Introducing older dog to small puppy

[puppylife]

Hello all, was hoping to pick your very intelligent brains if possible!

We have a 8 year old Staffy cross lab, she is mid size, and we have just brought home an 8 week old cockapoo.

Our older dog is so gentle with our kids and is the most lovable family dog we never considered she might not get on with a puppy, she was rescue and she had a litter of her own puppies when she was 1, as well as feeding another set of puppies when the mum couldn't so we thought she would be so good. The intro went really well to start and she gave him a good sniff over tail wagging very happy, then my daughter waved a sock in front of them and the older dog went for the puppy, we separated and gave them some space, then later that evening she went for him again. we had to separate.

Since then we have been doing calm small meetings without the kids once they are both super calm and it's going well but I'm very worried that if she goes for him she is going to hurt him. How long do we do an hour an evening? This is only day 4, puppy is crate training and we are able to let them both out at different times during the day but obviously we don't want to continue this for too long.

Any advice, does it sound like we are doing anything overly wrong?

I am not an expert but it sounds as if the 'treat' of a sock to play with was the trigger. So avoid having treats while they are together for now. Ddog us the friendliest little soul but sometimes gets snappy with other dogs in the park if she thinks there is competition for a treat. So lots if time together with no treats while they get to know each other

Where did they meet?

They met at the house, he is 8 weeks old so can't be outside anywhere so made it difficult to meet anywhere else. The initial meet went really well for about an hour before she went for him. The evenings are going fine but the puppy mostly sleeps so not running around which is when I think my older dog will not handle it, I'm just not sure we are doing the right thing or not, we don't want to get it wrong

The puppy is very chilled and quite docile, he hasn't shown any interest in the older dog to be honest, everything I google seems to focus on the puppy irritating the older dog which isn't the case here.

We have just sat with them both again and the older dog just constantly stalks puppy, tail is wagging most of the time, but she will not give him any space.

You need to keep them separate for most of the time. Feed and play separately. Nothing unsupervised. When they meet don't let the pup bother your older dog. Pay loads of attention to your older dog. Don't have toys out with them both together or anything that your older dog might want to resource guard. Take it slowly

I’m no expert, but this bit in particular really worries me:

and the older dog just constantly stalks puppy, tail is wagging most of the time, but she will not give him any space
That suggests to me the older dog is deeply uncomfortable around the puppy and left alone may well attack him/her.

The tail wagging means arousal, that could be positive or negative.
I’m assuming the ‘tail wag’ is a stiff wag, held out stiffly horizontal or poker straight and upright.
That is not a friendly wag!
A ‘friendly’ wag (as I understand it) usually comes with relaxed body language and broad sweeping strokes.

Many adult dogs are pretty intolerant of puppies, mine included, but actually hurting the puppy is quite rare.
I would definitely consider ‘stalking the puppy’ and not giving any space, certainly in addition to going for the puppy twice as abnormal and if it was me, I would consider rehoming the puppy.

The puppy has shown no interest in the older dog, when they are out together he is more interested in us than the older dog. She will come away when we call her, and when the puppy lies down to sleep the older dog will either got to bed or lay on the sofa. As soon as the puppy moves though she is up again sniffing him. I would say it's a happy wag, like she usually would, she has tried to play with him a few times but she's a lot bigger than him, and the puppy hasn't shown any interest. The puppy is crate training so they are both apart during the day, older dog has little interest in him in his crate.