3 Doods!

[Nina Vantschip]

Just added a third dood. He's 9 weeks old, and my other guys are 3. Please any info on how to get them to all love each other???  They are doing well, but the 2 older ones are a bit put out. Do you let them figure it out? or?  

thanks

NV

[Lynda Kamrath]

At times I have had three dogs and the older dogs usually tolerate the youngster, but it takes a while to get attached to him. On the other hand, if you have just two dogs they seem to bond immediately. My question is about energy levels. My younger dog seems to terrorize the older dog (nipping his tail and back legs). I feel it is the old pack determinations, but it always happens with the young dog going after the older dog. My older dog was the same way when he was a pup. So is it normal for the younger dogs to try to determine their place in the dog pack by terrorizing the older dogs?

[Robin, dalai, and Parker]

My 7 mo old doodle bites at dalai's tail and legs too when she is playing fetch with us. It is quite annoying to her and us. I correct him for his annoying behavior and stop him (sometimes have to put him on a leash), and I also correct dalai when is is irritable with him.

[Adina P]

It's normal for adult dogs to be 'put off' by puppies. Puppies are spastic little hyper things and they can be kind of unsettling or annoying to older dogs. I certainly wouldn't worry.  Maybe keep the interaction to ONE big dog to one puppy at a time for a while so they don't gang up on him.  You get to decide how they behave so if they are being too hard on the pup you can put one away or put one in a down stay.  You can also let them sort it out among themselves.  But it's normal for the adult dogs to kind of set strict rules for pup and not take kindly to being bitten or nipped by a puppy or being jumped on.  Some dogs are really tolerant and often give pups 'puppy license' to misbehave for a short time (16 weeks) and then after that they will be tougher on them.

[Nina Vantschip]

Thank you so much for the info!!! They are normal then!!

 

 

[Nina Vantschip]

One week later....things are going much smoother.  Finn is settling in well..he is very sweet...most of the time. He knows how to get the other 2 going tho. It's interesting to watch their interactions with one another.  They all get to playing and I am careful to how rough they all get. I  think the bigger 2 don't realize how much bigger they really are.  Riley barks a lot at him when they are "playing" and romping around and then tries to make him submit (I'm guessing) by mouthing him. Am I right in assuming this? Finn doesn't really back down...he actually goes back for more!  I don't interfere unless it gets too rough. I hope i am doing the right thing??  I am relieved tho that they are all getting along for the most part.