I received a few emails regarding my article last week about managing a puppy in a multi-dog household. It makes me happy to see that people are reading the very valuable Shore Local, and I am happy to help dogs, so I thought I would expand on a few things regarding bringing a puppy into a home where one or more other dogs already live.
One of the biggest mistakes people make when bringing a puppy into a home that has other dogs with an established routine and way of life is assuming that everyone will like each other and that the dogs should be together all of the time, with no personal space or time alone. While you want to make a puppy feel at home, and while you love and adore your cute baby puppy, there is absolutely no guarantee that the other dog will like the puppy as well. It is always possible that the established dog will, for zero reason whatsoever, not like the puppy.
The first email was regarding a 4-year-old male golden retriever being aggressive toward a 10-week-old golden retriever in terms of resource-guarding food. The owners are shocked because their golden retriever plays with other dogs all the time and has always had a stable temperament. They felt like the 4 year old’s behavior towards a puppy was unacceptable and wanted to correct him for being a bully. Let me reassure them that the older dog still does have a stable temperament and that his behavior is perfectly normal in the dog world. An established dog who has been the star of the show for some time is not at all out of line by wanting to protect their resources. The trick is to make sure that they do not view the puppy as a threat to those resources.
Doing this will require management and training. First and foremost, you must keep the puppy and the older dog safe from a dog fight. While the puppy is most likely intimidated right now, if you allow the behavior to escalate, you can easily build resentment in the puppy to the point where one day he decides “not today, big brother” and fights back. I understand people think that their dogs should be able to eat all together peacefully; I just do not believe that is the case with all dogs. My dogs are separated at feeding time and are able to eat at their own pace in peace. This way, no one is trying to dive in on the other’s food, which is quite frankly rude, but expected. It is natural that the older dog does not want to share their dinner and that the puppy will be pushed away from theirs. You can easily avoid this kind of resource-guarding of food by separating the dogs at feeding time.
I also suggest that highly valued toys be removed from the equation. Don’t leave these favorite toys lying around for trouble to start until you have rewarded the older dog enough to the point that they no longer guard them. Highly valued toys here are brought out when we are doing our one-on-one play time sessions. That way, they remain special to the dog who values them, and I don’t have to stress about whether or not there will be a dustup over the toy.
Introducing a puppy to an older dog should be a slow and steady process. Taking the puppy and older dog for walks together and rewarding them for appropriate behavior helps. Giving the puppy a treat first, then giving the older dog two immediately after, shows the older dog that it is rewarding to wait their turn. And most importantly, continuing to lavish attention on the older dog with special alone time is so key.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net.
Heidi Clayton started Four On the Floor Dog Training to provide positive, reward-based dog training in South Jersey. She breeds, trains and shows bull terriers under the SoraBully’s Bull Terriers kennel name. Email questions to heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net or learn more at https://fouronthefloordogtraining.net
