Help needed with 2nd puppy - it's a free-for-all!

[Melissa]

Hello, I'm hoping for some practical advice!  I have an under-2 medium goldendoodle who loves to play.  She's calm as can be with the humans but now we have a new 11-week-old standard labradoodle.  And chaos is the new normal in my home.

I have to admit I'm struggling.  We are crating the puppy whenever we can't have eyes on her etc.  But anytime she's not crated it's like two whirling dervishes have been unleashed in my home!

My GD goes all alligator mouth and the LD puppy is running with her and biting her.  Don't get me wrong; they love it.  Me, not so much.  My older girl is very well trained but suddenly has gone deaf to our voices!  The pup doesn't hardly know her name yet...  They are sooo into each other it's like no one else exists!   The noise of their play growling and yiping is loud too!  As I used to tell my kids: we're a quiet family! :)

Other than crating, I'm keeping a leash on the LD puppy to guide her outside, etc.  The GD will have time-outs in the bedroom occasionally so we can have a quiet calm moment, but cries until she can rejoin the new puppy.  It's been 2 weeks and the craziness that I thought would be temporary has not let up yet.  At All.

I did board my older girl for 3 days over New Year's and it was calm here!  The little LD can settle quickly without my big teenager GD around stirring the pot.  I am having to take them outside to potty separately as they can't focus on the task at hand when the other is out too.

I am trying to tire each one out separately too.  It's been a little hard because we've had unbelievable rain and flooding for 2-3 weeks.  The yard is just now starting to be walk-able without knee-high rubber boots.

Tell me they will calm down together?  Has anyone had this kind of dynamic?  It was temporary, right? :)

[Sally M]

Well, I wish I could tell you this problem might abate soon but I'm not sure it will. We have 3 dogs. Two of them are older stray rescues (beagle/basset & lab mix). Our house can be quite chaotic at times. Penny, our Doodle, is 5 months old. She's calmer than other dogs I've ever had in the past. However when Penny and Lexi (the lab mix) play, it's just crazy. Our Lexi is almost 10 years old, but every-bit-the-puppy-at-heart, still! And our sweet little Penny has discovered that when she "torments" Suzy (beagle/basset), she gets the type of reaction that keeps her coming back to "torment" more. There are times, when I have to said to the DH, "What have we done?". Now the good news...the more they play, the more they tire out and thusly, the more they nap...eventually. My only quiet time! Penny now has regular playdates with her brother, Jeter. And this is what I'm basing my reply on mostly. OMG! They never stop. They roughouse so much, my friend and I get tired just trying to watch them. They bark, they play-growl, they wrestle, they run, they play-fight, they delight in tug-of-wars, they knock things over (including us if we get in the way--heck they don't care if they plow into us), and so forth. I know exactly what "alligator mouth" means. I'm so exhausted after a playdate, I need a day to recover; maybe two. We got all that Midwest heavy rain. We weren't in harm's way but I don't think our yard will dry out until...say July? I have become familiar with mud more than I ever cared to. IMHO, you may have a while before the craziness will let up. I wish I had better "news" to report, but I'm not going to sugar-coat it. But you know what? In the end, I wouldn't want it any other way, truthfully! We love our girls and they bring us such joy, love, and happiness. In conclusion, all I can say is I know what you're going through. Good luck!

[Marilyn and Sherlock]

I have an 18 mo Aussiedoodle Sherlock that missed my son's lab that he had spent 9 mo of his life with before I moved into my own place... so I got a puppy mill rescue...14 mo .Aussiedoodle, Watson... I took Sherlock with me to get him to be sure they would do well together.... oh brother, from the minute they met, the race was on.... they play so hard... both are standards but small standards... step back or you will get mowed down.... and it amazes me how normal Watson is with other dogs, but still so scared with people, including me.... but we are working on it and I am so thankful I have a privacy fenced yard in back because they must run miles each day chasing each other....good luck.... it has to get better... I have had Watson about 6 wks now.... and he is warming up to me a little.... trust takes time to build even with a dog...especially with a puppy mill rescue.

