Dog not happy about new puppy

[Heather Chambliss]

It's been almost a week since we brought our new goldendoodle pup home, and our cockapoo Lucy is not at all happy about it.  Puppy wants to play, and as much as she tries to engage Lucy, Lucy just wants to ignore her and be left alone.  To Lucy's credit, she tries to just avoid the puppy until the pouncing gets to be too much and then she growls and air snaps.  She hasn't actually bitten the pup, but there is potential.

Lucy has been an only dog for 4 years... will she ever be friends with her furry sister?

[Jolene, Sassparilla & Josie]

We brought home Josie about a month prior to our puppy Sassparilla.  There is only about 3 months in age difference between the two of them so Josie was just over 4 mths and I was shocked at how mean and awnry Josie was to Sassy?  If I recall it was several weeks of down right bullying going on but we let them work out their differences (we only intervened when it was blattenly obvious Josie was being a pill with a quick short verbal command).  Today you would NEVER know these two had issues, they are pretty much stitched together at the hip.  I totally agree with Karen, Lucy ranks first even though puppies are adorable.  Too many times the senior dogs gets pushed to the side while the new pup gets all the attention.  Time and patience and all will work out.  

[Heather Chambliss]

Update:  Oh my word!  I have 2 dogs chasing each other around my desk right now!  What a difference a week makes! :)  Lucy still doesn't want Gracie to invade her sleeping spots or mess with her food, but their games of chase extend around the house, out the doggie door, around the yard and back again!

[David Sands]

We had a 5 year old Morkie when we brought our Doodle home last spring. 4 days of hell.. a few weeks of ignoring the puppy and by a month in they were sleeping together in the puppies crate and playing. Out Morkie is 9 pounds, and the "Alpha Dog" in the home- She can (and did so this morning) put Flynn the 64 Lb Doodle (9 months old) on his back and barked in his face- play go too rough and all was fine again after that.

it'll be fine, just supervise them.

http://www.pbase.com/dt_sands/image/160806739/large.jpg