[GoldenGirl88]

Hello! Our puppy constantly wants to play with our older dog by biting his ears and legs. He doesn’t always want to play but he doesn’t use any string corrections with her. Once she is in “play mode” with him she forgets all commands and manners. I have to grab her leash and pull her away to another room. I try to keep them separated but the older dog always wants to be in the same room because he knows there are treats to be had! I treat the puppy when I see desires behavior. The puppy is 5 mos old and has been through training. I’m at my wits end! When will she learn to just “be” when she’s around the other dog?!?!

 

[Oceanside]

Bumping up

 

[DblTrblGolden2]

How old is the other dog? I also have an almost 5 month old puppy. I have a 2 yr old male and a 4 yr old male as well. My 2 year plays well with the puppy, but sets clear boundaries, which is wonderful!! My 4 year old male doesn’t react, and then sort of overreacts. The puppy will drive the 4 year old crazy if we let him. I am teaching leave it and being very consistent. I give the 4 year old space when he wants it, and don’t let the puppy be annoying. It’s getting better. I also put the puppy on a leash when we are watching TV so that if he gets carried away I can quickly correct it. That seems to be his crazy time.

The more obedience training I do the better it gets. It takes time. Trust me, I feel your pain! (Lol). I wish my 4 yo would correct him and keep him in line like my 2 yo, but he just doesn’t. That makes it my job. It will get better, it’s just management. Exercise and obedience are your best tools.

 

[nolefan]

I also put the puppy on a leash when we are watching TV so that if he gets carried away I can quickly correct it. That seems to be his crazy time.

The more obedience training I do the better it gets. It takes time. Trust me, I feel your pain! (Lol). I wish my 4 yo would correct him and keep him in line like my 2 yo, but he just doesn’t. That makes it my job. It will get better, it’s just management. Exercise and obedience are your best tools.

Not much to add to this. Hang in there.
Try to anticipate the pattern of when it is worst, then be sure there has been some activity, training or a run before this time frame occurs - crate puppy with a really good chew bone. Expen and Crate in the same room as the family when you're too tired to deal with intervening. If you haven't started teaching a "go to place" command - now is the time.

 

[3goldens2keep]

As long as the older dog is not real old 10+ or in bad health, I would let them work it out. Sooner or later, they will have to work out their relationship. Eventually, the bid dog will correct the little dog, some can take more than others. As the little dog grows, this establishing dominance will have to occur, the bigger the dogs the more aggressive this could be. Let the settle it, while the little guy is small....We have had 2 or 3 Goldens for over 25 years, we always get them 4-5 years apart.

And yes, I know the two dogs may have to go through this dominance thing later, regardless...but getting an initial establishment of dominance will likely minimize future events...

 

[Megora]

I have to grab her leash and pull her away to another room. I try to keep them separated but the older dog always wants to be in the same room because he knows there are treats to be had

Maybe I'm reading into this the wrong way, but the sad thing this tells me is that you are keeping the 5 month with you and kicking the old dog out. The old dog wants to be with you - probably like he was prior to the new thing coming into his life. As somebody who owns 2 dogs now, you need to send pup off to settle and behave herself and take the older dog out to give him the same special time he had prior to dog #2.

Another option is bring a crate into whatever room you are - stick pup in there to learn how to settle when she's getting overwhelming and this also allows your older dog to come in and hang out underfoot like he probably did before dog #2. Keep in mind that he is going through as much stress as you in figuring out the new routine. A drastic change in his life can definitely age a dog a bit, so you want to help him out.

Also, 5 month olds have NOT been through training. You are at month 5 of a 24-36 month needed duration of training. And generally speaking, at 5 months - most pups have not received any practical training whatsoever yet.

 

[GoldenGirl88]

As long as the older dog is not real old 10+ or in bad health, I would let them work it out. Sooner or later, they will have to work out their relationship. Eventually, the bid dog will correct the little dog, some can take more than others. As the little dog grows, this establishing dominance will have to occur, the bigger the dogs the more aggressive this could be. Let the settle it, while the little guy is small....We have had 2 or 3 Goldens for over 25 years, we always get them 4-5 years apart.