[Rhoni Ann]

Your house sounds just like mine. LOL. We have 3 dogs, now. 3 yr old male GD, Cash. A stray I recused from the cattle field some a-hole dumped, male lab, Shed , he has become my husband's shop buddy, we can only guess his age as almost a year, he stays outside. Then my boys got me for Christmas a female GD, 3 months old, Carter. Cash and Carter together are more then one person can handle, the noise level is unrateable. The hubs has been off for the holidays, he walks in the other day and I could tell he was talking to me but I found that during the dogs play time it's best if I just plug-in my iPod with headphones. The hubs just laughted and shook his head as he went back to the shop. We tried all 3 together, that lasted all of 3 minutes, as Cash and Shed play rough and Carter thinks she is as big as they are. I let them out together twice a day, in the mornings when Cash wants out and right back in, Carter takes her time doing her business, so is back in before she is ready. In the afternoon she just chases him around. We have a two acre yard so they run until they drop and then both sleep until dinner time. We will be putting up a fence as soon as weather permits. Carter hasn't learn to stay out of the field, I have a crazy mare that chases the dogs, so a fence will be a blessing in more ways then one. Good luck!!

[Sue S]

Wow, sounds like my house. I have a 4 yr old & 16 month old mini goldendoodle girls. I am no expert, but I think separating them causes jealousy issues, which will in-turn cause more fighting between them.  I tied my pup to a long long piece of rope, while in the house, it dragged behind here wherever she went, and it was easy to grab her when play got too spirited or rough. (she was never tied to it when I wasn't present)

I feel your pain on just wanting some quiet time, but I really think the separation is causing or will just cause more problems.  I did separate mine in the beginning, they older one always took a vacation at grandma's house for a day or two, or three. When they got back together, it was worse. Now they only go to grandma's together, things seem to be getting a bit better. 

Mine fight, wrestle, get very vicious with each other only in my and my mom (grandma's) presence.  There are major jealousy issues there.  We are having a behaviorist come in and do some work with us this weekend as it has gotten to a point where our puppy is charging her older sister, causing her stress and to throw up all her meals.  They play, and play hard - all the time.  I really think that a large key to this is ensuring they have enough exercise.  

I know we don't exercise ours enough, one walk per day (30-45 mins) and one or two outdoor play sessions, depends on how cold it is about 30-45 mins long as well - this is chasing each other around our ample yard and chasing balls.  The more exercise they get, the less craziness ensues later in the house.  

I really thought my 4 yr old would want to play more with her sister, she's always been a very playful dog.  The puppy came along and she's turned into a lazy little old lady.  It has been 13 months and that has yet to change. 

Everyone tells me when the puppy turns two, magic happens and they calm down. This is when they will love each other not try to rip each other's face off lol.  Good Luck to you!!

 

[Melissa]

Ugh not what I was hoping to hear! Sounds like more exercise and fencing the backyard is the answer. Or time. Lots of time. My older girl is the instigator but also the one who gets stressed out/doesn't want to eat etc. I'm going to work on correcting them indoors and letting them roughhouse outdoors only.

[Corinn Laitre]

I have 2 dogs, our GD(Remi) just turned a year and our other dog is a feisty 7yr old Bichon Yorkie(Bentley) so we never had a problem with the 2 of them...However, our friends decided to adopt a 4month old pitbull lab cross(Tucker) if they had someone who could watch him during the week while they were at work to accelerate house training and so he wouldn't be in his kennel all day. We agreed to help them out for a month, meanwhile Remi was brand new to our home and only 10 weeks old!  The first few days we looked after Tucker it was madness like you described. Jumping, wrestling, bouncing, growling, chasing and gator snapping.  It was too much to handle!  So we decided excited play was only allowed outdoors, and only low level play was tolerated indoors.  First thing every morning when Tucker was dropped off we'd take them for a quick walk to take the edge off. Then they were released to play in the backyard for 15-45mins(depending on our schedule). Overtime play became rough or loud we would go outside and put them in a sit stay with leashes side by side until they calmed down.  Once settled we would remove the leashes and head back inside at which time they would resume play.  It only took the first 4 days for them to recognize the pattern.  We play rough, play stops. We play loud, play stops. When they came inside we would kennel them side by side for an hour of quiet time.  After the hour each would be let out separately to pee before being allowed together in the backyard for another play session. Same rules applied. If we were able to watch them they would be let back in the house to join us for our chores, or to rest by our feet while we worked.  Gentle mouthing and wrestling was aloud but if it became distracting the would again be put side by side in a sit stay until the calmed.  I know this sounds strict and perhaps feels impossible to do, but the reward is worth every second of it.  We can have 5 dogs under 2 in our home without chaos or noise because we have structure and we're consistent.  It is absolutely possible to have peace in your home once again if you're willing to commit to a routine :) Tucker and Remi are best friends, they love each other no less just because they can't go nuts together. My sister has a 1.5yr old husky basenji cross and a 2 yr old kelpie collie cross.  We've babysat them all together and while the first day takes time and patience they settle into the routine by day 2 and it's a joy to be surrounded by so many pups, without going crazy lol Of course it's important to separate them to do short training sessions of 3-5mins in order to encourage them to focus on you instead of one another ;)

