Puppy being too much with adult dog

[BallyJ]

So! We have a 10 week old puppy, a 4yo Lab and a 9yo JRT.

The puppy can't get anywhere near the JRT - she's stroppy and tells her off. All fine pup has figured this out and gives her a wide berth.

However when it comes to the Lab she has no boundary's and the lab won't tell her off. She hangs off her neck jumps all over her and is generally a delinquent. I don't want the 10 week old thinking this is how you interact with dogs as down the line it'll get her in trouble! and it's just bad manners.

The poor 4yo just looks so miserable when the pup is around, just want to make sure I'm doing the right thing. They puppy really bites hard and has made her cry a couple of times, if she does tell her off the pup ignores.

I try to distract with toys, ,if that doesn't work I move in-between them and tell her to 'leave it' which does work and she moves off onto other things for 10-15mins then we start again!

The adult dogs do get breaks from her (8hours a day 3/4days a week).

 

[CorvusCorax]

I'd be intervening sooner TBH and letting the pup know it's not the behaviour you want. Have some sort of set up where the lab can remove itself/get away, somewhere it can be without the pup.

 

[Arzada]

Are they together overnight?

 

[splashgirl45]

I have always stopped any pup bullying the older more passive one and had a pen in the living room that the pup could be put in so still in the room and free to move about more than in a crate. My old dog was very submissive so wouldnt tell the pup off at all so it was down to me

 

[BallyJ]

Are they together overnight?

They can see each other but pup is crated, so really only together 1hr in the mornings then 3/4hrs in the evenings. Its not constant in that time, but i feel so bad for the older lab!

 

[BallyJ]

I have always stopped any pup bullying the older more passive one and had a pen in the living room that the pup could be put in so still in the room and free to move about more than in a crate. My old dog was very submissive so wouldnt tell the pup off at all so it was down to me

I'm glad we're doing the right thing. Was worried we'd create a divide, which we don't seem to be doing as the older one is happy to play on her terms.

We supervise this so it doesn't go too far and split them up if we need to.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Our pup is now 5 months old. Our lab is nearly 4 and as soft as grease. She will not tell the pup off. In the early days it was really bad but its calming down a lot now. The lab is actually enjoying playing until it gets a bit rough and we step in.

 

[BallyJ]

Our pup is now 5 months old. Our lab is nearly 4 and as soft as grease. She will not tell the pup off. In the early days it was really bad but its calming down a lot now. The lab is actually enjoying playing until it gets a bit rough and we step in.

Excellent! 2 and a half months to go

 

[BallyJ]

This is them currently, under my desk at the office

 

[Clodagh]

I always side with the adult, puppy gets scruffed out the way by me if it’s not playing nicely. Poor Labradors do t ever seem to fight their own corners .

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Excellent! 2 and a half months to go

Also our pup is loosing her teeth so they are not so needle like!! It will pass, honestly.......!

 

[BallyJ]

Glad we're on the right tracks, I do scruff and plug the mouth with a toy.

Can't wait until she's a grown up!!

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Bear has always been soft as clarts with Goose. He kind of tells him off, but we stop him if Bear is getting annoyed, I don’t think it’s fair to allow him to harass the older dog. They do get on well, tho, as evidenced here. Bear seeks him out to use as a pillow, but prefers Mitch who is just not interested!

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=648356083762054

 

[EllieBeast]

I always side with the adult, puppy gets scruffed out the way by me if it’s not playing nicely. Poor Labradors do t ever seem to fight their own corners .

We do the same. Pip the Damnation has the pup very well trained, he’s incredibly respectful of her as she’s been consistent in her message.

Ivy, however, just plays with him and doesn’t dish out any discipline. When he gets too much he gets scruffed and it’s really not taken long for him to get the message!

 

[BallyJ]

Pleased there is light at the end of the tunnel!

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

As the person in charge of this pack, it is your job to enforce discipline. Do not allow the pup to bully the older dogs. Step in before the behaviour escalates, you should not be in a position where the older dog needs you to feel sorry for him.
When we got 2 Lab pups to keep the suddenly bereaved Rottweiler company, it took a month for them to be allowed off-lead access to one another, they were always either crated or on lead, if the other was loose. This was for the safety of the pups because the Rott was so big and so pleased to see them but it certainly didn't created any kind of division between the adult and the youngsters.