Hi all,
        Just thought i'd ask your advice, we will be getting a puppy in 7 weeks and we want our other 7yr old dog to get on with her. She has lived with 2 other dogs before but never a puppy. We also once after our friends eight month old Italian Spinone for the day she hated it and took herself off to bed!!! :)
Anyway we thought when the puppys old enough, cause we know the breeder so well that they would take the puppy to a place where no dogs have been and we would bring our wheaten and let them meet each other on neutral ground. Has anyone got any advice on how to achieve a happy meeting between the two?

sarah xxxx

Be very patient and take it slowly.Our male akita is now nearly 8 and has had 4 puppies brought in to the household.Keep your old one on a leash if you think it will lunge for puppy,rem. pups teeth are very sharp and this may be too much for him to bear.Chieftain liked the pups better when they had lost their baby teeth and was more than willing to play and teach them then,good luck,sandra.

Have found senior males can be.....well....... frightened by pups............well they wont admit it but it is true. So give the adult a way of excape and allow grandpa to come to terms with the newcomer. Usualy takes about 10 to 14 days.

Jackie is right about these big macho males - show them a puppy & they can't cope!! Actually, our Akita adores puppies, but most Buhund males and some older bitches truly don't understand 'em, don't like 'em & can't be bothered with 'em! Puppies soon learn to respect them & they rub along OK until one day, the older dog suddenly realises that the grotty pup-nuisance-thing has turned into an interesting (especially if female!) little dog! I wouldn't put the older one on a lead, I usually cage the pup until I can gauge reactions & the older one can get used to the new smell. Always make sure the older dog can get away from the pup when she's had enough & they'll be OK, although it can take a while.

My friend's Buhund male loves puppies, he's a bit iffy with other males but puppies he just adores. Everyone laughts at the situation. Even when he comes to dog training and he sees a puppy he gets all excited  and wants to play!!!

Puppies baby teeth are razor sharp, our pup used to lunge at our male and gave him a few scrapes. I usually put put a lead on the pup and let the adult have a means of escape, rather than other way around. When you introduce another dog to the household pack they have to carve out where they fit in the pack - and the oldies usually let them know soon enough. I would also ensure that the older ones get some attention.

Thanks for all your replys. We have bought another puppy into the house three years ago and we also had another dog but unfortunatly they both died last year so Rosie has had a year all by herself. But im sure that she will get along with the puppy. All we want is that Rosie is still happy and she will enjoy having a friend to play with and not feel that the puppys more inportant than her. Anyway thanks for your help.

luv sarah xxxxx

I'd also be really strict with visitors, and give them instructions to fuss your older dog first. This seems to be working for us so far, though it's very early days, (and it definitely stopped my first daughter getting jealous when my second one arrived ;)!)

It should be ok, unless you know for a FACT that she hates puppies....

My three dogs, well Dill loves pups. Abby is a mardy old moobag (as befits her advancing years) but although she gets out of the way, and reprimands sharply for any unwanted attention, she is ok, and Rocky is n ot the biggest fan of small bouncing puppies, but again,  he tolerates and will reprimand if needed.

Make sure the older dog can get out of the way if she wants to. Dont shout at her for telling the pup off if she needs to (its VERY unlikely that she would hurt the pup), and like someone else said, make sure she gets fussed first. That said, do NOT let her start shoving the pup out of the way for fussing.

Dont let the pup annoy her endlessly, and all should be well.

Em

Hi

I have a 22 month old bitch and a 10 week old puppy. Sal adore the pup and plays endlessly with her but she will tell her off and I/we do stop the pup from annoying her (but Sal goes back for more herself :) )
Sal has somewhere to escape to and so does the pup. But they play very well together Sal even fetching her prized "ragger/tuggers" for the pup to hold on to then paitently shaking a little so the pups gets loads of fun from that. Sal has her "own time" with us evenings especially she is allowed in the lounge the pups not and everyone strokes/fusses Sal first. The pup is made to wait.
I will be excercising them both seperately always for the first 6 months or so at least and then always a seperate walk so the pup learns her "manners" well before being brought into the "gang" plus Sal needs much more excercise than the pup will for the first 6 months or so.
Be relaxed and your dogs will be too. GOOD LUCK

Karen

Thanks for you replys i found them interesting and i will certainly but them into practice when we get our pup. I dont think that Rosie did HATE the puppy, i just think that one, he was 8 months old and bigger than her and Two, he lived with 8 other dogs so he was quite boisterous. I hope all goes well and the pup and Rosie have a good relationship with each other :)

sarah xxxx