And yes, I know the two dogs may have to go through this dominance thing later, regardless...but getting an initial establishment of dominance will likely minimize future events...

Thank you for the reply. They do interact together and the older one does play hard. Are you saying that they will have to figure out who is dominant? When does that happen? What does it look like? It kinda sounds scary to me!

 

[GoldenGirl88]

Maybe I'm reading into this the wrong way, but the sad thing this tells me is that you are keeping the 5 month with you and kicking the old dog out. The old dog wants to be with you - probably like he was prior to the new thing coming into his life. As somebody who owns 2 dogs now, you need to send pup off to settle and behave herself and take the older dog out to give him the same special time he had prior to dog #2.

Another option is bring a crate into whatever room you are - stick pup in there to learn how to settle when she's getting overwhelming and this also allows your older dog to come in and hang out underfoot like he probably did before dog #2. Keep in mind that he is going through as much stress as you in figuring out the new routine. A drastic change in his life can definitely age a dog a bit, so you want to help him out.

Also, 5 month olds have NOT been through training. You are at month 5 of a 24-36 month needed duration of training. And generally speaking, at 5 months - most pups have not received any practical training whatsoever yet.

Of course we still have a lot to do in terms of training. I just meant that she has some basic commands down and we are practicing them. We definitely let him into the room with us as much as possible. They are only separated on different floors when she is in her “zoomies” craze.

 

[goldy1]

Don't be too afraid of dogs establishing dominance. Unless your pup is a '1 or 2' and your older a '6 or 7' or elderly/feeble, it will be established without bad consequences. I along with many members here have been in your situation multiple times and the dogs (and or cats) work it out.
Try not to feel frustrated. Just make it a learning opportunity - again and again. My younger golden is high drive and "impulse control" was practiced and rewarded. There are all sorts of training games for that. He has amazing impulse control now and when they get playing too rough (inside the house) I use the word "Enough" and they stop pretty much immediately. I admit I allow low volume playing inside the house because I love to see them engaging happily with each other.

Take comfort in the replies you've gotten. We've been there.

 

[DevWind]

Training is a long process. Keep up with it! Older dogs give puppies a "puppy license". She is just about out of time. Most dogs will tell them off at about her age.

 

[v.c. 236]

i have a high drive 13 month old male and very mellow submissive 10 year old male. Sometimes we have to keep them apart with baby gate when the younger is especially hyper but most of the time the boys have worked it out. My older boy has only corrected a hand full of times. We also have a naughty leash we use with the young pup which is a 6 ft. cotton close line it makes him easy to handle and he now understands when that gets put on he is overstepping his bounds.

 

[3goldens2keep]

Thank you for the reply. They do interact together and the older one does play hard. Are you saying that they will have to figure out who is dominant? When does that happen? What does it look like? It kinda sounds scary to me!

Good question. Usually with a puppy the dominance happens in the playing they do. You probably have or soon will see the play get a bit rougher and louder (growls and snarls). They both will try to scare the other. They may role around on each other, bite each other's necks (in the fury parts) and look really like they are fighting, but if their ears are not down and/or their tails are wagging, they are just playing. Eventually, during one of the play times, one of the dogs will break off and go laydown. That would be him saying, I have had enough, you win for now. They may do this multiple times until both know who is dominant.

Then the play will change a little bit and they will just wear each other out and stop when tired. You will learn to till the difference, but do not stop this unless one of the pups is trying to get protection from you or yelping in pain...then it has gotten out of hand. This, seldom happens, but it can, so break them up and let them calm if it does happen.

 

[GoldenGirl88]

They were playing this morning and she (the puppy) must have crossed a boundary and the older dog did something that made her yelp twice. Then she went and laid down and stopped the play. Is this a good thing?

 

[DblTrblGolden2]

They were playing this morning and she (the puppy) must have crossed a boundary and the older dog did something that made her yelp twice. Then she went and laid down and stopped the play. Is this a good thing?

