[TigasMom]

OK I have a 2.5 yr old neutered male, extremely friendly. he is rather toy obsessed tho. very mouthy. the tenants in the apt below me have an adult choc lab and a choc lab puppy (male). The puppy is of course bouncy and friendly and topples all over the place and is adorable.

My dog, Tiga, has snarled and growled at the puppy when the puppy gets too near him, obviously trying to play, when he has toys or a ball. not EVERY Time, but they'll all be out there and then i guess the puppy gets too close too many times (i don't even think the puppy wants the ball) and Tiga won't just growl and nip, he will chase the puppy, snarling growling and it's not someting i am used to hearing from him. I cannot tell if he is going to attack this puppy!!! Well the puppy comes bouncing on back, i guess he considers it playing. So the past several times it's happened, once he is chasing the puppy snarling and growling, if he doesn't cease after a few seconds, i make him stop. I mean chasing him a few yards to tell him "get away" and then stopping on his own, that is one thing. but a couple times he just kept on! and the puppy tumbles down and Tiga is kind of on top of him, still snarling all mean-like! So I stop him when he does that.

Well tonight he was out there with a nylabone. He actually teased hte puppy to "come get it" and of course would then evade the pup. He WANTED him to try to get it. so they ran around for a few, and me and the pups owners were talking, and then somehow Tiga got behind a bush and was there with the bone and i guess the pup was back there too, and next thing you know Tiga's snarling and growling and chases the pup out, and he kept going, and the pup tumbled and then started to yelp and Tiga was still doing it!! It was dark and I could not see if he actually was moving to bite him. It could be the pup was jus scared. But I am flabbergasted how mad Tiga sounds, i mean is he going to kill this puppy? HE is the friendliest dog youve ever met! He has done quick growls and snarls to dogs at the dog park, to keep them away from his stash of balls, but never has treated them like he is treating this pup. Should I be worried that my dog is going to hurt this puppy?

once that pup was yelping i yelled at him and stopped him and made him sit, grabbed his scruff and firmly told him no and bad dog. then i pulled him and pushed him up our stairs. he is very submissive and i hve ignored him for the past half hour.

steph

 

[Oaklys Dad]

It sounds pretty normal to me. I would pull the toys from the equation for a while. I had to do the same thing when Caue came into our home. I very slowly introduced the toys back starting with the least favorite first. Dogs play pretty rough so I wouldn't worry till the fur starts to fly.

 

[Selli-Belle]

Lots of adults dogs do not like puppies. Its hard for us to understand since we, as humans and dog people, find puppies adorable. Tiga is trying to tell the puppy to leave him alone and the puppy (like alot of Labs) is clueless.

I agree, keep toys out of the situation, since from what you have written, Tiga is a bit possessive. I would limit their time together until the puppy gets a clue about Tiga's communication or Tiga decides the puppy is irresistible.

 

[HovawartMom]

Puppies will yelp,even when not hurt so as to stop the other dog!.
Dogs play rough and it is normal for an adult dog to correct a pup but you know yr dog best and if it looks too rough than,stop him but don't correct yr dog or he might just stop giving a warning!.
A pup needs to know his place and an adult dog will teach him that but if toys are in the middle and makes the matter,worst,then,I would take them,away!.

 

[Willow52]

Sounds pretty normal but I'd keep the toys inside for now.

I know when Hank and his brother are together it's sounds pretty serious. They're the same age though, so I don't have the same worry. We do keep Hank's bully stick up when he's visiting.

 

[Loisiana]

Your dog probably feels like this pup needs to be corrected for getting in his space, and since you are not going to correct the pup, he feels like it is up to him to do it. Don't allow the pup to get in his space, that way your dog has no reason to feel like he needs to correct him. Puppies can be obnoxious to a dog that doesn't like them.

 

[LibertyME]

If it were my own dogs...I would leave the toys down and let the older dog do what he needs to do to teach the lesson -lessons about respecting space and toys and food (IMHO) are best learned when the puppy is very young. However....the puppy is not yours.

If, if, if your dog were to correct the puppy and draw blood (which can happen when teeth are flying toward a very stubborn puppy who doesn't respect a look, curled lip or a growl) ....my guess is that your neighbors might not take kindly.