Great Dane Getting Along.

Question
QUESTION: My family just got a 5 month old great Dane puppy yesterday from a shelter, we have already had a black lab/pitbull mix. The great Dane is not fixed yet and also keeps going up to our lab mix and biting her feet. How do we get that to stop or what do we do?

ANSWER: Is your other dog fixed already? I would get the new puppy into training as soon as possible. Do not allow him/her to chew  on you other dogs feet. Mostly this is puppy play or the Great Dane has not been socialized properly. These are big dogs and they come with a big responsibility. Look into training, at least a basic class. Make sure the puppy has a lot of chew toys and correct the biting behavior every time it happens. Also make sure you get the Dane spayed or neutered because that will tone down the aggression. Let us know how it goes.

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QUESTION: Thanks. Yeah are black lab/pitbull mix is fixed. The great Dane is getting fixed next week. Are black lab mix likes to kind of hide and look away from the great Dane and start to growl. I think that may be some kind of cause for them to get into their fights.?

Answer
The lab mix was there first, so make sure that you always treat that dog this way. What I mean by this is the lab mix eats first, gets pet first, gets to go out first, gets to come in first, goes in the car first (Hopefully you get my point). When you introduce dogs, it is always better to do so on neutral territory. Obviously a Dane puppy at 5 months is almost as big if not already bigger than your dog, so his/her size alone plays an impact on why the Dane is making your dog nervous. Do not allow the Dane to corner your dog and make your lab mix scared, her growling is a warning but it can make your dog aggressive towards the Great Dane in the future. I would separate the dogs for a few days, which is the way they should have been introduced in the first place. Get a baby gate so the dogs can see each other but not touch each other. Give them a few play times during the day so your other dog can get used to the new one. If you see that the lab mix is getting anxious and nervous, put the puppy away. Puppies also need to learn boundaries and sometimes other dogs do not know how to set them without displaying aggression, but that is not something that you want. I know that a new puppy is very exciting but you have to prioritize and keep in mind that the lab mix was there first. Dogs are just like people, when you bring a new one into your home it can take as long as two months for your new dog and your other dog to learn to get along.

You have committed yourself to a great breed but please take some time to read a few books. Take a basic obedience class so the puppy does not become a 150 pound terror and come back here anytime if you have other questions, we are here to help.

And thank you for RESCUING! There are not enough people out there like you!