How to Train a Puppy to Respect an Older Dog

Hello Keira, In this scenario the puppy is actually more than half the problem. When a dog jumps on a dog that has not indicated that it wants to play, the jumper is being rude and not responding to canine social cues. Be an advocate for your older dog and work on boundaries with the puppy so that Jack feels like he can relax around the puppy. Don't necessarily expect Jack to play with the puppy. He may never want to play with him and that's okay as long as they can peacefully coexist and simply enjoy each other's company. Work on obedience and structure with both dogs to help them listen and respect you and not compete with each other. If both dogs respect you and you make and enforce the rules then they don't have to - which can help prevent fights. Teach both dogs (especially the puppy) "Out" (which means leave the area). Use the command to let the puppy know when he should get out of Jack's space. Get in front of the puppy, point to where he should go, tell him "Out" and firmly but calmly walk toward him, making him back out of the area. Block him from going back until he gives up trying to get back there or leaves the area completely. When he gives up, return to the area yourself to see if he follows you. If he follows you, tell him "Ah Ah" and walk him out of the area again. Repeat this until he stops following you back in. When you want him to come back, tell him "Okay!". Doing out communicates that you want a dog to respect a certain space that belongs to you. It also tells them that a certain thing belongs to you and they should respect that also (a child or another dog typically). You can use "Out" for Jack too when he is behaving poorly toward the puppy. When Jack is being tolerant, give him treats (not right next to the puppy though because you want to avoid competing for food). When the puppy enters the room, feed Jack treats. When the puppy leaves the room, all treats stop - you want the treats to be associated with the puppy. Supervise the dogs and make sure they both have their own space. Crate training at least the puppy will help with that a lot. I also suggest teaching both dogs a good Place command so that they can simply get used to being in the same room with each other but be relaxing. Place can also help with self-control (for puppy), respect and calmness. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=omg5DVPWIWo#dialog Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Diane, I suggest that you hire a professional trainer who uses both fair corrections and positive reinforcement to come to your home. The new puppies likely generally need more structure and boundaries. All dogs need to look to you to make and enforce the rules, so that none of them will bully another dog. Right now they are likely vying for who is going to be in charge, and if the older dog is generally more timid personality-wise, then the puppies are probably taking advantage of that and finding it fun to pester the older dog. Puppies also just tend to be obsessed with older dogs and have not learned doggie manners yet. Following an older dog around and constantly trying to wrestle and play is normal - especially when that dog won't pay attention to them. That doesn't mean that it should continue but they are probably doing what comes naturally to them when there is a lack of boundaries to teach them otherwise. They need to be taught those manners by you so that your older dog doesn't have to use aggression to teach them. Once you are enforcing the rules, rewarding your older dog for being tolerant and calm, and giving the dogs more time apart, your older dog will likely begin to relax more. If not, you need someone to help you in person because the trainer will need to evaluate the dog's body language and interactions to see what's really going on. To start, crate train the puppies if you have not already done so. They need a calm place by themselves where they can chew on food-stuffed chew toys and relax. This is important. It is also important that they spend time alone to teach them to self-entertain and self-soothe, rather than be completely reliant on you or the other puppy's presence. Fill a hollow chew toy like a Kong with dog food that has been soaked in water until mushy, and mixed the food with a bit of liver paste, cheese or peanut butter (Avoid Xylitol sweetener -- it's toxic!). You can make several of these toys ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze them. They can even eat all of their daily food out of the Kongs and as treat rewards for obedience, and you do not have to use food bowls at all at this age. https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Decide what your household rules for all dogs will be. Some examples are: "No pestering a dog that wants to be left alone", "No stealing another dog's food or toys", "No pushing another dog out of the way - usually to get food or attention", "No blocking another dog from getting to a space", "No claiming you by standing on your lap and acting aggressively or pushy towards another person or dog", "No acting possessive of furniture and keeping another dog from coming over", "No acting aggressive toward another dog or person", "No barking at another dog when he wants to be left alone". When one dog breaks a rule, you be the one to handle it so that the other dog does not have to. For example, if one dog steals another dog's toy, take the toy away from the