How does your older dog respond to your new puppy?

[Terri, Murfee & Emily]

Hi, 

My Golden Retriever, Emily (9 years old) seems to have no interest in Murfee (9 weeks). I did the introduction on neutral ground and there was no interest. Once home, if Murfee approachs Emily, she either turns her head or gets up and goes to the back bedroom. When Emily goes outside, of course Murfee is trotting right behind her and Emily just continues to move until the little guy finds a leaf or a stick to play with. 

At feeding time, Murfee goes to Emily's bowl to steal the green beans as Emily is on a diet. Emily could care less. There is no growling, snapping or any other forms of aggression. Just an indifference.

Hopefully once Murfee gets a little bigger and older they will form some type of bond. Emily & I lost her brother Charlie in January at age 16. That is the only dog she has ever shared space with. 

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Terri

[Sarah and Willow]

I had similar experiences as the other posts when bringing Willow home. Our 6 year old mini schnauzer has no social skills. When we brought Willow home he would do anything he could to get away from her. He wouldn't growl, or snap at her, just run away. He would drool and shake, and I have never seen him drool, like it was dripping down his beard! 

We didn't try to push him or correct him, we just let him be. We also didn't correct Willow in hopes that Gabe would "teach" her boundaries himself. It took a couple weeks, and then one day they played together! Gabe (the schnauzer) was very awkward at playing, this is a dog who has very bad separation anxiety, and is not good around dogs. He's not aggressive, just doesn't know how to act, no social skills in the dog sense.

Now Willow is seven months old, and although she now towers over Gabe in size, they play very well! Gabe's anxiety has eased down quite a bit too. He still doesn't show the affection towards Willow that she has for him but he has come a long way!

[Jen and Annie]

How cute those two are!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE pictures of dogs cuddling! LOL

[Sarah and Willow]

Aw thanks! It's always Willow snuggling up to Gabe. Never the other way around :)

[Jen and Annie]

Same thing with Annie and Lucy - Annie is the cuddler, but Lucy secretly likes it, I just know it!  If Lucy didn't like it, she would move LOL

[Marnie, Stanlee's Mom]

How awesome is that?  And besides, Gabe didn't stand a chance against that gorgeous girl, Willow!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I agree with the others...they are building their relationship.  I imagine because of the age difference there won't be lots of playing or roughhousing (sometimes that's a good thing), but I'd guess there will be a bond.  It sounds like Emily is a well balanced dog with a sweet temperament...perfect role model for your puppy.  My guys are less than a year apart and so they were "puppies together" and they still have lots of puppy play behavior.  The advantage is that they are good at tiring one another out, the bad part is that at times they get carried away.  It sounds like you have a great situation!

[Jessica Girardot]

When I got Molly, my 3 ( almost 4) year old dog, Kodi, was very indifferent.  She wasn't aggressive, she wasn't playful, she just didn't seem to care for the puppy.  When the puppy came close, she would move away. She didn't like the puppy touching her- no growling or anything- just walked away and laid elsewhere! Fast forward a week or so, Kodi got used to the puppy being around and now they loved to play! And by play, I mean, wrestle and "argue" over the same toy... when there are about 15 different toys on the floor to play with... :)  Here's a picture from last week!

[Marnie, Stanlee's Mom]

Oh Jessica this is so sweet!  It's almost like Kodi knows there's not a thing to be done except grin and bear it.

[Jessica Girardot]

Ha! She's trying to say "Mom... Do I really have to "be nice"? This isn't my idea of a fun morning..."

[Joanna, Zoe & Bender]

haha for the first week Zoe didn't like Bender.  She was very indifferent and this surprised me because she usually lOVES all visiting dogs.  It was funny because Ben thought she was his mom and whenever she was sleeping he would go curl up by her belly or snuggle next to her.  Then I would smile and think it's so cute until she wakes up all cuddled with him, freaks out, then runs away to another spot.  Then he would follow and repeat LOL

[Jen and Annie]

Haha LOVE THIS! Annie used to think Lucy was her mom too - she tried to nurse a few times when she first came home LOL. Lucy was on high alert at all times, so Annie was not able to sneak a cuddle. Annie would try to cuddle and Lucy would take off to lay on the couch where poor Annie couldn't jump up yet LOL.

[Joanna, Zoe & Bender]

LOL JEN!!!  She tried to nurse!!!!  HAHAHAHA  

yea Zoe never really knew her size at 8 months and would always just put her front two paws on the couch thinking she couldn't jump up.  Guess when she learned she can get on the couch with no problem?  As soon as we brought Ben home!