# Older Dog is Not Happy w/New Puppy...Need Advice!



## Linda1270 (Sep 7, 2012)

I picked up our new GSD puppy yesterday, Tess is 7 weeks old. My 12 1/2 year old Chocolate Labrador Retriever, has been in distress since she arrived. He has settled down some since yesterday but now he will not come in the house. I put out his breakfast, he's always been 100% food motivated but he won't even come in the house to eat and this really upsets me. It's so out of character for him. He is breaking my heart, I love him dearly, we've had him since he was 8 weeks old and he's always been the only dog.

Due to him being 12 and having a hard time walking now, he has arthritis in his right front leg and both of his rear legs are bad due to two protruding discs on his spine, we thought the puppy would lift up his spirits but boy was I wrong there. I'm hoping that there is someone on this board who has gone through similar issues with bringing a new dog in to the home. I need advice badly, I just don't know what to do. Everyone keeps saying that they'll work it out but somehow I don't think that's going to happen. I'm so worried about Cocoa, my Lab, does he think he's being replaced? How can I reassure him that he's not?

Any thoughts or advice is very much appreciated.

Thank you!
Linda


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Gosh I'm so sorry I don't know what to tell you. After we lost one of our seniors we let our other one choose the new dog. And he just loves him. All I can suggest is shower your old dog with attention. Show him he is still loved. Feed him first, give him treats first, and do not let the puppy harass him.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Linda1270 said:


> I picked up our new GSD puppy yesterday, Tess is 7 weeks old. My 12 1/2 year old Chocolate Labrador Retriever, has been in distress since she arrived. He has settled down some since yesterday but now he will not come in the house. I put out his breakfast, he's always been 100% food motivated but he won't even come in the house to eat and this really upsets me. It's so out of character for him. He is breaking my heart, I love him dearly, we've had him since he was 8 weeks old and he's always been the only dog.
> 
> Due to him being 12 and having a hard time walking now, he has arthritis in his right front leg and both of his rear legs are bad due to two protruding discs on his spine, we thought the puppy would lift up his spirits but boy was I wrong there. I'm hoping that there is someone on this board who has gone through similar issues with bringing a new dog in to the home. I need advice badly, I just don't know what to do. Everyone keeps saying that they'll work it out but somehow I don't think that's going to happen. I'm so worried about Cocoa, my Lab, does he think he's being replaced? How can I reassure him that he's not?
> 
> ...


I had a rescued senior black lab when I brought in my golden retriever puppy. The lab had a tumor and wasn't doing well at all. The golden loved the black lab. Eventually the lab accepted the pup and he became the pup's protector and role model. Give it time. Do one on one things with the lab, take them both for a walk together, and teach the puppy boundaries so that she doesn't drive the older dog nuts.


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## Linda1270 (Sep 7, 2012)

Thank you both for posting, it makes me feel a little better.

shepherdmom, thanks for the good advice, I will make sure that Cocoa always comes first with everything.

llombardo - just hearing you speak about your black lab rescue and your golden puppy gives me hope that maybe Cocoa (lab) will eventually come to like the puppy, or at least tolerate her a little better. At times I think it's going to be okay but then the pup will do something like play with my husband's slippers and fall asleep in them and Cocoa will start barking non-stop until he wears himself out. I suppose that he's jealous of the puppy. A little while ago, he went into the puppies crate (the puppy wasn't in it at the time), and took her little toy and brought it to his bed to play with it. When I bought the toys for the puppy, I made sure that I bought Cocoa some too and I have been lavishing all kinds of attention on Cocoa, so he knows that he's number one.

Hopefully in time, it will work out. Thanks again!


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## LaneyB (Feb 5, 2012)

My yellow lab is 9 1/2 years old. He is blind, diabetic, hip problems, etc. I totally kept the puppy separate from Kipper for weeks, only allowing them to sniff at each other when I held Ruki. After a long time of that, I would allow Ruki to approach Kipper. Kipper had a very short fuse with Ruki - there was no puppy license for sure. After some time of that my breeder said she just lets new puppies and older dogs work it out for themselves. I decided to do that, and the two are now friends. I never thought that would happen. 

I personally am glad I kept them separated for a bit while Ruki was small, because that way Ruki never was hurt by Kipper and I think it let them slowly acclimate to each other.


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

Our old mutt is kind of 'no non-sense' with Grim. If he comes near her, she will usually growl, but hasn't bitten him or anything. She just wants to lay down undisturbed. I started putting her in the bedroom behind closed door if she gets upset with him. He doesn't attempt to play with her or jump on her... he got her 'message' loud and clear! She gets upset most of the time if my pug is playing with the puppy, too, though. She's just a grump!  Maybe as well as showing some extra attention and giving extra treats, etc. you can find a place for your older dog to go where the pup can't. This has really been a good thing here.