thief, return it to the dog that originally had it, and make the thief leave the room. If one dog is trying to sneak over to another dog's food while he is eating (Do not free feed the dogs! - all food should be removed after fifteen minutes unless a dog is eating in the crate where another dog cannot bother him), then get in front of the sneaky thief, tell him "Out", point to where the dog should go, and walk toward him until he leaves the area. If he does not move when you say "Out" and start walking, don't be afraid to move him with your legs by walking toward him. Leaving is not optional for the dog. Shuffle your feet rather than lift them if you end up having to walk into him, so that you do not step on him while moving. When he is out of the area, block him from going back over to the other dog -- pretend like you are a soccer goalie or a brick wall. When the dog stops trying to get past you, return to the dog that's eating to see if the thief tries to follow you back. If he follows you, then repeat walking toward him until he leaves again. Repeat this process until you can stand next to the dog that's eating or leave the room, and the thief stays out of that area - away from the eating dog. When you are ready for the dog to go back into the area you told him to leave, then tell him "Okay!" in an excited tone of voice. You can use the "Out" command to teach the dogs to respect each other's space in other ways too. When one dog is bothering another dog, tell the problematic dog "Out!" in a firm but calm tone of voice, and enforce it like you did with the eating dog above. I also suggest teaching the puppies "Place" and practicing them each having a visible, consistent "Place" spot that they can go to and lay on with a toy and stay there. Finally, don't expect the older dog to play with the puppies. The goal here is peaceful co-existence. When the puppies are older and there have been more boundaries and less anxiety, the older dog might decide that she wants to play, but if that never happens and the dogs can peacefully hang around one another, that is still great. Older dogs and puppies play very differently, so not all older dogs will want to play with puppies. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Kien, It sounds like Lucky is bored and making up games to get attention. Since he's not allowed to bark out the window he is simply doing the same thing in a different location to get her attention. I suggest teaching him the "Quiet" command, rewarding him whenever you catch him playing calmly and nicely (and being quiet), and giving him something else to do besides bark. An AutoTrainer or Pet Tutor could be a good investment for him. It works by releasing a treat when it senses he is calm or quiet for a certain amount of time. You can also feed him his meals in food stuffed chew toys like Kong's, Kong wobble toys, or puzzle toys. Finally, you can correct the barking with a remote training device and collar like I mentioned in you last question about barking at dinner. To get Sweet Pea used to other dogs will be a long process honestly but it is doable if you are willing to put in a lot of work. Socialization is typically done while dogs are still puppies and haven't developed fear. It would involve taking her places with other dogs, rewarding her with her favorite treats, toys, and games whenever she sees another dog and stays calm (while the dog is far enough away for her to stay calm). I would also suggest practing a lot of obedience with her with dogs in the distance (such as heel, sit, watch me, and come) and rewarding her for obedience and focus. The training will keep her mind on you and get her in a following made with you so that she can trust you more and relax more. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello keira, Crate training is usually very good for dogs with separation anxiety. It can be harder on the person to watch the dog work through it, but dogs with separation anxiety need opportunities to practice independence and self-soothing. So crate training if done correctly can be great. Check out the article that I have linked below to introduce the crate. I typically recommend the "Surprise" method but you can use all three methods at the same time. https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate You will also want to work on commands that require her to stay, be further from you, and be calmer. "Place" and teaching a dog to stay in a crate with the crate door open (once you have introduced the crate) are also good exercises for this: Place command: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omg5DVPWIWo Crate manners: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn5HTiryZN8 Work up to having Pixie stay on Place or in the crate for up to an hour. Start with shorter amount of time and gradually work up to longer, then work up to her staying there even when you walk out of the room and around the house. Outside, practicing Down and Sit Stays from a distance using a long leash is also great. In addition to those things walks should be pretty structured, where she is heeling by your side and not ranging ahead or distracted. Dogs with anxiety tend to do well with structure and boundaries and need time to practice independence. Those types of exercises give them opportunities to work through their anxiety while you are guiding them, and eventually build their confidence. At first, it can seem like the anxiety is worse because they are having to deal with their anxiety, but as they work through it, you should see more improvement little by little. I suggest starting with the above training. Those things might be all that you need to change her state of mind over the next few months. If you find she is still having a hard time, check out the link below for more intensive training. https://www.solidk9training.com/sk9-blog/2013/02/21/separation-anxiety-im-not-seeing-it-at-my-place SolidK9Training also has a few videos on YouTube that touch on Separation Anxiety too. