dogs dont get along

Question
QUESTION: hello i was wondering if you can help me. i have a month old springer spaniel she is very well behaved but recently my mum had given me a puppy sausage dog due to she couldn't look after her due to work commitments but wanted her to stay in the family so she could still see her and so the puppy's mum and dad could also see her.so i had  her at week she is doing fine but now my springer is playing up and wants to play with the little one I've kept them separate but they know about each other. I'm worried that my springer will hurt the pup if i do let them play. how do i get them together so that they are both happy? shall i do it gradually or let it carry on without seeing each other? please if you could help i would be very grateful.

ANSWER:
Hi Shevaun,

It's really okay if your Springer Spaniel plays with the new puppy. If I understand your message correctly, the Springer is only a month old, so he or she is just a baby herself. You have two young puppies.  Of course, they need to be supervised when they are allowed to play, but being together is good for them.  Separate the two dogs when you leave the house, either with crates or a child gate, until you know they can be trusted together.

You didn't say how old the new puppy is. A puppy shouldn't be taken away from it's mother and litter-mates before it's weaned (at 5 weeks of age) but ideally not before 8 weeks of age, as it learns important social lessons from it's mother and brothers and sisters. A puppy doesn't need (nor does it recognize) it's father. If the Springer Spaniel really is just a month old, and has completed it's "puppy shots" it's okay to just bring the two pups together. If not, wait until it's had all of the puppy shots.

If I've misunderstood the age of your Springer, please get back to me.

Allow each puppy to have time away from the other, as well as supervised playtime together. It's important that your two dogs form a bond and learn to socialize with one another now, while they're both quite young.

Best of luck,

Patti



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thanks for your help the springer is 6 months old and the pup is 8 weeks old. Bella the springer is very playful i've got her into a routine now but since the new arrival she seems to have forgotten it all.
Also the pup has her own crate but everytime i put her in there to go to sleep she crys which makes bella cry to is this because she is used to being with her mother ? how can i put her in the crate without the puppy crying? thankyou

Answer

Hi Shevaun,

Having a new puppy in "her" home is a big disruption for Bella. Stick to your routines as much as possible, dogs thrive on routine. The dust will settle in a couple of weeks, and everything will be calm once again.

Bella is bound to be jealous of the puppy. Give Bella daily one-on-one time, to help her feel secure about the new comer and her position in the "pack". This can be in the way of taking Bella with you on errands, trips in the car (if she likes that), walks without the puppy, grooming her, etc. Let Bella know that she's still special and you still love her! Increasing Bella's exercise level during this time of adjustment will help relieve her stress.

Be sure to feed the puppy in an area separate from where Bella traditionally is fed. Do this until it's quite clear that both dogs get along, and even still you might choose to separate them at mealtime. Everyone needs some private time now and then, even dogs. Also be sure that wherever Bella sleeps at night doesn't change. If Bella usually sleeps with you, don't allow the puppy in your bed for several weeks. Only after it's clear that the puppy and Bella get along should you allow the puppy to sleep with Bella.

Your puppy may cry when crated for several weeks before she accepts being crated. It's really common for puppies to do this, it has nothing to do with her missing her mother, it's because she is a baby pack animal, and she instinctively cries when she is separated from the pack. That's her way to let the pack know where she is, so she can be found and returned to them.
Ignore her cries. If you don't reinforce her crying by comforting her (or even talking to her), she will eventually learn to settle down. Also, be sure to have a vigorous play session JUST BEFORE you go to to bed or put the puppy in her crate. This will help to tire her out.

If you let the puppy out of the crate when she is making a fuss, she will learn very quickly that fussing is the key to getting out of the crate. If you want your puppy to be crate trained, you must stick to your guns, and only let the puppy out of the crate when she's quiet. If she's only quiet for 30 seconds, it's during that short time span that she should be let out.

While the puppy is crated, work with Bella on the "Quiet" command. She will learn that being quiet has it's rewards, plus it's a handy command for Bella to know. Here's what to do:

When Bella vocalizes, hold a treat right in front of her nose. Use a really tasty special treat (you only need a tiny bit!) like a bit of cheese or tiny pieces of bologna or hotdog. Most dogs will stop barking naturally because they cannot sniff the treat while vocalizing. Say "Quiet" in a stern voice. The treat should immediately be given to Bella the moment she is quiet. This should be repeated. This dog training may take several sessions of repeating the quiet command and treating a quiet response.
You should gradually extend the period of time that Bella must be quiet after the command, in order to receive the treat. You should avoid rewarding barking for attention. Whenever either Bella or the puppy barks or cries for attention, walk away and ignore the dog.

It's okay to allow Bella to play with the puppy, and even put the puppy "in it's place" when the pup gets a little too rambunctious.
Puppies learn manners, and bite inhibition from well adjusted older dogs. Only if it looks like Bella is going to draw blood should you step in and stop the "play". Your puppy will learn these lessons faster from Bella, than she will from you. It's natural.

Being a female dog, Bella will be starting her heat cycles sometime within the next few months. More people have problems with aggression when they own two intact female dogs, than they do with neutered male/female or neutered male/male combos. If you haven't already done so, Bella should be spayed. Besides getting significant health benefits from being spayed BEFORE the onset of her first heat cycle, it can help with the aggression that may develop as she matures.

I hope I've been a help.
Best of luck,

Patti