Puppy Question

[backwoodsnanny]

We have a new puppy and we are having a hard time getting our other dogs to accept her. Both are cocker spaniels. My male who is six is doing pretty well and only growls or snips at her if she invades his person ie: trying to jump on him . He is neutered. The female who is three is vicious with her. She acts like she wants to rip the baby's head off. Baby is a Shihtzu/Maltese cross and is very small. Even with her in her crate the female will go and growl at her in the crate. Any suggestions for ways to socialize them would be helpful. We are trying to make sure Nellie knows that there is love enough to go around but she still doesnt like our new baby.

 

[capall beag]

Take them for walks together!

I have 4 female dogs and 2 males but the females can be territorial

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Whenever I introduce a new dog, that I may be dogsitting, or an addition. I walk them together, i think this gives them room to check eachother out and it is neutral territory.. may be difficult if she is tiny!

Good Luck!

 

[mininik]

I like to introduce new dogs in a fenced yard with the new dog trailing a leash "just in case." If you have more than one leash going at once the dogs can get tangled and then the real fun starts if someone picks a fight. Everyone needs to get equal attention. If it's a new puppy I'll allow growling and posturing from older dogs but absolutely NO biting. If biting happens, I'll "bite back" because I'm the pack leader and make the decisions on what can and what won't happen.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I would not have the lead on the new dog, I would have it on the aggressive one. Take the bedding from under the pup and put it in the aggressive females bed. And vice versa.

Now...this is gross, get some of the females pee and rub it along the pups head and down her back- you need very little this is NOT a bath!!! Just enough to dampen a tissue. Rub the cloth all over the top of the pups head and along her top line. THEN the same with the bitch- with pups urine.

I know, GROSS, but as I said you need very little and what you are doing is jumbling up all the smells. When Big Bitch sniffs puppy she will now get her smell- in pups bed or out of crate, pup will smell of her. When Big Bitch smells herself she will smell Pups smell.

This should sort it out fairly quickly.

If and when you introduce them, with Big Bitch on the lead, try hard not to actually admonish Big Bitch beyond a sharp, "no"- she has no real way of knowing that she could harm this tiny scrap- she is just defending herself from invasion, in her eyes you do not need this pup!!

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[ChrystalPaths]

Congratulations Nita! No more long lazy sleep filled nites. Piddles on the floor, what IS that smell! Where are this pics!! Does the new babyhave name yet?

OK.....Jane is right on about this. As with horses now with dogs....you are the alpha female. With 3 dogs you have a "pack" now. With 2 ladies you have potential for 2 things...trouble or paradise.

Lay a hand towel/washcloth in the baby crate (an extra one), same for the older lady, you can even include the fella. Names would be helpful here!

: As Each day dawns remove the hand towel from each crate (labeled is better). Rub baby with big girls, big girl with baby and the fella with baby and the baby with a bit of fella. Now you have totally messed up their nose thing BUT as they see you do this and get aquainted with the smells and fuss they will sigh and give in. The tissure with baby pee is a fabulous idea also. Yup very gross but does get the point across. Don't put pee on the towels or in each others bed space or you'll have a pee war.

The bitch (and I mean this nicely as she is a female

_is top dog and the babe needs to know this. Snarling and growling is normal. Biting and chewing new baby is not! YOU must let her know is NOT. If she covers this wee one in aggression chewing furiously this is your turn to do same. Bend down and growl at her. Big growl, be a mean bitch dog. Say a simple harsh NO. then back off.

I'll bet a couple days worth of just getting to know one another will fix it mostly. Be sure the babe has a separate food AND water dish for now. She is the interloper and the others will not tolerate sharing yet. Cockers are big thinkers. If all else fails have Bonnie chat with the big bitch and explain that Nita has boundless love. (something I know very well)

Now pics would be lovely and congratulations on the new baby. 3 is a chore! But you love a challenge eh

Oh yes, I know you do treats, be sure to give them in proper pecking order so the bitch also sees she is most important and first. Good Luck Nita!

 

[Ashley]

I have been told that Cockers are one dog that does not like dogs of other breeds(unless the cocker is a pup going in with other new dogs that are not cockers)

I have a cocker as well. She was good when I got Jack(who is a Jack russel) she is more whinny now, but she knows that Jack rules the roost when it comes to the two of them.

I have a feeling it isnt gonna work out in your situation, however good luck and I hope it does.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Well, Ashley, I will disagree.

Seeing as Anita has raised "2" cockers successfully I see no reason why a 3rd wouldn't fit in. Might take a bit more time but Anita is special and has the empathic ability to help all three fur kids deal.

 

[Ashley]

Its not hard to raise more then one cocker when its just cockers, but adding a 3rd dog who is not a cocker may not work. If it was another cocker probably not a problem.

 

[backwoodsnanny]

Thanks all for the info. I have encountered this before but usually the posturing is just that. This time poor Nellie the big girl is more than just telling the baby she is trying to take her head off. As for cockers if I managed Buster our neutered male settling for Nellie the 3yr old this should be a piece of cake but Mitzy the new baby is so much smaller than the cockers it is alarming. I do have a problem about the pee thing though as both big dogs are fully housebroken so will have to follow them around outside and try to catch it. The baby is doing wonderfully with her papers so hers is a bit easier to find. I do thank you all and after this weekend I will try to get some pics of the new baby.

 

[Candleliteranch]

Can't wait for pics! I've raised 2 litters of Maltese/Shih-Tzus and have a waiting list for the next litter. Terrific mix of two breeds.

This is one of our litter now named Maddie

YIKES! sorry I didn't realize it was so big! thought I resized it....