Do you live with another dog? If so, you no doubt know how difficult it can be to introduce a new furry member into your life. The first few weeks are always a little rough when one dog isn’t sure of their new canine housemate, but usually, they get along fine after a while.
Sometimes though, the introduction doesn’t go as planned, and tensions escalate quickly. This happens a lot and is not just limited to new canine families, but there are a few things that can be done to help reduce the stress and make it easier for the dogs to get along. In this article, we will look at some that can help make such introductions a little easier for everyone.
When you bring a new puppy home, your older dog can get jealous and think of the new puppy as a competitor. This behavior will target fights between your older dog and new puppy. Often, your older one can become so aggressive that it can cause potential harm to your new puppy.
So, are you struggling with how to get my older dog to accept the new puppy? If yes, then you are in real trouble. But of course, there are some solutions! You can make your dog and puppy friends by adapting to some tricks. Attempts like pretending to be very happy and introducing them to a different area can help a lot. Today, we are going to share the tricks with you in detail. You will also know why your older dog behaves in such an unfriendly way and how to solve it.
Ways On How To Get My Older Dog To Accept The New Puppy
Almost every pet owner becomes worried about their older dog’s interaction when they bring a new pet home. We know that you have the same question: How do my older dogs accept the new puppy? Now here’s a few things that you need to follow to make your older dog accept your new puppy:
1. Introduce Your Dogs To Ground Or Open Place
You should introduce your new puppy to your older dog in an open place. It can be ground or yard, or even your neighboring area. You can not let your dog feel that he/she is in threat or fear. You have to make your dog feel welcomed and safe with the new puppy. So, overall, try to make every action to make your dog feel the least aggressive when they see the new puppy become friends with them.
2. Show Your Excitement Or Positive Emotions
Dogs can read your vibe pretty well. So you have to keep yourself as happy and excited as you can when you make the two dogs introduced. Do not show or give away any anxious or stressful vibes. Your negative feeling can make your dog feel negative towards the situation and the new puppy as well.
3. Parallel Walking
Parallel walking means you have to make both dogs walk beside each other parallelly. It will create a bonding between them quickly, and they won’t feel threatened by each other’s presence. Also, parallel walking makes the dogs feel that you are equally affectionate for both of them.
4. Make Them Play Together For Hours
If your older dog doesn’t show aggressive behavior in the first meet, you can make them play together. Playing together in a new environment will help them to make friendships among themselves. Also, it will make them both feel invulnerable to each other.
So if you bring a new puppy home with old dogs, you need some planning and preparation. First, introduce your older dogs to the new puppy slowly. You have to hang out and play outside with both the older dog and the new puppy. Then you have to avoid sources of conflict such as food and toys. Lastly, it is more important to make sure that the older dog should get lots of attention than a new puppy.
How to Introduce a New Puppy to an Older Dog
It can be helpful when introducing two dogs of different ages if the adult in charge decides which dog gets priority. Letting your older pet choose what they want can help make this idea stick better than prompting either of them into action.
- Bring your new pup into the house and let him explore for a while. Let the older pup’s reaction be natural, but don’t leave them together unsupervised at any point!
- Allow them to sniff each other and spend time together, but never leave them alone together unsupervised until they seem relaxed with each other.
- Always take the older pup’s lead if they’re left alone together because they could become frightened.
- If the older pup takes a liking to your new pup, and it seems they are accepting them, you have successfully introduced your new canine friend.
Introducing New Puppies To Homes With Senior Dogs
It’s a well-known fact that senior dogs can have problems adjusting to their new home, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Here are some tips for introducing new puppies into homes with older dogs. Here are some tips for introducing a new dog to an older dog:
- Reading Your Dog’s Body Language
- Dealing With Resource Guarding By Senior Dogs
- How to keep a resource guarding dog away from your belongings
- Dealing With Resource Guarding By Pups
- Dealing with the Fearful Senior Dog
- Dealing With Fearful Pups
How to Train Your Older Dog to Accept a Puppy
Some common ways to help your older dog accept a new puppy. If you want your older dog and your new puppy to coexist, it is important to let them work out their differences on their own and be patient while they adjust to one another.
Although they may not be able to show affection towards one another immediately, all dogs can eventually get along if you give them time and proper guidance. Ensure the older dog has his own designated space within the house, such as a room or outdoor area. Avoid making physical contact with the older dog for about 5 days after the introduction of the new dog.
Give them time to smell each other through gateways such as windows and entrances before trying to interact with them while they are together. The older dog may consider the puppy his space, so the puppy must learn to respect that space.
Can Older Dogs Get Depressed Because Of New Puppies?
Introducing a new puppy to an old dog is quite difficult. Some dogs welcome new puppies and get so happy. But many older dogs get upset, depressed, jealous, or even angry with a new puppy, especially if the older dog is the only dog in the household. All-time they seem so sad and have a really sad face if you bring a new puppy home.
Moreover, they get very stressed when the owner takes care of the new puppy. Sometimes they can even stop eating their food. They growl, snap, and try to get rid of the new puppy. Therefore, they steal toys and foods away from the new puppy, which can create a fight. A dog who is stressed or fearful can bite and injure a puppy. As some dogs are not so social, they fear new puppies.
Why Is The Older Dog Attacking The New Puppy?
