Introducing new, older puppy to existing

[aegan05]

I’m hoping for some much needed advice.

 

i have an 11 year old desexed female Cocker Spaniel and a 7 year old male Cavalier that are a completely bonded pair. I have also just got a 9 month old female Newfoundland puppy that I have waited years to get. I am having some trouble introducing them as the two females are getting into quite a few squabbles. At first the Newf would just watch the Cocker carry on, but now she’s starting to growl a bit and the problem feels like it’s escalating. The male Cavalier is generally uninvolved in all of it. At first I put it down to the old dog being scared of the Newf’s size and bounciness, but now i’m Beginning to wonder if I have two dominant girls on my hands. The breeder did mention a similar issue with a girl of the same age and my puppy at her house before she came to me, and my Cocker has always had a strong personality..

 

The fights generally appear to start over jealousy, and this afternoon there was a bad minute when the Cocker accidentally got cornered behind a garbage bin.

 

i obviously don’t leave them alone unsupervised, and keep them separated much of the time, but I am really hoping to help them find a way to coexist peacefully. 

 

any suggestions?

[RuralPug]

Oh the joy of two females vying for boss female. In the old days we would say that two alpha females cannot live together but now with positive reinforcement you can train them to be respectful of each other, although it does take time and commitment.

 Your newfy pup is just at the age where she is starting to assert herself and because of the size and weight difference your older girl is not as able to put the pup in her place as she would like. 

You can work with a competent behaviourist to train them to tolerate each other at your order, but meanwhile I would keep them separated and only them them interact when both are firmly leashed apart so that one cannot leap upon the other. 

[Dogsfevr]

I would have alarm bells that the breeder had an issue before you got here .

Personally I would never trust 2 girls that hate each other and no amount of training will help .

This sounds like a management plan long term 

[SarahConarh]

I agree with the opinion that 2 girls that hate each other will make your problems. No amount of training will help.
I would better separate them. Indeed to care a dog and train the dog is a difficult work, I was always interested in how to behave properly with an animal and educate him. Here are some useful articles according to different situations and right attitude with your pet https://inspiredogs.com/how-to-know-if-your-dog-has-bonded-with-you-and-trusts-you/. Indeed, if he suffers from different feelings, he must be heard and to help him is the direct responsibility of the owner.

Edited October 28, 2020 by SarahConarh