We have just rehomed a 12week old lab puppy. Previous owners had her for 4 weeks and couldnt cope with her and their daughter. Apparently the little girl (6) would become hysterical when around the dog hence making the dog more excitable. Since we have had her when she is with us she is a dream. Obedient, quiet, loving and playful and a normal puppy. We have 2 other labs which live with my mother however, all females one a year old next month and the other 6months. When my wee one is with them she becomes very aggressive, growling, snarling and nipping the other two when playing. We have had numerous labs since i was a child and never had this before. We have also always had 3 at a time. The other two play fight constantly but you can see they are being very gentle with each other when mouthing. Our wee 6month old one also does wee growly noises but you can tell they are playful noises, but not with this one. It sounds really vicious and she does really hurt the other two who are the most gentle playful dogs ever.  Is it possible the behaviour of the daughter has 'broken her temper' slightly. Want it stopped asap as she is going to be a big dog and do not want to risk it getting out of control.

>Is it possible the behaviour of the daughter has 'broken her temper' slightly.

   

A 12 week old Lab puppy does not have a temper!!!!

This is perfectly normal puppy behaviour.  Your older dogs will normally give "puppy licence" until they feel she has been allowed enough.  Then they will put her in her place. 

Pease remember - she is still a baby!

All normal - just the bitey, noisy, baby shark stage - and it will pass.  I genuinely think that we are conditioned to 'forget' how horrible puppies can be.  Don't get me wrong I love my dogs, but I'm always a bit relieved when the adult emerges from the tiny terrorist stage.

5 months...

Keep breathing!  Yes,  at five months you start to see glimpses of the grown up dog that you'll end up with :)

In the meantime work on giving all your dogs some space.  My middle dog wouldn't interact with my youngest pup til the pup was 12 weeks old, and he'd been living with him for 4 weeks!  Give them breathing room with baby gates and give each some time on their own with you. 

However - I have to say that I think you've given yourself a very difficult job - and its something I wouldn't do.  Your three bitches have almost no age gap between them which is likely to cause you some issues as they approach maturity.  1 year, 6 months, and now 12 weeks means that for a while you'll actually have 3 girls that may operate much more like siblings as the older ones regress.  I like 3 years between dogs as it means the older ones are well trained and emotionally secure enough to cope with the upheaval that comes with a puppy...

> I genuinely think that we are conditioned to 'forget' how horrible puppies can be.

Really smiled at that comment.  :-)

When I got my 2nd Bearded Collie (2 years after the first), the adult bitch lived behind the settee for 2 weeks in protest. 

I mentioned to my vet that Cassie was nowhere near as quiet and gentle as my first pup.  He just cracked up laughing.  He reckoned I had a very short memory!  :-)

When we have her on our own i would agree with you but when she is with the other two it is fierce. She snarls, growls, snaps, bites and hackles are straight up. We have trained labs for gun dogs for years and never seen a pup react like this. For the 4 weeks she has been with the last family she has been restrained constantly or been in her cage to try to control her. Now she is with us she has total freedom and people playing with her and making a fuss over her when she is good etc. Initially we put it down to her having to protect herself from a 6year old having hysterics around her (apparently the little girl would lash out at the pup if she went near her) but i am worried about the lasting impact when i see how vicious she can be around our other two yet is the exact opposite when on her own. Our oldest lab at he moment is a big choc one and one paw from her flattens the other when she has had enough but even she is struggling to stop the wee one when she has went to far.  She is such an affectionate wee thing, loves the attention she is getting and is picking up things really quickly but this aggressive part is worrying.

> I genuinely think that we are conditioned to 'forget' how horrible puppies can be.
> Really smiled at that comment.  :-)

Our eldest was particularly gentle with the new pup, took a lot for him to say enough. The mouth jousting was dreadful, for some months I was regularly asked if they had acne.

They all actually belong to different members of the family, oldest is my brothers but he is working away from home at the moment and my mum looks after his dog when he is away, the 6months is my sons and he lives with his girlfriend but his pup comes to us while he is at work until she is a bit older and wont destroy the house. New one is ours but they all come together on a daily basis at the moment.

Tiny terrorist is exactly what she is around the other two. Total monster.

Well she's certainly not had the best start then has she - although thank goodness the family saw sense and rehomed her.  I'd be inclined to just use baby gates for a while and give them all some room - limit the amount of time that the older dogs are expected to interact with her and wait and see what happens.  She's an immature undeveloped pup (four weeks behind) but in a 12 week old skin who's probably learnt to shout to get attention.

I'm sure that with your care, and knowledge, she'll soon settle into the type of dog you recognise.  She's undoubtedly picked up some undesirable habits given that she was caged and restrained for so much of the time but I'd doubt whether it's done too much damage as such.  She does sound quite normal to me :)  Once the other dogs are a bit more confident around her I'm sure they won't allow her too many liberties.  Good luck and keep us posted

Thanks for all the replies, she is such an adorable wee thing we just want her to be the best she can. We have had stubborn pups and ones that have taken a bit longer to get there but never this. Might be just worrying a bit much. Fingers crossed all will be well. Contentedly munching on a bit of paddy wak just now. The pup not me!!!!!.