't really want a puppy, we wanted to rescue but our dog ended up getting her ear torn in half by a dog that we went to meet at a rescue centre so we decided we couldn't take the risk of a rescue dog!

I do put him in his crate when they get too manic, I feel as though if I put him in there every time they get too intense then he'd live in there forever.

I'll start keeping the dogs separated more though so that he bonds with us more, that's a really good suggestion, thankyou

Are you taking the puppy to socialisation classes? If so then you could ask the trainer for advice.

We had a dog (6years old) who died on Xmas eve. My 3 year old thinks he ran away and talks about him daily (I couldn't bring myself to tell him the dog had died, he wouldn't understand).

Cause he was getting upset 3 weeks later we got this puppy. And he has stopped him getting upset. He hasn't stopped talking about the dog yet tho. Tonight I was asked to draw a picture of our family including the new puppy and the dog. I drew them next to each other and I was shouted at as the dog needed to be at the bottom of the page "running away"

Then lots of talk about missing the dog.

Makes grieving so much harder. Feel like I'm getting better, but now I'm just getting upset every time it's mentioned, whilst surrounded by puppy poop, baby poop and a toddler who can't whip his butt properly. Poop poop everywhere

Life's never easy is it? Ha! X