i have a 12 week old pup and a 10yr old yorkie.
the pup keeps pulling my yorkie by the hair and tail and i know that he wants to play but gypsy my yorkie can,t be bothered.
i try and distract him by throwing a ball or playing with his rope but the soon as i stop hes,s back to being rough with gypsy.
any suggestions?
              denise

Is the pup bigger than the Yorkie? If not I would let the Yorkie tell the pup when enough is enough. If the pup is bigger I'd give the Yorkie a bolt hole where the pup can't follow so yorkie can get some peace.

the pup is smaller at present but huby hates it but i think that if he hurts her she will maybe nip him and then he,ll get the message to leave her alone.
thanku cava

It is difficult for us to know what is not tolerable to a dog and what is, so if you are sure you old girl is in good health I would leave the pup to her, but do give her some where to retreat to should things become to much.

I've had the same trouble with my Doberman pup. What kind of breed is your pup? I have a Chihuahua and a Chi mix and an old Lab. The Doberman for a long time has been a real pest and I've had to teach him to be very careful and gentle around the little dogs. My trainer said that you cannot allow him to sidle up against them and nip and all the rest of it. He will get worse if you don't get after him. So, I resorted to a squirt bottle. He's 8 months old now and much, much better. But one slap of his paw the wrong way against their backs, and he could break their backs. One nip too hard and whamo. So, it's been a real challenge. He also bothers the Lab. She's big enough, but arthritic and crotchety. All she does is bark at him and threaten. She never bites him. (I wish she would, that would help teach him) He's such a brat sometimes. So, I sometimes intervene to protect her. He's now 75 LB and about 26 inches at the withers.

I use to read things like, let them work it out. Let them establish who's higher on the heirarchy etc... But there is no way a Chihuahua is going to be higher up than a Doberman Pinscher, no matter who was here first. LOL. So, I guess by interferring, I'm somewhat messing things up because I'm showing the Dobe that he mustn't dominate them. But yet, at the same time, I can't let them get hurt. So, it's a catch 22. (do you have that expression there?) Funny.

But I may have problems later when he grows up with him and my male Chi mix who's 15 LBs. (The purebred Chi female is 5LB) But the two boys are frequently challenging eachother. It's play, but it is kind of bully like play...egging one another on sort of. I was advised by some people not to have two males together, especially with a Doberman, and definitely not two male Dobermans together. But the breeder thought it would be ok with the two different breeds. We'll see. Sometimes I think they do like eachother because you always see them going off together sniffing around the woods around my property...like partners in crime. I always see them together. He is not so interested in hanging out with the female Chi. If he sniffs her, she bites him and hangs from his face. She's feisty. I have to watch the little dogs too, that they aren't too mean to poor Lyric, the Dobe. He just puts up with anything, so good natured. But that could change. The vet yesterday, when I stopped in was amazed, he said, at how Lyric is so patient with me taking off his tapes that were on his ears which I did while there. He holds so still and waits and waits till I get it off, no complaining. And I haven't had to be stern at all. I just say, "hold it. I'm almost done." Hee hee.

So, I guess, after all that rambling...you have a picture of this kind of situation. I think you do need to interveen and disallow any rough stuff from the pup...at least where it's bothering the heck out of your other dog. And too, give the other one a place to get away, like it was said. Good luck.

Gosh, sorry this is so long....I'm such a rambler. Is that because I live alone just with my dogs and they don't speak English, or is it that I'm flat out getting old....49. LOL.

Carrie

hi carrie,
i have a bichon friese pup of 12 weeks and then my wee yorkie.
we put gypsy up on the settee when it gets to much in our opion.
i to would wish gypsy would turn around and give it a little nip to let him know its annoying her.
i might try the squirt thing.
now it hasn,t been to bad today gysy has kept out of his way and i,m sure it will get better when i get my garden started then they can go out side without me worring they can get out.
                                  denise

Oh, I love Bishons. They're really pretty. And Yorkies are so cute and petite. Well, your Bishon will be bigger than the Yorkie, but at least not such a huge contrast as my Doberman and Chi's. My old Lab has always been so gentle with them. Of course...she's old. But this Doberbrat, oh my goodness. But I love him to death. What personality. He's like an overgrown Chihuahua. He's as goofy as they come, but smarter. LOL.

The Chi's are really characters. And they're not your stereotypical ankle biters. They're really friendly to strangers and very affectionate, lap sitters and Jose, the boy is chalk full of personality. He thinks he's bigger than he is and last year he ran a small black bear off my property. I was screaming at him to come to no avail. Luckily between his yapping and my screaming, the little bear was scared and ran. Jose got lucky. A big bear might have turned around and swatted him. Talk about a lousy recall! Prey drive in action. LOL.

Well, I don't think you'll have so much trouble as your pup grows. What will be the weight difference between the two dogs? You do want to keep the pestering to a minimum, but at least I don't think your pup will injure the Yorkie too much will it?????

Well, let us know how things go along.

carrie