Adopting puppies when you have an adult dog is very common, however, if certain preliminary details are not taken into account, coexistence can be complicatedAs a consequence, the adult dog may not accept the puppy and fears or aggressive behavior may arise.
In this article on our site we will explain why an adult dog bites a puppy and offer you someadvice and recommendations to get both of you to tolerate each other, even if they aren't always going to be great friends. Of course, remember that if your case is serious, the most appropriate thing to do will be to go to a professional, such as an ethologist or dog trainer.
Why won't an adult dog accept a puppy dog?
Before taking a puppy home, it is essential to take into account some aspects that ensure that both will be able to live together, otherwise behavioral problems will begin to arise, such as our adult dog not accepting the puppy.
Some preliminary details to consider are:
- Socialization: Dogs that have not been properly socialized as puppies are prone to fear and, as a consequence, Aggressive behavior towards other dogs. If your adult dog has not been socialized, it is very likely that he does not understand the language of dogs and therefore does not know how to communicate correctly, and he may even confuse the child's play postures with offensive behavior. It is a very common mistake to think that a dog that is aggressive towards adult dogs is not going to be aggressive towards puppies.
- The activity level of both dogs – Adult dogs are not as playful as puppies and many are moderately active or low, for that reason, bringing home a puppy dog full of vitality can be a nuisance for the adult dog, which seeks to be calm and relaxed. The constant searches for play and affection that the little one demands end up becoming a serious annoyance, which can end in marks or serious bites.
- Elderly dogs: if the adult dog is elderly, it is very likely that he suffers some kind of pain or deficiency in some of her senses. Due to the problems of aging, the presence of a puppy can mean that the elderly dog receives shock and pain, which will cause an automatic rejection.
- The presentation of both: even if we have a particularly sociable, young and pain-free dog, it may happen that the adult dog does not have an affinity with the newcomer. Just like people, dogs aren't always going to get along with other members of their species. Before adopting a new dog we must make sure that, initially, both get along well.
The moment of the presentation
The presentation of an adult dog and a puppy will be essential to achieve a good coexistence between both. To do this we must present both dogs in a neutral zone The ideal would be to schedule several meetings and take long, calm walks in which we allow both to sniff, relax and get to know each other if they want it. We will never force interaction or punish them as it could create negative association
We can include games and exercises in the presentation, but it is advisable to avoid treats and toys, as they can be a source of dispute for both dogs.
After the meetings it will be time to take the puppy home, where everything will be ready for the little one's arrival: two or three beds, various feeders and drinkers, etc. We must have enough accessories for both, thus avoiding disputes.
In no case are we going to try to establish a hierarchy in the home, it is the dogs that are going to do it by themselves. We will avoid paying more attention to the little one, for being the newcomer, or favoring the adult more, for being with us before: the treatment must be equal
The first few days that both dogs are alone, any element that could cause a fight between them should be completely avoided, especially toys and food. We will only leave them water and several beds, and if we suspect that there is tension, we will leave them in separate rooms, until we are sure that nothing is going to happen.
Why is the adult dog aggressive towards the puppy?
It can happen that two dogs that initially got along well, now do not accept each other. There are many types of aggressiveness and understanding which one is occurring will be essential to start working on the problem:
- Aggressiveness due to pain: it is common in elderly dogs, dogs that have suffered an injury or trauma or those dogs that have gone through a serious illness. Even without pain, many do not allow certain areas of their body to be manipulated.
- Disease Aggressiveness: Some diseases, such as hypothyroidism, are common causes of aggressiveness, so performing a full analysis when dog is essential before working on any possible behavior problem.
- Hierarchical aggressiveness: It is common between dogs of the same sex. In addition, if it occurs between two non-neutered males, it is common for disputes to be accentuated in the presence of a female, especially if she is in heat. They can also show protection of resources with food, resting places or by the attention of the owner.
- Aggressiveness due to fear: fear may be a genetic factor, but it is also characteristic of dogs that have suffered from lack of socialization or who have experienced trauma. Although fear makes them flee at first, if they cannot do so they begin to show offensive behaviors such as growling, marking or attacking.
- Territorial aggressiveness: this type of aggressiveness is very common and usually appears when the presentation of both dogs has not been carried out correctly before include the second in the household.
- Resource Protection: Mentioned above, Resource Protection occurs when a dog protects something she considers hers. We usually talk about a bed, a feeder or toys, but a dog can protect anything, including people or dogs.
- Predatory Aggression: This type of aggression usually occurs when one of the dogs is noticeably smaller than the other and is considered prey. We will observe a very specific behavior, the hunting sequence, which includes tracking, stalking, capture and, finally, death. It is characteristic for the ste althy movements of the predatory dog.
Have you already identified the type of aggressiveness between the two dogs? If you are not able to discover what is the reason for the hostility between the two, it is best to go to a professional who can help you determine what is the behavioral problem that is affecting them.
Is it possible to make two dogs get along?
Unfortunately it is not always possible to make two dogs get along, however, with proper guidelines and clear and consistent guidance For your part, you can ensure that both get to tolerate each other and that therefore there can be a peaceful coexistence between the two.
Our first recommendation will be that you go to an ethologist, dog educator or trainer who has experience in behavior modification techniques and good references. It will be essential to really know what the reason for aggressive behavior is and to start working behavior modification sessions if necessary.
Here are some driving tips:
- Review canine language and study your dogs' behavior to find out if they are upset, scared or alert.
- If you've never owned a dog before, make sure you're not mistaking a sequence of play or unimportant marking for aggressiveness.
- Don't change habits and routines that you followed with your dog until now, that can cause a negative association due to the arrival of the new puppy.
- Follow a very marked fixed routine that helps your dogs anticipate what is going to happen, something that helps them gain security and confidence.
- Treat both dogs equally, don't let one get jealous of the other.
- Do not punish your dogs, fights cause anxiety, stress, decrease learning capacity and block new behaviors.
- Do not use aversive material such as choke collars, anti-bark collars or repellent sprays.
- Keep a very calm and calm attitude, inside and outside the home, remember that if you show yourself insecure, impulsive and incoherent, your dogs will react more easily.
- Avoid conflict situations whenever possible. If you know that when there are toys around the older dog gets angry, remove them and play with them separately.
- Make them both feel very safe whenever you are around, this will prevent them from acting on their own to "fix" any problem.
Now that you know your role in this conflict, we'll explain what you can do with both dogs to improve their bond and well-being:
- Take long, enriching walks with both of you each day, allowing them to sniff, play, and discover new things.
- Go to new places on the weekend that enrich both of your lives. An outing to the beach, the mountains or the nearest park can be a good way for them to feel motivated and happy.
- Except if you notice a conflict between the two dogs for this reason, use the dog treats so that they associate better with each other. You can use the rewards to call them, after sniffing or as a reinforcement for remaining relaxed (always after observing their body temperature).
- Reinforce positive attitudes that you like, such as sniffing each other's butts, being relaxed next to each other or playing game postures. Apart from commercial prizes, you can also use homemade prizes, kind words, caresses and kisses.
- In addition to doing physical and sniffing activities with both of you, start playing intelligence, obedience or canine skill games as well. All the time you spend with both of you using positive reinforcement will help you associate each other's presence with nice and good things.
These are the basic tips that we can offer you to prevent your adult dog from biting your puppy and that in general can help to improve the bondyou have with your dogs and what they have with each other.
If these guidelines do not help you, the situation is getting worse or you think it is a much more serious problem, do not hesitate to go to an ethologist, dog educator or trainer for advice and guidance during all this process.
