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Post by gizmocreations on Feb 4, 2006 11:54:21 GMT -5
I've been on several forums looking for information and this forum seems to be the only one with practical advice.
Here is my situation: We have a 5 year old black lab who has been our only dog for his entire life. He gets along well with older dogs and adults, but not young kids. We recently brought home an 8 week old yellow lab pup. The pup is doing fine, but the older dog is not accepting the young one.
We keep them separate with baby gates, but do walk them together, the older dog in the lead. The older dog will growl at the pup through the gates and then turn and walk away. We give the older dog plenty of alone time with just the people in the house and he also gets some time outdoors without the pup.
Are we doing the right things? When the dog growls at the pup what should I be doing? I have mostly just ignored it, but I am wondering if I should be telling the older dog no or something like that. It has only been about 10 days and the first day the dog saw the pup he snapped at him. I think he is coming along, but want to make sure I am doing the right thing for both of them.
Thanks.
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Post by Brooke on Feb 4, 2006 12:46:26 GMT -5
Keeping them separated while you are not home is a good thing but they also need to learn to co-exsist. This will never happen with them separated. It is good to take things slow. And it is excellent for you to be walking them together but allowing the older dog to growl or snap without correction only re-enforces the behavior. You are sending him the message that his behavior is ok.
You should definately not allow growling or snapping of any kind with the older dog. Once they start interacting you may see the pup doing some of those things but it is a part of learning at his level. That does not mean he should be allowed to be obnoxious to the other dog or anyone else.
The older dog should be corrected for his behavior ever time. I would keep a leash on him and every time he growls or snaps at him give a firm verbal correction accompanied with a pop of the leash. I would then make him do a "sit stay" or " down stay" until you release him and nothing less.
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Post by Brooke on Feb 4, 2006 12:47:20 GMT -5
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Post by gizmocreations on Feb 4, 2006 13:00:38 GMT -5
Thanks! The dogs are required to do quite a bit before they get attention, food, etc. but I think we need to work on it a little harder. They are both really good dogs and each have unique qualities.
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Post by willow on Feb 4, 2006 17:08:18 GMT -5
The only thing I would add to Laura's great advise is that when you are walking both dogs together, I would walk with one on one side of you and the other on the other side, at your side, with neither of them out in front and I wouldn't allow them to growl etc. at each other.
Maybe later on you can switch them to the same side so they can walk alongside of each other, but only after they are getting along and the puppy is trained to walk nicely on leash etc.
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Post by Brooke on Feb 4, 2006 17:21:54 GMT -5
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Post by Nicole on Feb 4, 2006 21:06:30 GMT -5
I agree with BROOKE’S ;D ;D and Loey’s advice.
I am a baby step person when it comes to the introduction of animals. I firmly believe that slow is the pipeline to harmony. Whenever Sunny makes a friend I always insist that they meet many times before I will allow their dog in my yard. But that is just me. I think that dogs need time to adjust to a newcomer and one bad experience can change harmony to simple tolerance if you are lucky. In addition to what has been recommended I would make sure that the pup is not bothering the older dog. If the older dog knows that you are going to keep him from being bugged, he may relax and leave it to you. And if he knows that you are alpha and that his pack place is secure he will be less likely to unilaterally decide that he will instigate aggression.
My dog is not very good with puppies. He cannot stand them jumping at him. We have a neighbor who has a gorgeous large hound puppy girl and I am the leader when they interact. Sunny is completely relaxed about that because I am there with eyeball supervision and no one is going to get bugged and no one is going to aggress, Let them be certain that YOU are in control.
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Post by willow on Feb 5, 2006 14:58:43 GMT -5
Brooke, Are you saying my post was confusing?
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Post by gizmocreations on Feb 5, 2006 19:23:17 GMT -5
Well, I think day by day it is getting better. With the older lab you do have to take baby steps. He is a different sort of dog. He is a great dog in a lot of ways, but he, like the dog above, does not like fast movements - which are typical of puppies. They were staring at each other through the baby gate and the dog started growling. I quickly put a stop to that with a very sharp, "no growl" and that did the trick. The dog did leave for just a few seconds and then came back to the gate and looked at the pup some more.
So with this guy, slow, slow, slow. Where I live (Minnesota) it is really cold today, so we went on several short walks. The puppy can tolerate it, but not for too long.
Thanks everyone. I think in another couple of weeks things will really come together.
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Post by Brooke on Feb 5, 2006 21:30:45 GMT -5
Brooke, Are you saying my post was confusing? Just the part where you called me Laura...
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Post by willow on Feb 6, 2006 10:03:09 GMT -5
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Post by Brooke on Feb 6, 2006 19:46:35 GMT -5
No biggie. That's alright loey we love you just the way you are. ;D
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Post by gizmocreations on Feb 6, 2006 23:34:46 GMT -5
Seem to have a setback here. We walked the dogs together and they were okay. We thought then we should have them together in the living room on their leashes. They did okay just walking around a little bit when the older dog was in front of the other. However, when the older dog turned to face the younger one he snarled and growled. I corrected the dog, but he did not want to settle down. After a few minutes we took the pup away.
This is a slow process, but I think the dogs need more time together. The older one needs to realize the younger one is here to stay.
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Post by Nicole on Feb 9, 2006 7:05:22 GMT -5
Don't forget to praise the older dog when he is acting calm and appropriately toward the pup. You want him to associate the pup with good things. Praise is very important.
Also I just realized that the two dogs are males. Be mindful that an intact male (the pup) may smell threatening to the older neutered male. They smell the difference. And sometimes same sexed dogs simply do not get along especially when they mature. You have to be prepared for that. It isn't always the case but more often than with different sexed dogs.
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