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Kim, The lab needs to be taught "Leave It" and "Out" commands. Check out the "Leave It" method from the article linked below. https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite She also needs a lot of structure and boundaries. Learning a Place command, crate manners, a structured heel, and other things that build self-control. You cannot change personality but you can stimulate her mentally and teach better self-control to help her focus her energy on the things you want her to focus on instead. The pestering is normal. Young dogs have to be taught to be respectful. That doesn't mean it's okay, just not surprising. When she tries to pester Patches you can also enforce the leave it command for Patches - if she continues biting or pestering her after being told Leave It (which you must teach first), you can get between her and the Patches (carefully, if there is aggression keep a drag leash on her and use that to redirect), tell her "Out", and firmly walking toward her until she backs all the way out of the room. Block her from getting back to them, then when she calms down or leaves, go back to what you were doing before. If she goes back over to them again without being told "Okay!" first, then repeat walking toward her until she is out of the area, while saying "Out" in a calm and firm tone of voice. Repeat this until she gets realizes you mean business and leaves Patches alone. At first, expect to have to repeat this a lot. The more consistent you are, the sooner she should realize you mean what you say. Here are some commands to practice to increase her respect for the humans in the household and her self-control. Place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omg5DVPWIWo Crate manners: https://thegooddog.net/training-videos/free-how-to-training-videos/learn-to-train-the-good-dog-way-the-crate/ Thresholds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-w28C2g68M Heel article - The turns method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-poodle-to-heel Heel Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTiKVc4ZZWo When there are two dogs in a household together it is very important for both dogs to trust and respect the owner so that the owner is the one making and enforcing house rules for both dogs - and not the dogs trying to do that for each other, which could lead to fights. Advocate for your older dog by working on self-control and commands that teach the lab to leave it and get Out of the area, so that your Cocker does not feel the need to defend herself. When both dogs are being tolerant (Patches) and calm (the lab) remember to calmly reward both with a treat or calm praise. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Sherry, He likely lacks social manners, which is even more reason why he needs the puppy play. It will take a lot of repetition for him to learn self-control and to connect that play time ends with his roughness. The average dog takes thirty repetitions before they learn something new and puppies have even less attention. Continue interrupting his play and refocusing his attention, then letting him go back to playing only when he is calm. Also, when you interrupt his play use the "Out" command (which means leave the area) and use your body to herd him out of the area so that he learns spacial awareness also. Out command: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ At first expect him to get excited when you herd him away from the other puppy after saying Out. Stay firm, calm and persistent until he calms down and complies, blocking him from going back until he calms down and looks at you or away from the other puppies. It will take repetition for him to realize what you are doing (wanting him away from the other puppy) and why it is happening (he was too rough). When he is calm, if the other puppy wants to play, let him back by telling him "Okay" or "Go Play". Many puppies or dogs will hump as a way to pester another dog into playing. It is simply over excitement and poor social skills most of the time at this age. The puppy is also probably a bit dominant and pushy too, so structure and consistent rules for this pup while growing up will be important. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Luke, Sometimes an older dog's body language will start to show it. The older dog will become less patient, a bit rougher, or try to get away from the puppy. When it doubt, remove the puppy, let both dogs calm down, then tell your older og "Okay" and invite him to play with your puppy again. If he wants to continue playing, great, you can let them. If he doesn't want to initiate playing, then make the puppy give him space. He has had enough for now. The key is to watch the older dog's body language and see if he wants to initiate playing, opposed to puppy starting it when in doubt. