Help the dogs bond
Wondering how to get my older dog to accept the new puppy?
A terrific way to help your dogs bond is to walk them together. If they are similar in size, you can use a leash coupler when you walk.
By demonstrating your leadership skills, you instill in both dogs the importance of listening to and following you.
Now both dogs have something in common; both see you as the boss.
Let your older dog see good things happen when the puppy is around.
Give both dogs lots of treats and tons of praise for staying calm.
Introducing a new dog to a jealous dog
Take care not to favor the second dog. That can easily make the older dog jealous. Watch for signs the older dog is depressed when the puppy is around.
Spend quality time alone with your older dog. Make sure he doesn’t feel like he’s being replaced. Secure dogs are happy dogs.
Also, watch for any signs the old dog is afraid of the puppy. This may happen if the puppy is larger or the older dog has become less mobile due to age or illness.
Do not let the older dog attack the new puppy; think twice before introducing a new dog to an aggressive dog.
Also, consider the gender of the dogs. You are more likely to have problems if you have two female dogs or two male dogs.
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The older dogs have felt secure in their position, their relationship with you. They must be taught that the new baby will not in any way interfere with or alter the love and affection you have for them. They should be encouraged to regard and accept the new dog as a young member of their pack.
In your efforts to make the new baby comfortable, do your best not to make the other dogs jealous. Instead, of being jealous, encourage them (through your words of support and approval and your gestures and body language) to love, care for, socialize and even “parent” this new member of your family. I would not let your brother keep your puppy – rather, it is important for all the dogs to adapt to their new circumstances. When your brother or other family members or friends visit, have them greet the older dogs first as they always have, and ask them to treat the new dog like the others – with no excessive fussing or squealing over the new baby!
Try to spend quality time with all three of the dogs together, making certain not to favor any of them. Treat the two-year olds respectfully and matter-of-factly. Reinforce verbally and with petting any and all “kind” behaviors they display toward the new dog. I would also have them walk and play together under your careful supervision. I would crate the puppy as often as possible in the same room with the two older dogs. I would also feed the new dog in his crate. I would not leave him out with the others unsupervised. Let them all get accustomed and adjusted to one another. It may take some time – weeks, even months. Allow them to sniff each other and become familiar with one another. Initially you may wish to let one of the older dogs play with the puppy. Put him away. Then let the other older dog play with the puppy by himself. Then let all three out together to play or just “hang out”. Carefully supervise and monitor their behavior. Use positive reinforcement to encourage harmonious behavior and discourage any negative or aggressive behaviors.
Dogs are highly telepathic and are creatures of habit. Their stable home life has been disrupted temporarily with the new addition to the family. Try to maintain your home life (to the extent that it is possible) as it was before you brought the new puppy home. With patience and understanding, I do believe you can get your “children” accustomed to one another and to get along with each other. Just be sure not to play favoritism. Don’t allow them to become jealous of one another. Show them through your words, actions and gestures that you love them all equally and want peace and harmony to prevail. Each is an important member of and has an important role to play in your family.
Puppy Care : How to Stop An Older Dog From Being Aggressive to A Puppy
When you bring home a second dog, you’re probably hoping (or even expecting) that he’ll be fast friends with your first dog. But what do you do if your current dog is actually terrified of your new dog?
In today’s Ask a Behavior Consultant, we’re going to address this exact problem. We also discussed the fact that not all dogs love other dogs here.
In the remainder of Desperate for Harmony’s intake form, they indicated that they’ve already tried many of the front-line suggestions that we’d make for a case like this (and we made before in our article on how to help your dogs accept a new dog):
Overall, Desperate for Harmony is definitely on the right track here. It’s only been one week so far, but clearly this isn’t going as planned.