If she’s not hurt it’s a good thing. It’s just the older dog setting the boundaries. I would not leave them unsupervised. If your not with them put her in her crate. You should be monitoring their interactions very closely. If you need to put a leash on the puppy and keep it with you.

 

[GoldenGirl88]

If she’s not hurt it’s a good thing. It’s just the older dog setting the boundaries. I would not leave them unsupervised. If your not with them put her in her crate. You should be monitoring their interactions very closely. If you need to put a leash on the puppy and keep it with you.

I have been doing that, and up until now they have been playing okay and I’ve been separating them when I feel like the older dog is frustrated. I guess I made a mistake and didn’t separate them in time. They are never alone together. I hope he doesn’t do that to her every time they play now, this is stressful!

 

[DblTrblGolden2]

I have been doing that, and up until now they have been playing okay and I’ve been separating them when I feel like the older dog is frustrated. I guess I made a mistake and didn’t separate them in time. They are never alone together. I hope he doesn’t do that to her every time they play now, this is stressful!

I don’t think it will happen every time they play together. It may happen a few times when she gets out of line. She should learn pretty quickly to stop being a brat. He can teach her faster then you can, as long as he’s giving a big warning and she’s backing off. I didn’t mean to imply you weren’t watching, just that you need to make sure you are.

I have a puppy the same age. He’s an absolute handful, but I knew he would be. He’s high drive field bred. I can’t wait for him to get through this puppy stage. He’s getting better every day, but finds some new wonderful behavior I have to work on at least once a week. They teach us to be better trainers!!!!

 

[GoldenGirl88]

I don’t think it will happen every time they play together. It may happen a few times when she gets out of line. She should learn pretty quickly to stop being a brat. He can teach her faster then you can, as long as he’s giving a big warning and she’s backing off. I didn’t mean to imply you weren’t watching, just that you need to make sure you are.

I have a puppy the same age. He’s an absolute handful, but I knew he would be. He’s high drive field bred. I can’t wait for him to get through this puppy stage. He’s getting better every day, but finds some new wonderful behavior I have to work on at least once a week. They teach us to be better trainers!!!!

Thank you! This makes me feel better - less alone! My older guy is just so kind and gentle. I just want her to be the same! Fingers crossed we all get through this soon!

 

[3goldens2keep]

As I have already stated, I never intervene when a young puppy is playing with an established adult Golden (not elderly). They have to work it out, if you intervene it just slows down and complicates this process. Also, the older the puppy gets the stronger and more aggressive he will get. Therefore, establishing dominance in the beginning is best.

But, to each his own! The dogs will work it out regardless of how much you separate them or intervene, it is in their DNA!

 

[goldy1]

They were playing this morning and she (the puppy) must have crossed a boundary and the older dog did something that made her yelp twice. Then she went and laid down and stopped the play. Is this a good thing?

The fact that she stopped and laid down would indicate she understood the message. This is a good thing.I agree with the advice you are already getting. Keep a watch and in time she will likely understand the boundaries. Doesn't mean she won't test them now and then. Its a process 😊

 

[Megora]

As I have already stated, I never intervene when a young puppy is playing with an established adult Golden (not elderly). They have to work it out, if you intervene it just slows down and complicates this process. Also, the older the puppy gets the stronger and more aggressive he will get. Therefore, establishing dominance in the beginning is best.

But, to each his own! The dogs will work it out regardless of how much you separate them or intervene, it is in their DNA!

I believe this depends on the dogs though. Very important to remind people to know their dogs and know what will happen before it happens.

Puppies can get hurt very easily. It just takes one quick snap and you are talking major damage to a pup's face or ears.

Personally speaking, I do not want my dogs correcting each other - not that they would, but in case we ever had a real situation where one dog was going in and stealing food or bones from the other. With stable dogs, posturing is all it takes for a subordinate dog to back off. But others, it could become a serious fight over something like that. Because dogs are dogs.