Hello I wonder if anyone can tell me if they have any suggestions re my pup. I have a 1 yr old, usually very happy, boisterous and dominant lab. We have just got a second lab, 9 weeks of age and our 1 yr old seems to be sad, depressed even. He gives up any of his toys if the pup tries to take them even his Kong which had a biscuit in it - he seems really fed-up. He has always been aloof but he has lost his sparkle since the pups arrival. The pup on the other hand is so lively its not true - the 1 yr old puts up with everything - the only time he has shown he's annoyed is when the pup climbs over him and he gives a small growl. They live together in a kennel - the 1 yr old has been in the kennel for 8 months or so and I wanted to get another pup for when we're out to keep him company. We take him out twice a day as always and I give him a biscuit when the pup gets his extra meals. We have them in the house after their tea in the eve. I know it's more than likely that he feels put out by this new pup - he looks at me as if to say 'don't leave me with this puppy anymore please' - but if anyone has had similar problems it would be good to know how you overcame them - at th emoment I am just giving him more cuddles and reasurring verbally. Today I had him in the house with me to chear him up a bit as I know he loves being in the house - this isn't what I usually do as he is a dominant dog and we have been advised against it for a while until he knows that we are the boss/alpha.
Many thanks
Caroline

Oh my goodness - whoever told you to keep the dog out of the house and that he is dominant? There are very few genuinely dominant dogs and most labelled that are just being over excited, badly behaved etc - but they are not "dominant" believe me ;)

I suspect the older dog is totally fed up of the pup who no doubt is always "at" him - I would give him some space and do as you are doing, play with him and train him and treat him as more important than the pup; also allow him to tell the pup off as it sounds as if he is generally a tolerant fellow :)

Are you in the UK? Out of interest who has told you to keep the dog out of the house and what reasons did they give?  not meaning to get at you, but just very curious!!

Best wishes
Lindsay
X

I must say, the practise, and it seems to appear on here quite often, of buying a dog to keep another dog company is not a good reason for buying a dog! You buy a dog because you want one, not because you think your dog wants one.

John

Hello John, of course wanting any puppy is the primary reason for getting one - I'm sorry to have omitted that or misled you. I have wanted a Lab for many years and being so pleased with him I decided to get a second which would also be great company for my first.
Caroline

Hi John,

Well, I bought another dog to keep another dog company.  The first dog absolutely adores other dogs and I felt I was being unfair to her to deny her canine companionship.  In fact, I've never had a dog who was so drawn to her own species.  I thought for more than a year about it and eventually I did buy a second dog.  

I don't think it's right to buy a second dog because the first dog is ignored or alone for long periods of time, if that's what you mean.   In that case, it was probably not the right choice to get a dog in the first place, never mind acquire a second.

Stacey

I have kept two dogs for years right up to just recently when circumstances have made it impossible to bring another puppy into the household. I agree that two dogs together do enjoy each other's company. But, and its a big but, I get another dog because I want another dog. You Stacey, just like me, must have seen posts on here, "My dog is left from 7 in the morning to 8 at night. Should I get another dog to keep it company?" The answer to that is a resounding "NO". An absent owner cannot housetrain the puppy, cannot socialise the puppy or even exercise it, in fact is not even there long enough to see it getting sick! Sooner or later the chances are that the poor dog develops problems due to isolation and the owner then either has it PTS or rehomes it. Paraphrasing an old saying, "A dog is for life not just for the odd few minutes in the evening!"

Regards, John

Tha Alpha does NOT banish an underlying in the way you are doing.  The lesser ranking dogs may be more on the perifery of the pack, but if they were constantly pushed to the outside, without the protection of the rest of the pack, they would feel very vulnerable :(

I think your understanding of your dogs feelings towards the pup are probably spot on - he really doesn't enjoy being with the pup (they are VERY hard work, and even their canine mums will get fed up with them, only they have the maturity to tell the pups so using the right methods)

I don't think verbal reassurance and cuddles are the way to go - this is simply rewarding the withdrawn behaviour and encouraging it.  Can you try and be more 'up beat' and concentrate on having quality one 2 one time with your adolescent dog ?

If he was a very dominant dog i would've thought he would've shown pup who's boss by now.

Male dogs usually don't know how to cope with puppies they have no paternal instincts, their involvement with puppies usually begins & ends with the mating(this of course is not true in the wild, but we are talking of domesticated dogs)

My males can take up to 6 months before they start to play with puppies, whereas my bitch wants in on the action from the moment the new puppy arrives. My older males have more experience of puppies & as they know what to expect they tend to just keep out of the way, until the new puppy has been "put in it's place"(in a very gentle way)by my bitch. She allows a lot more physical"abuse"(chewing ears, feet, licking mouth etc)than the males will accept at first. When she wants the play or behaviour to end she gentle & quite vocally tells the puppy off. It is very unusual for a bitch to dislike puppies, my bitch is spayed & has never had puppies, but from day one of her being here(as an 8 month old rescue)she has loved the little dogs(which I presume because of their size she thinks of them as puppies)

Make sure your older boy can get away from his new companion & supervise play. If they are left alone I would make sure that they are separate, until you are happy that they have a good relationship.

My two late BC's were scared to death of puppies & did everything they could to avoid them until they were around 6 months old(but they bonded with each other from the first day they were together possibly because my older BC was very laid back)

Your older dog is simply showing that he is uncertain what to do