Two pups 1.5 years apart , can they play or is it too soon? (12 week old Boxer/lab puppy and 1.8 yr old Husky)

Question

I have a Siberian Husky (Riddick) who is 1year and 8 mo. Still a very playful pup. We are always on the go and can rarely take him with us. We got a boxer/lab puppy (Keira) for him to play with a few weeks ago (now 12 weeks). So far Riddick LOVES her (we keep them separated and only allow supervised play) and is gentle with her but in the last few days she's been getting really feisty and initiating rough play (growling, biting, the whole bit) Problem is, then he gets excited and rough too and she wants to run and hide. But if I intervene and say "enough" Riddick stops, rolls over and lies on his back and then she comes out and starts it all over! Is it appropriate for me to allow them to play unsupervised? I've NEVER had 2 dogs at once. This is a first to me and their 'play' is scary to see and hear but I know it's normal. Is she still too young to play with him? Do you think he could hurt her? Or would his rough play teach her some manners?

Answer 1

Love the names...Guess you are a Pitch black and Chronicles of Riddick fan, huh?
Anyhow, yea, it should be alright to let them play. Sounds like you are doing everything right, but I would keep up the supervision until you are certain that Riddick won't hurt Keira. Keep up the good work and you'll know when they are okay to be alone. 12wks is still really young.

Answer 2

No, she's not too young to play with him. I would not let them play unsupervised until they are playing more appropriately (and at this age, Keira shouldn't be doing ANYthing unsupervised).

If Riddick will not correct Keira when she gets feisty, you should. Remove her and either hold her back until she is calm or put her in another room/her crate for 20 seconds. If this happens every time that she gets out of hand, she will learn that play only continues when she is appropriate.

Enroll her in a puppy class, too. She should learn to change her play style when she sees that other dogs don't all appreciate how she behaves.

Answer 3

No you shouldn't allow them to play unsupervised, unless you want the 12 wk old puppy hurt.. You shouldn't allow them to play that hard and that rough at all.. Eventually it will turn into harder and rougher play and you will have a fight on your hands.
Yup he could hurt her.. And his rough play won't teach her any manners at all..

If you aren't around enough to spend time with 1 dog, you should not have gotten a 2nd dog.. They aren't going to teach each other how to be good, they will both decide that it's much more fun to be bad, cause no one is there to tell them any different.
Buying a 2nd dog is never a good idea when the 1st one is hyper and out of control...

Answer 4

We were told by our obedience class trainer that dogs instinctively give an enormous amount of slack to very young puppies. It sounds like your younger pup may have reached an age where your huskie thinks she's big enough to play, and also big enough to learn her place in the hierarchy. As long as she's not crying too much, I wouldn't worry about it. The one thing to watch for would be how he responds when she yelps or cries -- does he immediately back off? If so, you're in good shape. (The fact that he rolls over immediately for you is also a good sign.) I think you're right on track about this teaching her dog manners. If you're still concerned, you might try wearing him out before they play. Take him on a 45 minute walk, and then let them wrestle -- that might even things up a little.

Answer 5

I am going through the same deal.
It is very very dangerous especially if both are male. The husky is far too big and might not know its own strength. Always watch them until the pup puts on a bit more size. Gradually leave them alone while you do chores but always be in the general area so you can stop any "mean" action!
I wish you luck!

Answer 6

I would think by ur pup hiding it would show Riddick how rough he can get with her BUT to no fault of his own he could hurt her badly so I would keep supervising for awhile but just like children you can give a little more ruffhouse each time til u feel it safe to leave them alone. The bigger Keira gets the better it will b. remember aimals r just like kids. good luck

Answer 7

That growling and roughhousing is acceptable behavior between dogs. The older one is showing it's dominance, as is normal. You can let them play and rough house together, but YES, do keep an eye on them, and maintain YOUR position as the Alpha, by limiting the older dog's aggression. In time, as the puppy gets older, wiser, bigger, and is able to fend for itself, you'll be able to leave them alone for as long as you want. Expect this to take about 3 months.

Answer 8

i would keep them separted because dogs have no concept of size. your big dog wants to play but doesn't understand rough play and genlte play. i applaud you for using comands. i use EASY with my dog around my kitten, and when feeding him from my hand so he gets the idea to back down a little, and not be so rough. the little pup just needs to get some size. i think supervision is still needed because the big dog is still in play mode. good luck!

Answer 9

I would keep supervising them until the puppy gets a little bigger. Most likely the Husky will not hurt her, but you never know. Unless she's crying, let them work it out on their own. If she runs and hides, let her. Let them dictate how rough they play. She will let him know when she's had enough without your intervention. If he's not listening to her, then separate them.

Answer 10

my first reaction is are they fixed?
then the next is let them play. i had this age difference in two female dogs and when the puppy got to rough then the dog would just pin her down and growl (tell her no) usually that's all it took for the puppy to settle down.