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## Linda1270 (Sep 7, 2012)

All excellent advice, I have been trying to keep them away from one another but it's a little hard seeing that I have a small ranch. It is beginning to get a little better, Cocoa has not nipped Tess again after that first encounter. Although I think that was my fault, due to my giving Cocoa a biscuit while the puppy was close to him. Big mistake! Cocoa loves his food and if he thought the puppy was trying to take it away from him, he would nip at her to let her know that it was his and he had no intentions of sharing it with her.

After that incident, I did see him give off vibrations of feeling bad, sort of like he would do if he got sick in the house and thought I would be mad at him. He knew I was upset and Cocoa doesn't like to see me upset. If I cry or get emotional, he has always been right there to commiserate with me. Tess has nipped at Cocoa a couple of times and Cocoa hasn't done a thing, just looks down at her with his tail waggin back and forth. I'm not sure if this is stress or what but he has been doing that on occasions.

I know this is a totally new situation for him, so I am trying to watch them 24/7 to make sure that they leave each other alone. I have another issue now with the puppy and her crate, which I am going to post in the puppy section now. 

Thank you all so much and please, if you have anymore thoughts or suggestions you can share with me, please do so.

Linda


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## hoplite6 (Jun 18, 2012)

I just recently introduced a new puppy to my two adult GSDs and had some issues with both. The younger adult initially thought he was prey and literally wanted to eat him. It took me about 3-4 days of slow interaction with the two for him to realize that Baron was in fact a small GSD. Baron is 14 weeks now and the two are never apart and have really bonded. Our oldest male, Logan was initially excited about the new puppy, but then seemed to resent his presence after he realized that the puppy was here to stay. He would take the puppy's toys and then growl and snap if the pup came near...definitely letting him know who was boss. I would suggest emphasizing lots of petting and attention to your older dog...especially in front of the puppy. He needs to know/feel that he isn't being replaced for the newer model. They have feelings just like we do. Also...being that old, he is definitely not accustomed to all the rambunctious activity that a new pup brings to a household. You've definitely added a lot of stress to his daily routine. It will work itself out, but just understand that everyone is adjusting and give it time and patience. Good luck.


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## Jo Ellen (Aug 30, 2011)

Is there a particular game that your senior lab enjoys? I was kind of in the same boat with my 12-year old golden (Daisy) when I brought Spirit home. Daisy had always been an only dog also, and like you I hoped a new puppy would be good for her. Daisy virtually ignored Spirit for more than a week. Then one day, I started to play tug with Daisy. After I could see she was really getting into it, I gave the other end of the tug toy to Spirit ... and they've been playing ever since


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## Bear L (Feb 9, 2012)

I brought home a 9 weeks puppy earlier this year. In the house already is an adult 9 lbs small dog. The small dog has always been the only dog since he was a puppy. Boy, did he take it hard! The first 2 days, he moved like an old man, as if he was in constant shock. He wouldn't sleep on his beds, go near the puppy and just looks like he was in disbelief. The adult dog won't even let me pet him, he just wanted to be left alone to sulk. The third day he accepted the puppy is here to stay but still did not like the puppy. He will boss the puppy. The puppy on the other hand, loves this mean little dog. It took a couple weeks before the adult dog went back to normal. Now they are best friends! When the puppy went away for 2 weeks a few months ago, the adult dog whined and sniff around the puppy's crate like he missed the puppy. He looked a bit lost for the first couple days, like he's looking for the puppy. 

Maybe after a week or so, you may see some improvement.


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## Linda1270 (Sep 7, 2012)

Jo Ellen said:


> Is there a particular game that your senior lab enjoys?


Yes, he use to love tug of war, but hasn't been very interested in playing it for awhile now. Actually, it isn't because he doesn't want to play, it's because his legs won't allow him to play. My poor boy is getting pretty bad. This morning, after sleeping all night, he got up to walk with me into the kitchen to eat his breakfast, and his two back legs went into a splay position, he got out of it but struggled to walk until he became more steady. He's been slowly going down hill as far as walking is concerned. Yet, when he'd see a dog go by our house with their owner, he would pick up and try to run as fast as he can out to greet the dog and his person. Cocoa loves dogs and people, this is why I was so hoping that the puppy would pick him up. 

One thing that Cocoa still loves to do is play ball, only now, I sit down with him on the floor and we play catch that way. He uses his mouth the push it back and forth and he's quite good at it! Whenever one of my husband's friends comes by the house, Cocoa will still attempt to run to his toy box and pull out one of his balls to play catch. I do still play ball with him on the floor as much as possible now, I don't know how much longer he'll be around and it's killing me.


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