Introducing a new puppy with a household adult dog is not an easy task. Some dogs welcome new puppies with open paws. But the maximum time they growl, snap, and try to get away from the puppy. Older dogs cannot adjust to the new puppy easily.
The dogs cannot tolerate the puppy when the owner loves and plays with them. As he/she cannot accept that another puppy will take his place, this leads to jealousy and aggression. And that might be the reason why your older dog is attacking your old puppy.
Your dog can constantly take toys away from the new puppy. As some dogs fear new puppies, they attack them. Also, a dog who is stressed or fearful can bite and injure a new puppy. But you can avoid this if you take some preparation before bringing a new puppy.
To avoid your older dog from attacking your new puppy, take your dog and puppy in an enclosed neutral area with plenty of supervision. You have to hang out with them and play outside together for the first couple of days. If your dog becomes stressed and unhappy, then stop the session. Finally, you have to remove sources of conflict, such as food or toys.
How Long Does It Take For A Dog To Get Used To A New Puppy?
Dogs are known as best friends of humans because of their emotions towards us. Dogs also have emotions just like humans, do when they see a new puppy around them having his masters’ affection, love, and compassion, it is very obvious for the dog to feel unwanted and thus bring a sense of jealousy in him. Owners and caretakers should be careful about approaching the dog to create a better understanding and communication skills between the dog and the puppy. Things might not work out instantly, but in most cases, the dog and puppies are seen to build a bond of love, compassion, trust, and friendship within 3-4 weeks of togetherness.
Puppies can be exhausting at times as they are at their blooming stage and can cause a complete nuisance in the house. During such times, the caretaker should try to intervene and build up, making the puppy learn his way from the older dog. In this way, the older dog will feel a responsibility towards his master and the puppy. More ways of building friendship include taking them for a walk together, showing more importance to the older dog, and at the same time showing affection towards the puppy, making them separate beds, food bowls, clothes, etc.
How To Make An Older Dog And Puppy Interaction Better?
There are many ways on how to make their interaction better and fruitful. It is obvious for now that how the older dog and puppy interact and approach each other solely depends on how their master or caretaker has or wants to train them. Over time, the master should teach them specific mannerisms and behavior, which will help them grow compassion.
Such Mannerism Includes
- Playing games with both at the same time.
- Feeding them with food at the same time but at different bowls to avoid fight and aggression.
- Going for walks together and walking parallel with both.
- As the puppy is in his blooming stage, he should be trained to have similar likes and interests the same as the older dog.
- Cuddling them together.
- Teach the older dog not to bark or growl at the puppy.
The process can be exhausting for the master himself, but over time, it surely works out either way. You will soon see the older dog behave more politely and respectfully.
How Can I Know That My Puppy Is Bonding With The Older Dog?
In some cases, we often see that the puppy bonds well with the older dog before it even bonds well with its master. This is because the puppies look for someone of their breed. The puppies love to play with the older dogs, but it is the older dog who pushes the puppy away for most of them. So, the master or caretaker should work on taking their fear away and, at the same time, train the older dog to accept the puppy.
Few Ways To Know If Your Puppy Is Bonding Well With The Older Dog Are:
- If they are lying together
- Sharing foods.
- Running to him now and then.
- Walking together.
- Following each other.
- Cuddling or sleeping together.
- Barking along with each other.
- Doing things to get your older dog’s attention.
- Showing your old one respect.
It is not necessary to work out every time. Some puppies are shy and quiet, and hence for them, it takes longer than usual to bond with the older dogs. We should not force them up. Let their bonding happen naturally and slowly.
Closing Words
We hope you have a better idea of getting my older dogs to accept the new puppy now. You can maintain all our suggested ways. You don’t have to follow all the ways. Just try to follow the way which goes best with your dog’s characteristics. If you somehow don’t notice any progress, you can give some time and see if the situation gets better or not.
If eventually, the situation gets better, try to create their bonding more strongly by some techniques. Moreover, you need to visit your dog’s vet if he doesn’t seem to cope well and shows signs of stress or depression. Another thing is, do not adore your new puppy more in front of your older dog. It will make your dog more jealous. Lastly, good luck with your dogs! I hope now you know how to get my older dog to accept the new puppy.
FAQ
1. Is It Fair to Get a Puppy With an Old Dog?
Ans: Some people believe that giving their older dog company is important so they can feel useful and wanted, but the age difference may not be good for the older dog.
2. How to Introduce a Puppy to an Older Resident Dog?
Ans: The best way to deal with this behavior is by distracting them with a favorite toy. If all else fails, use a leash to conjoin the two dogs and walk them together. Avoid any confrontations by picking up your puppy and carrying them to a different room.
3. How to Prep Your ‘top Dog’ Before Bringing a Puppy Home?
Ans: Keep the dogs separate when walking them. If both have good body language, move them closer. Slowly get them acclimated to being together. Drop the leashes if both dogs show interest in each other.
4. How Long Does It Take an Older Dog to Get Used to a Puppy?
Ans: Dogs, in general, can get used to a new puppy in 5 days. However, some older dogs may take up to three months to adjust.
5. Does Gender Matter When Adopting Thea Third Dog?
Ans: Yes, it matters. Gender (male, female) matters when adopting a dog. A male dog is more likely to be aggressive towards other male dogs and male humans.
