Our new boy has settled in really well and he is so gorgeous it feels like he has been here for ages but I just have a couple of concerns and hoped you could all help me out :-)

He constantly wants to play with my older boy (11 months) which just involves running around playbiting, I think that either my older boy doesn't mind it or he doesn't know how to tell him off??

He growls at my older boy if he goes near his food, he is happy for us to go near or tough his food but not my other boy??

I do put him in his crate at night as my poor older boy would get no rest and he is crated for sleeps and also when they are fed or he finishes his own off and then starts on everone elses?

Do you have any tips?

Hi,

He constantly wants to play with my older boy (11 months) which just involves running around playbiting, I think that either my older boy doesn't mind it or he doesn't know how to tell him off??

Your older boy is still very much a puppy himself so I would expect he's rather enjoying the puppy playing?  This is completely normal puppy behaviour and is how they learn bite inhibition, by playing with each other and learning the boundaries, personally if they are having fun and it's not getting too silly I would let them enjoy thenselves.  If your older boy is visibly unhappy with it then obviously interupt the pup and maybe give him 10 minutes seperated from the older pup to calm things down.

Also if you don't think your older pup is in the mood for playing then interupt before things get too far and re-direct the young pups interest onto something else, like a toy or plying with you.

If you are already working on cues such recall, leave it, etc, then when these become more established they will be useful in this situation.  I would be doing some work on these things several times a day as doing brain work will knacker the little fellow out and then there will be less energy for eating big bro.

I think it's important to do as you are doing and give them some seperate time, so that they can both have rest and time on their own as well as time together.

I would add he is perfectly entitled to tell another dog off if it comes to his food, and you should always make sure that going to each others bowls is never allowed, this way none of them will be anxious about their food being taken, which avoids them ever needing to generalise the behaviour to you.

Once everyone has finished their meals then if you want them to lick the bowls that is fair enough, but I personally pick bowls up once they finish and stand guard until they are reliable about not going near each others food.

Thanks for the replies. I think that we are used to our older boy and when it comes to food etc he is happy to share (with the cats aswell lol) and he is also happy to share his bed, in fact when our little one first arrived he let him have the bed and slept on the floor bless him. I wasn't sure whether if i intervened when I saw he was fed up of being pestered I would cause problems but I will give the new one time out when I can see he is getting too much. They are seperate when being fed as the new arrival has his food in his crate and our boy has never tried to eat it just if he goes near him so as long as I know this is ok I won't worry. I always pick their bowls up as we made the mistake of leaving them down when our eldest was younger and this is one of the things that made him fussy!

I have 3 dogs , they are all fed seperately pup 18m in her crate in the kitchen with one of the girls and the oldest fed in the hall , when the food is being prepared they all sit and wait in there respective area pup jumps in her crate!!

As for playing pup needs to rest ... but will go on playing if you let him I give time out in the crate in a quiet area where they can rest then older pup can have some quiet time with you.Play fighting biting each others legs etc is normal behaviour but stop it if it becomes too boisterous make it acceptable behaviour for you.

yes both my dog and bitch growls if the other goes near there toys but as long as they dont do it to you, i have never found a problem with this. my dog was about 14 months when we got out puppy so very similar and i found they loved play fighting, however if it did get to much we did stop them. im convinced if your boy did not want to play with the pup he would let her no.

I can't hear myself think as I type this.....my 10week pups and my 7 month pup are making a racket. It's just puppy fun. Walk past any primary school at playtime and listen to them.... kids need to let off steam.