Will Our Puppy Always Be Scared of Our Older Dog?

Question

Yesterday, our 8 week old Maltese X Shihtzu female puppy may have been attacked by our 17 month old Maltese X Mini Foxie (who is also a female and in heat at the moment). We believe it was over a bone. The puppy was really scared (she may have a dislocated jaw) & we had to leave her overnight at the vet. The older dog has never done anything like this before, is of friendly-temperment & has really been looking after the puppy since we first got her. When we took the puppy home today, the older dog reacted nurturingly to her but the puppy was scared. Will the puppy always remember what happened and will she always be afraid of our older puppy? They got along beautifully & were very fond of each other until yesterday. The older dog doesn't seem to remember any hostility towards the puppy. Can someone please help? Serious answers only.

Thank you everyone for your help. I really appreciate it. The little puppy has recovered and isn't afraid of our older dog anymore. Although it seems she hasn't learnt anything - even though we are feeding them separately, she keeps trying to steal our older dog's food (we are feeding the older dog outside & the puppy inside). We are looking into finding a suitable puppy school for them both. We are based in Sydney, Australia so if anyone knows of a good puppy school, please let me know. Thanks for your help.

Answer 1

An 8 week old puppy is too young to be left alone unsurpervised with the older dog.

She is too young to know bounderies yet. When they aren't being supervised....crate the puppy.

8 weeks old is very young, so it is possible she will forget...as long as you don't give it a chance to happen again. No garauntee, though.

It sounds like your older dog may have guarding issues. (Dogs will guard what is precious to them).

Feed them in separate areas, the same goes for giving them bones and treats. I put down a dog matt for my dogs when I give them bones, and they have to stay on their matt to have it.I put them about 5 feet apart.

Dogs should also never be given bones or chewys when they aren't supervised...even if the dogs are kept apart. Especially rawhides. I don't even give my dogs rawhides, because dogs have been known to choke on them.

Also, if you give one dog a treat...the other dog should get a treat...to keep one from getting jealous. Also to keep them from thinking the *other* is taking something away from them.

I suggest taking both dogs to obedience class. This will help you to get a real handle on your dogs..which is especially important when you have two. You will be more able to control them if any *situation* does arise.

I hope the younger puppy is okay. And your older dog...is still a puppy also....growing and learning.

Not a bad dog.....just guarding something that was precious to him.

let me give you this rule of thumb. In a dogs mind...if something (it doesn't matter what it is) is in his mouth. He owns it. It is his/hers. For as long as it is in his mouth.

I'm just telling you this, so you understand how dogs think.

A great book for you to read is called *the Culture Clash* by Jean Donaldson. It is a great source of information, easy to read, and I beleive can be very helpful to you. It is also a fun read. You can get it on Amazon.com.You won't find it in most petstores...but it is the best dog book out there.

I highly recommend it to you, and to all dog owners.

I wish you the best of luck with your furkids...

Answer 2

It might take the puppy a Little while but she'll get over it. If you have someone to help you could take the puppy and the other person could hold the older dog and then you take the bone and let the puppy have it for a while then let the older dog have it for awhile, I would say a couple minutes each and do this for a week or two and that might help the older dog not be aggressive towards the puppy when the bone is around. I would say the older dog is probably trying to show a little dominance with the bone. Good luck

Answer 3

No the puppy will start feeling more secure with the older dog again. It a jeolousy and part of it is sharing. The older dog never had to share before. This is something that will get so much better and they will became so close in the future. I had the same kind of situation with my dogs about 10 years ago. They came so close but they still had little fights every once in a great while even while they got older but never to your extent. Then about 6 months the one that was the puppy had to be put down for seizures. My other dog a shihtzu she is about 17 years old and she quit eating. She missed other other one so much. I thought I would have to put the other one down she did this for almost a month and now is down to bones. We gave her anything just to keep her alive. She did not want to eat anything. It was like she was mourning for her. So they will become so close and be buddies. So don't worry.

Answer 4

Puppy will find her place in the family.
Indeed she may be a little traumatised being so young, but as long as you dont leave her near the other dog when they are feeding ( Which is usually the catalyst for a dogfight) things should even out rather quickly.
There is often a lot more noise than actual harm when these things happen, and it may well be that any injuries were infact accidental.
The bigger dog is far more capable of inflicting severe harm to the puppy than has actually happened, and the language of dogs is a language of much noise, so I do believe all will be well

Answer 5

Be sure to never, ever give these dogs a reason to fight. Your older dog has got a resource-guarding issue that has come up because of the puppy - and though it was not OK for your pup to end up with a dislocated jaw, you should not punish your older dog for this. Just be very careful to always, always separate the dogs when you feed them and when you give them treats and toys.
I would recommend hooking up with a trainer who can observe what's going on in your house. Spending the $ now to educate yourself about how to help solve this problem is money that is wisely spent. Don't let your older dog practice aggression on your pup - learn how to solve this problem now.

Answer 6

Geese I have had the same problem. Females in heat cannot be around other females. Most females can't be kept unspayed around other females. They both try to be alpha and it won't work. But the puppy will eventually get over it. Just be calm when their together and moniter them closely. Females fight a lot and tend to be more aggressive in fights. Watch them close and just make sure no more fights happen. I have had two german shepherd females get into a fight and its hard to break up. It was like one second their getting along and the next they aren't.

Answer 7

Being in heat and territorial about the bone could have been the cause. I'm sure the little one will always remember this. But that doesn't mean that they won't get along it just means that your older pup will probably be the dominant one. My Doberman is older and she loves our Lab/Husky mix but if she is protecting a rawhide or marrow bone she snap and bite if he gets too close. Your younger pup will learn. But try to be careful while she is still young

Answer 8

no your young dog will not be afraid of theolder dog once the 8 week old dog is mature enough to fend for herself. also since female older dog is in heat she might not be able to tolorate the jumping and everything else. so you should confine your younger dog to a room a part fom the feamale that is in heat good luck!

Answer 9

it will take a long time until you train the 2 of them to live together

Answer 10

ask vet