Hi
I've just joined the forum  after many years of a gap as I could do with some "doggy" pals and a bit of advice from time to time! We have had dogs for the 15 years or so. Until 2 weeks ago we had a 12 1/2 year old yellow lab bitch called Casey, 9 year old bichon called Snowy and a 3 year old GSD Kyra. My beautiful sweet steady girl went over the rainbow bridge after a year of poor health and after a massive stroke.:(

We knew that Casey was not likely to make it much further and had chatted with many tears about what we would do. Maybe it sounds silly but I couldn't bear to think about it really so no decisions were finalised and when she went it was a shock. In an ideal world I would have waited to the spring to think about a pup/older dog but through a friend of a friend we were asked this week to help a family who had got into financial trouble after having bred their GSD bitch and had a litter they couldn't afford. They had  managed to get homes for all bar 2 boys so we agreed to take a wee boy, Loki. He is a 13 week old GSD dog. So far he has been a gold star pup pretty much.

Our issues have mostly been my 3 year old bitch. She has welcomed him reasonably happily but she has definitely been huffy with us. Every so often she will run out into the hallway or up the stairs and refuse to come back. If we go to her or call her in a happy encouraging tone she flattens and looks at us in this upset manner. We just have left her to come around in her own time but I hate her being so upset. She has also pooped in the house a few times which she wouldn't usually do. Is this just the settling in process do you think and does anyone have any tips about helping the process go more smoothly? She has also just discovered his willy and is obsessed with cleaning him whenever he settles down. Should I just let her carry on or should I stop her? He seems totally content to let her. LOL! never had a bitch and dog before.

Our only issue with pup,Loki, is that he is messing in his big crate if I have to pop out for a bit. I have been in almost the entire time but needs must every so often for half an hour/hour to get supplies etc. He sleeps in a smaller crate in our room at night where he is totally clean and dry
but he has a bigger crate down stairs for the day. My older ones go in the porch when i go out but I am not sure of leaving my 3 year old bitch unsupervised with him and I have always used a crate to save any mischief/accidents. Loki is not happy going into his crate yet and when I have come back the last twice he has messed his crate and eaten it. Any advice most welcome. Thanks!! G

Puppies can be a great shock to adult dogs, pups are full on wanting to rough and tumble and needing attention, so adult dogs often need to take themselves off and away for some peace and alone time. If Kyra wants away leave her be, pups can be very annoying.

You will find stages of them getting on well, her wanting alone time and then her chastising and teaching puppy manners, don't be scared when this stage comes along it is all noise and dog talk, she may scruff him or even bare her teeth and snarl, he may well yelp but she should never draw blood it is how dogs communicate and learn and she will dominate him eventually bitches usually do.

If she wants to clean him let them be, it is all part of the bonding process and you should leave them to it, of course if it becomes a habit and she is doing it too much just gently distract her and get her to do something else and she will forget to go back to what she was doing.

Expect your pup to chew anything in the crate, it is what pups do, most will rip their beds and toys to shreds, when left alone what else is a pup to do? They don't sleep for long and get bored so will do what entertains them, often that can include going to the toilet, as they play, exercise or get stressed in the crate and are awake it makes them go to the toilet on a night he sleeps so his body slows down hence why he does not soil on a night-time and you are able to get him outside before he needs to go.

A little trick you can do if only going out for an hour or so is completely cover the crate with a blanket, it makes it dark, he gets no stimuli and he will hopefully sleep, hence no soiling.  Also make sure when going out that he has had a good run around in the garden to stimulate him toileting and that the den is a nice place for him to go with treats, water and toys. :-)

Puppyhood is great fun, but hard work, just keep thinking, he will soon be 3yrs......... and the dogs no doubt will all be great friends. :-)

Thank you so much for that! Great advice all round!I do want the puppy phase to last for a bit. He is sooo adorable!