Older puppy and new puppy playing too rough??

[Valerie]

I have an 8 month old goldendoodle, Tucker, and just brought home a new baby goldendoodle, Tilly who is just 3 mos old. Tucker is about 70 lbs and Tilly is 11 lbs. They play so rough! It makes me so nervous. Tilly doesn't cry or anything, she actually goes at tucker and is growling and baring her teeth! But they are wagging tails the whole time. How can I tell if its getting out of hand??? Tucker is so laid back, I'm afraid all this rough play will make Tilly not as sweet!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

We have had a similar situation here for the last 4 months.  We had Lucy our 80 lb goldendoodle.  She had recently lost her 60 lb goldendoodle litermate in March.  We  brought home 50 lb foster girl Honey who had the 2 bad knees.  They played and played hard.  I was so afraid they were going to injure each other.  A few days later we brought home AnnaBelle our new 8 week old 5 lb 12 oz baby girl goldendoodle.  Lucy ignored her but Honey who was 10 months loved her.  They played and played hard.  I like you asked this same question of the training group.  Consensus was as long as there isn't any yelping, let them go.  They will sort it out.  We are now down to just our Lucy, 5 years, and AnnaBelle who is now about 4.5 months.  They play pretty hard and there is rarely any yelping and even if there is she just jumps up and comes right back for more.  However, if there is yelping I stop the play and redirect them to something else for awhile.  I agree with you it can seem scary to us, but I think the yelp is your cure to things got a little scary for the puppy.  However, as soon as they realize they are ok they go right back for more.  I would also say just don't coddle the puppy or anything when it gets a little out of hand so as not to make the puppy afraid.  Just break it up, make sure puppy is ok and go on about your business.  Also, I'd suggest stopping the play after a few mins and getting the puppy outside for a potty break.  As when they are playing like this they forget and that is when you get accidents. 

[Valerie]

Did you put them together all the time? My two have their crates and an attached exercise pen on each. I only put tilly in her crate at night and when we leave the house. Tucker is fully trained but still gets into everything! So he has to go in his own when we leave. And they both go in there if I am trying to cook etc and can't manage them. I didn't put them together because my friend who has two doodles said they each need their own space. But they walk together and play together! Tilly (the baby) is not afraid! Sometimes I'm more worried about my big boy tucker! She tends to grab at his mouth w those sharp baby teeth! AQ

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

When the three were first here the two older ones who got along where out in the house as long as we were home.  When we left for the first several weeks Lucy went in her room (a converted bedroom is now Lucy's room) and Honey went in her crate in our room and AnnaBelle in her crate in our room.  Then as Lucy and Honey became good friends and we knew we could trust the two of them we let Honey stay in the room with Lucy whenever we left.  AnnaBelle spent a lot of time in her ex pen when she first came home because she was just so small compared to the other two.  She would get time out to play with Honey both inside and outside but when it would get a little too much we woud put her back in her ex-pen.  Even now Lucy goes to her room when we leave the house.  It just has a doggie gate across it, no door.  That is her secure spot.  AnnaBelle goes in her big crate in the Liv Room when we leave.  As soon as I know that AnnaBelle isn't going to chew up anything she will start going in with Lucy when we leave.  But that might be a little while yet.  When our original two doodles (Lucy and Sophie who are litermate sisters) first came home they were always together.  Same crate, same exercise pen.  When their play got too rough the went to their room.  I stopped using a crate with them when they were probably about 5-6 months old.  They just went to their room.  For some reason they didn't fight or rough play when they were in their room.    I would think in the case of your two continuing to crate separately is a good way to give the older guy some space.  They do get tired of the puppies constantly chewing on them I think. 

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

Yelping is our cue that things are getting too rough. Its always Oscar (larger than Lucy now!) whose ear gets pulled or Lucy clamps down on his lip too hard, but when I hear it I break it up temporarily. Those 2 love to play together (especially outside, chasing each other), and like you, in the beginning I was afraid at times it was too rough. Oscar was 12 lbs. and Lucy was over 50 lbs., but Oscar held his own and kept coming back for more. I always knew someday he'd be bigger and stronger than Lucy and the power scale would shift, and sure enough it did. Funny thing is Lucy has always ADORED any attention from Oscar, and even with him being so much stronger than her, she seems to love his attention even when he has her pinned to the ground :) We're so lucky that we have 2 doodles that complement each other with their different personalities and temperaments.

Its best to have separate crates as it gives the older doodle a reprieve from the puppy.