[Melissa]

Well I am taking some of these suggestions to heart.  We are being firm about the no violent wrestling indoors.  The puppy doesn't obey yet but my 2yo I tell "leave it" when she gets too mouthy and that's helping...  Outdoors I am letting them be wild except when one needs to potty, then I restrain the other until the first is finished!  Never thought I'd be doing this level of dog management lol.  My older girl has been remote collar trained last spring in an off leash recall program (don't worry - low level and humane - I can't even feel the currant - 3 or 4 on a 1-100 scale).  She acts like she has amnesia now so I put her collar on (once I found it - hadn't needed it in a while) and that has helped a lot too.  Now need to work on puppy training 101~

Looking forward to puppy class with the young one - I don't feel like I know her other than flashing eyes and snapping teeth!  She looks like the poster dog for puppy madness.  

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

This is pretty much what you always get with two really young dogs.  :-} 

[Melissa]

I am seeing that! I have only had old adoptees or a single puppy before...  this is quite the change.

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

I am enjoying reading all these duo puppy posts - giggling and smiling because I can only imagine it.  When our first doodle was almost 2, we brought home a playmate for him.  I though I wanted the interaction like you are experiencing.  But, Charlie did not want a playmate and did not want to share any toys or us initially.  But he has come around -now they are 5 and 3.  Charlie is still the little old man that is obsessed with balls and Beau is still a little uncoordinated happy little joker.  I can buy two of the same toy and let them choose which one they want and then immediately Beau is trying to take Charlie's ball or toy!  When playing ball, Beau is catching his own, but then he will see Charlie's ball sailing through the air and leap out of nowhere to grab the Charlie's ball and run around the yard squeaking the ball - as if to say look what I got.  Then all of a sudden he will drop it right in front of Charlie as if say - oh here you can have it back! "  Only occasionally do they play wrestle and usually within just minutes Charlie (the older and smaller doodle) will give Beau the "that's enough growl" and the play session is over.  He will then go get a ball and engage my DH or myself.  I have dog sat a golden doodle puppy for a friend occasionally and he and Beau will act much like what you described except only for 10 or so minutes each time.  I think Beau may have been like one of your puppies or dogs if he had the opportunity, but Charlie trained him from the get go just how life was going to be in this doghouse!  

@ Corrine - terrific training ideas  It takes time, but in the long run is so worth it.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

OMD, I'm enjoying these posts but only because it's not my life :)  I'm always so envious of those of you that have 2 and I regularly get puppy fever but I'm pretty sure life as I know it would be no more - so I'll just have to live vicariously through you lol.  Finn used to go to the office with me and we had another extra large 2 year old doodle there at the time.  Puppy Finn was impossible --chasing Oscar through our office and the architect's studio, trying to jump on his back, wrestling, noise levels through the roof (all FInn BTW). Oscar did a good job of training him. I used to leave Finn's leash on and Oscar took to picking up the trailing leash and walking FInn until he calmed down.  Doodles are so smart!  It took almost 2 years but now they play for 5 minutes and then they just chill like bookends.  Have hope.

[Gracie, Jade, & Barkley]

I'm surprised that ours isn't more chaotic. We have evening romps, but that's about it. Mine are like the revers of yours - a 1 yr old ld and a 13 wk old gd. But, I do give time outs when needed, uh-uhs, and give them one on one time. I'm actually training the pup alongside Gracie. It makes it much easier for us.