Puppy Dog Training – Meeting Your Older Dog
It is important on such an exciting day to be properly prepared for your new addition to the family, and to also consider life on this life-changing day from the puppy’s perspective too.
Puppy Dog Training – How To Prepare For The Meeting:
If you have another dog, they may or may not welcome your new addition. Every dog will react differently to a new puppy in their home. Some will be fine and enjoy the new company; however others may be aggressive due to fear, or annoyance at this new addition on their patch of territory.
You as the owner should have a fair idea of how your dog will react to a new puppy. If you feel that your dog is not going to be welcoming then you need to carefully manage the 1st meeting in a neutral area, this is to avoid any territorial drive and protection from your older dog. However you must remember that your new puppy may not be fully vaccinated so he can be susceptible to diseases, therefore take care where you take them for their neutral grounded meeting!
At the meeting restrain one of them so they are both not free, this will help to diffuse any situation more quickly, however also remember that older dogs can be more protective when on a lead, and also your puppy will not be lead trained as yet so you must take care and give this careful consideration. Keep them at a safe distance at first, and gradually allow them closer until contact and sniffing takes place. It is good idea to keep them moving too, as other smells and sights may help preoccupy them and make the meeting less intense. It is important that you as handlers are relaxed and happy, otherwise stress or fear can have an influence on the situation.
If all goes well at the neutral grounded meeting, then you can take them home and introduce them again, but take the puppy indoors first. You must have previously removed your older dogs toys, food, bowls, and beds etc. This is because your older dog will be territorial over them, and a puppy picking up your other dogs toys or putting his smell or presence into his beds too may not be very welcome at all, so be prepared.
It will also be a good idea to allow your puppy a toilet break before letting him loose to explore indoors as he is not fully in control of toilet movements yet, and this coupled with all the new excitement can cause accidents to occur. The more the puppy gets out into the garden to relieve himself the less he will go indoors, and therefore he will soon learn that outside is where the loo is for him.
If all goes well with the introductions, then you can start to put the beds, bowls, etc back down, but keep the toys and chews out of the way for a bit longer, and just keep a watchful eye on who is doing what, where and when to avoid any possible unnecessary problems.
Puppy Dog Training – Managing Feed Times
Even if the introductions have gone well, and the older dog and puppy are getting along well, another time that will need careful management is feed time. Dogs can be very territorial over food. Your older dog may get fed 1 or 2 times a day, however initially your puppy will probably be getting fed 4 times a day, to be reduced as he gets older. Therefore it is important that your older dog is not put in a situation where he feels jealous or has to compete for food at these times.
So when your puppy is due to be fed, you need to think about your older dog at these times too, what would he prefer, a small treat, so a few minutes on a chewy stick or stuffed kong whilst puppy eats, he may prefer to go out in the garden, or even out for a walk with another family member. You just must ensure that the puppy and older dog eat their correct foods, as a puppy diet is different to an adult one, therefore communal bowls of food put down at all times is not recommended. It is a good idea to lift bowls after feed time has ended to ensure no eating of any left-over food belonging to each other. This will help prevent any food dominance by the older dog, and any intake of the incorrect food from both animals.
However if your older dog is unpredictable and needs a bit more ‘space’ to get used to the new puppy then you can separate them with a stair gate or put your puppy into a nice dog crate for short periods of time. This will allow some contact between them but without complete freedom and therefore restricting possible harm. It is important that both puppy and older dog have attention, otherwise this can also affect how they feel about each other and their own wellbeing.
Puppy Dog Training- Consider The Options
You must have a fair idea of how your older dog is going to react to a new puppy, if you think it will be an impossibility for him to get on with a new puppy then it is not fair on anyone to get a new puppy. You will know your older dog better than anyone, you must be sensible and consider your older dogs behaviour, health and temperament when deciding on whether to get a new puppy or not. Yes it can be slightly less of a wrench on the family, when one dog passes away if you still have another, and yes dogs together can really enjoy each other’s companionship. But if having a new puppy in your home is going to cause ongoing distress to either your new puppy or older dog, or you as the owner trying to manage the situation, then you must ask yourself if it is the right choice.
If you have gone ahead and got a new puppy and things are not working out as you had hoped, and you are struggling to manage the situation, then you may want to consider seeking the advice of a professional trainer. There are a number of trainers available, but you should consider ones that are reputable and are experienced. Dog trainers can be all-rounder trainers, or specialists in certain areas such as behaviourists, or obedience trainers.
Do not feel as if you have failed by calling in the experts to help, in fact you are actually showing you are determined to make the situation work. Yes a good professional trainer will cost money, but they can be so worth the money. It may only take a couple of sessions to get things progressing as you had hoped.
If you have raised your first dog well, he has been well socialised, and has a happy and confident environment he lives in then chances are he will be more welcoming to a new addition. However, puppy dog training has so many aspects to consider, if you fail to plan then sadly it can be a total nightmare, but carefully managed and well thought out it should be such an enjoyable episode in your family’s and your puppy’s life together.
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