Dear Miss Behavin’: We recently adopted a puppy named Hanky. We adore him but our older dog, Moe, hasn’t been his usual self. How can we help ensure a lifelong friendship between the two?
Adding a new puppy to the household brings lots of change for everyone. One way to keep the transition smooth for Moe is to keep his routine as consistent as possible. Feed and walk him at his usual times, and make sure he still gets one-on-one time with you.
Puppies are known for their seemingly endless energy, which may or may not be matched by your older dog. Giving Hanky lots of opportunities to burn it off will help make sure he doesn’t pester Moe for play. PHS & SPCA offers Puppy Playgroups each Sunday and Tuesday, where your 2-6 month old pup can romp around with other puppies under a trainer’s supervision. This is a perfect place for Hanky to learn some social skills and tire himself out!
When Moe and Hanky do play, be sure to supervise them to make sure everybody is playing fair. Between Moe’s size and strength and Hanky’s sharp teeth and developing social skills, there is always a chance that one of them will get fed up with the other. Giving them breaks during play will help keep them from getting too worked up. If Moe doesn’t like playing with Hanky at all, take them for walks together to help them bond instead.
Lastly, if you aren’t around to supervise the pups, keep them separate to avoid any potential scuffles. Setting them up for success early on will increase the likelihood of them having a good relationship down the line.