Puppy Harassing Older Dog

[Pixar]

About a month and a half ago, we got a female CKCS puppy who is now about 14 weeks. She's a really good dog in most respects, she can be a little stubborn sometimes, but smart, going well with training, picks things up quickly and is quite sweet towards us. But she can be very disrespectful toward our older dog, a female chi x. She jumps on her back, nips relentlessly at her all over at times, chases her when she tries to get away, deliberately slowly puts in her face right in the chi x's - and, this wouldn't be a big deal if the chi x didn't mind it, but she hates it. She's very anxious in general (on antidepressants) and gets quite scared of the puppy who is now about the same size - because of this she growls and snarls and snaps at the puppy, but she literally has no teeth to bite her so the puppy just ignores her.

We're currently putting the puppy in the bathroom whenever she harasses the older dog but still it's impacting the older girl's quality of life, she eats more hesitantly now and seems afraid to go outside because it smells like the puppy. The puppy respects our male dog and our cat because they've both laid down the law, but the poor chi x can't do it, and we're not sure what else to do about it other than putting the puppy in timeout and making sure the older dog has time away from her.

[Zug Zug]

Yeah young dogs can be real buggers, especially with a weakened older dog.

If there is rough treatment, I would suggest keeping them separate when you are unable to supervise. Baby gates can be very helpful.

She may learn, or she may continue this style of relationship with your Chi x. Only time will tell.

[minimax]

What do you do when the younger one harasses the older one? Are you teaching her it's not appropriate behaviour?

[Pixar]

What do you do when the younger one harasses the older one? Are you teaching her it's not appropriate behaviour?

We say 'ah!' or 'no!' loudly or smack a rolled up paper against the couch to make a noise as a warning when we see the puppy start to go for her, then if she does it anyway (she usually does, she's doesn't take much notice of verbal corrections) we usually put her in the bathroom for a couple minutes in timeout. We also sometimes just take her to another room or redirect onto something else if her harassment wasn't severe because our vet has advised us not to use timeouts too much because she might get used to it and stop caring.

[minimax]

What do you do when the younger one harasses the older one? Are you teaching her it's not appropriate behaviour?

We say 'ah!' or 'no!' loudly or smack a rolled up paper against the couch to make a noise as a warning when we see the puppy start to go for her, then if she does it anyway (she usually does, she's doesn't take much notice of verbal corrections) we usually put her in the bathroom for a couple minutes in timeout. We also sometimes just take her to another room or redirect onto something else if her harassment wasn't severe because our vet has advised us not to use timeouts too much because she might get used to it and stop caring.

So you're punishing the older dog as well, making her more jumpy and distressed by creating loud sudden noises?

If verbal corrections aren't working, perhaps leashing the puppy when she's around the older dog so she can't physically get to the older one is a start, to teach her what is appropriate and what is not.

[persephone]

So you're punishing the older dog as well, making her more jumpy and distressed by creating loud sudden noises?

If verbal corrections aren't working, perhaps leashing the puppy when she's around the older dog so she can't physically get to the older one is a start, to teach her what is appropriate and what is not.

Unfortunately, it does seem as if the poor older dog will find this very stressful :(

All I can suggest is to keep the dogs somewhere where they can both be safe and alone when you are not around . remember the older dog was there first , and it should have first priority on where to sleep/cuddles/ restful space to be .

[BlackJaq]

I would also leash the puppy and correct her right away as soon as she ignores any verbal reprimand. I would always keep the puppy leashed around the older dog and not leave them alone ever.

Young dogs can and will kill older, weak dogs. Both your dogs my even gang up on the older one if she has no way to defend herself. Very old and sick dogs are often at risk from other dogs, even their own pack, even when all dogs are usually sociable and dog friendly or previously got along.

Edited October 8, 2013 by BlackJaq

[_PL_]

Protect your oldie but preserve her peace, routine and privileges around the home.

Crate train the puppy. Never leave them alone.

Use a leash and treats...anything to get her attention away from your oldie without loud noises. No freebie hugs and kisses without her doing something in return. At 14 weeks she going to go from uber cute to adolescent pest in no time which will only make things harder.

[julesluvscavs]

Miah used to really stir up our older ones, pull on their tails and ears, but we expected that from her being a puppy. I used to give the older ones some time out when she would get too rough and go on for too long. Our oldest one Renae had been a Mother twice so she was used to it, and would get rather authoritative with Miah if she went on too long. Miah would listen to her also. The other Cav (Hes now in doggy heaven) wouldn't be as patient and would snap (not bite) but Miah never took him seriously like she would with Renae (Once a Mother always a Mother lol) Maybe Joey had been starting to get sick then and thats why he was snappy at her from time to time, not always.

Apart from giving them all time out from each other in the form of a crate/puppy pens - inside and outside/baby gates, I would also distract Miah with other things encouraging her to play with her toys..

I have Renae on some natural anxiety powder as shes been of poor health of late and gets quite anxious at times now..

Miah is 11 months now and is starting to settle heaps around Renae, however she now goes after one of our indoor cats to play with instead. Luckily that particular cat is very very patient and not aggressive.

Edited October 7, 2013 by Jules❤3Cavs

[Rebanne]

Please do not yell and hit things - all that will do is upset the old girl. Keep the puppy away from her. Use baby gates, crates and leashes. Let the older dog toilet out in the front yard if safe. Do not expect them to be friends. Protect the old girl at all costs, she was there first and did not ask for a puppy to come into her home. All this and more I did with the last pup while my oldest dog was still alive. In fact I started protecting her from around 10 from the bigger dogs.

[Dogsfevr]

Your pup is being normal .

This is a scenario we often inform puppies owners with older dogs but many seem to think it wont happen.

You need to cater for to ages & an older dog that has lived a quiet pup free life

Buy a puppy pen so your pup can happily amuse it self not in a time out fashion but in a fashion it can be a pup & act its age .

You need to also cater for the older the dog & give it a safe area .

You can yell till the cows come home but pup needs to be educated & you need to give the pup the time & effort it wants & needs you need to become its playmate & also teach pup independence to play on its own as the scenario isn't going to change Chi will get older & the cavie pup simply thinks it has a playmate

[bamboo]

If the older dog would be happy to just sleep or chill for long periods close to the family, perhaps it could be protected by a playpen.

[Pixar]

Thanks for all the advice. We've started tethering the puppy to the coffee table or putting her in her playpen most of the time when she's around the older dog now so the chi x can get away if she needs to, and thus far it seems to be working. We also don't let the puppy outside at the same time as the older girl, and reward the puppy when she's calm and gentle towards the older dog.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

If the older dog would be happy to just sleep or chill for long periods close to the family, perhaps it could be protected by a playpen.

I have an old and frail dog here, he's about 13 and 3 kilos. I currently have a Chi x foster dog - she's about 9 but busy although she only weighs 4.5 kilos.

They are only out together when i'm here - she occasionally bumps him slightly in her excitement so he's in a groomer's pen when i'm out. He is probably ok but I don't want to risk it.

The groomer's pen was purchased on ebay - it has room for a trampoline bed, food/water and plenty of room to move around in - best of all it's completely secure. You can even close it in at the top.

It cost me $120 and was the best purchase I ever made.

I'll probably get flamed for this but I really don't understand why people think that getting a larger breed puppy is OK when they have a frail and tiny old dog - it's never going to work, it's always going to be problematic and I always recommend they wait until their old dog has gone.

Edited October 13, 2013 by dogmad