Interaction with other dogs

[Shianne Mack]

My puppy is 9 weeks and I got him at 7 weeks. For the last week or so my puppy has been driving my other dog crazy. She is an 11 year old cockapoo and I feel like she is getting annoyed and doesn't want to be around him. I feel like he is kinda acting like a bully, he tries to pounce on her every time she gets up to walk. How can I tell him to stop on a way that he will understand?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The period between 6 and 8 weeks is when puppies learn appropriate behavior with other dogs as well as bite inhibition. This is when the mother along with the littermates will "correct" playing and nipping that is too aggressive, usually with a growl, a cry, a toss, or a nip. Unfortunately, your pup missed half of that "training"; most reputable breeders will not let a puppy go home before 8 weeks of age for this reason, and it's why many states have laws forbidding the sale of puppies before they are 8 weeks old. 

Your puppy is not acting like a bully, he's trying to get your cockapoo to play with him in the only way he knows how. 

At this point, it's not you but your older dog who needs to "tell him to stop in a way he will understand". And she will, when she gets tired of it.  Most older dogs will tolerate a lot more from a young puppy than they will from an older dog, but they do have their limits, and as a puppy gets older, they get less tolerant. I would keep an eye on it but not intervene at this point.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I agree, and I'd also just be sure that your older dog has a place to go where the puppy can't get to him if he just needs some peace.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

She probably doesn't. He's a normal pup with lots of play "energy." He wants to play with her like he played with his litter mates. She'll eventually teach him when enough is enough. But you might try leaving a leash on him and stepping on it when you see him going after the older dog or tether him to you to give her a break.  Put him in "time out" when he gets too wound up. Or redirect him.  It will take supervision for awhile, but he'll grow out of this puppy stage and life will calm down. Finn had to learn this with my son's senior Jack Russell Terrier.  They usually work it out.

[Gracie, Jade, & Barkley]

My older dog gave Gracie a bit of leeway until she got a little older. Now he will nip her if he doesn't feel like playing. We will give him a break by either putting him in another room (my son's room while he's in there) or crating her. Sometimes he takes advantage of the doggie gate and just stays on the other side when we move to a different room.
He's not very alpha so he doesn't get too aggressive with her, but when he's had enough he lets her know.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Our older dog 'nipped' Ned on the snout (like a mama dog).  It took ONE time.  Ned yowled like he was killed (he is a big sissy foo foo) and that was it. He was totally done mouthing, nipping, etc, on purpose. He came to us at 14 weeks so his mama and litter mates had already done most of the work and he only needed to learn it in his new environment.