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Older puppy hates new puppy

19 11:38:02

Question
I feel like i might have a big problem. I just got a new puppy (a cockapoo) last monday 7/2. She is 9 weeks old. I have a boyfriend with a 10 year old chocolate lab. The dog has a history of aggressiveness and doesnt really like people that she doesnt know. I spend about 80% of my time at his house when im not working. The problem is i have to bring the puppy with me and everytime the puppy is around his dog, his dark growls at my puppy and moves as far away as possible. Its been about a week that me n him have been trying to bring the two closer together. They can hang out in the same room but im afraid to put my puppy down on the floor incase his dog decides to bite her. We have plans of moving in with each other within the next 2 months. Any suggestions on how we can get the two dogs to get along, or at least on what i should do so his dog doesn't hurt my puppy.

Answer
Hello, Well if it doenst work out he had his dog for ten years so he has rights over keeping his...remember this! Also I can say make sure the pupyp doenst bother the older dog too much if you see her going and barking and nipping at him if she is getting grumpy make her stoop...take her to a different area and throw her a toy and play with her...older dogs often disregard the puppies play attempts and get very upset if they bother them. Make sure they each have there own food And water bowls own toys, own crates, own beds ect ect. you need to get the older dog to understand the puppy is here to stay...make sure to comfort the older dog when the puppies round don't ever ignore the older dog...petting the older dog offering small treats or peices of her daily kibble and talking soothingly to her will help but dont ignore the puppy either lol. Make sure that if you leave the house put the puppy in her crate to avoid them fighitng when your gone the older dog is Not likely to tolerat the pupy nippy/barking and growling in play and will liekly snap at it...you must rmember that a labrador reteriever of 10 years of age is rather old and may be experiancing athritis pains or joint pains or other problems causing discomfort and doesnt want to play like a puppy anymore. I rarely reccomend getting a young puppy with a resident dog of such an age and had you asked around before buying and told the situation I bet most would have said it to be a bad idea as well....old senior dogs and hyper pups don't mix....I know this well because my mtoher had two older dogs 9 and 8 years old they get grumpy and snappy whenever my dogs 3,2 and 1 years of age try play with them.... I understand and distract my dogs to a toy or each other. If you give them time and do what was mentioned they should tolerate each other. I can also say that moving intot eh labs home...will cause disputes this dog has been the only dog here with his single owner for sometime and will be territoial and domanting to the puppy.  My website might be of some help there are three pages of intrest to this subejct on tehre the behavior page isnt finished yet but go a head and check it out too. http://www.freewebs.com/dustycovens/introducingpooch2.htm