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Tillie, First, I suggest joining a puppy kindergarten class that includes time for moderated off leash play, where the trainer has owners interrupt the play when puppies start to get too rough or overwhelmed. Puppies play with each other differently than adult dogs and playing with puppies helps a pup learn to be gentler with their mouth because of the feedback they get from other puppies ("If you bite me too hard I yelp and stop playing" for instance). In addition to bite inhibition (controlling the pressure of a bite) a puppy class provides socialization with people, obedience, and new experiences - all of which are vital for puppies. Look for a class that requires all of the pups to be up to date with vaccines for their age, cleans the floor with a cleaner that kills parvo and distemper right before class, and prevents other potentially -un-vaccinated dogs from entering the puppy area once things have been cleaned. Carry your puppy into the cleaned area to avoid the ground where unvaccinated dogs may have been, and when you take her potty, choose an area where other dogs are not very likely to have gone - even if that means walking a good bit away from the building. Taking these measures helps minimize the risk of puppies catching diseases and allows you to join a class earlier, before the key socialization period ends at 12-16 weeks of age. Check out the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior's view on puppy socialization and age precautions. https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Puppy_Socialization_Position_Statement_Download_-_10-3-14.pdf Check out the article linked below and follow the "Bite Inhibition" to further help puppy learn to be gentler with her mouth at home: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite Finally, work on teaching an "Out" command to both dogs (which means get away from the area you are in). Use this command to enforce Tillie leaving your older dog alone when things get too rough, and your older dog leaving Tillie alone when needed. https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ If you don't trust your older dog to be patient with the puppy, then do not let them play together. Tillie can get the socialization she needs from playing with other puppies. If your older dog is likely to lash out, it would be better for her to learn to simply be calm around your older dog, and for your older dog to do the same. Work on Out with both dogs, as well as Place, and stay to redirect them when they start to get rough. Give them structured things to do together like heeling on the leash and practicing obedience commands together. Dogs in the same household do not have to play together, they can simply learn to hang out and be calm when playing together may create other issues for those particular dogs - you don't want a dog that is likely to lash out at a puppy to teach the puppy through aggression to be unsocial with others also - that is how poor social skills get passed on to dogs in the same household. When you cannot supervise the dogs together, have Tillie spend time in a crate or exercise pen with a food stuffed Kong and other fun and safe toys, so that she cannot pester your older dog without you there to redirect and help them learn. As she gets older, calms down, and learns the house rules, you can give her more freedom if the dogs are doing well together. Confinement when you cannot supervise is also important for potty training and preventing destructive chewing - which can actually get worse again around 5-7 months due to jaws developing at that time. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Cassandra, I suggest teaching an "Out" command - which means leave the area. If she doesn't listen to your Out command when you use it, after you have spent time teaching it so that she understands, then use your body language to enforce the command by getting between the puppy and your older dog and calmly but firmly blocking your puppy from behind able to get to your older dog, then walking toward your puppy until she backs out of the area where your older dog is. Expect to have to do this several times in a row for her to give up and respect boundaries whenever you do this - at first. The more consistent you are about doing it and enforcing your Out command, the better her listening skills should improve with that command. By using your body language this way you are essentially "claiming" your older dog and telling her to respect his space even if he doesn't do that himself. Be patient and persistent, this will take time and practice to teach, but is a very useful command to have. Check out the article linked below for steps to teach Out and for how to enforce Out to improve pushy behavior Out command: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Allison, You need to hire a trainer to help you train Max to a high level of obedience and create more structure in his life. He should learn to calmly coexist with Maggie and never to play with her. He needs to learn a solid, long, high distraction Place command, a Leave It command, an Out command, and generally have a lot more structure in his life. Since you said he acts aggressively toward you, the issue with Maggie is just one symptom of his need for more boundaries, respect, structure, and obedience. I highly suggest hiring a trainer who is very experienced with driven breeds, aggression, large breeds, strong-willed dogs, who comes well recommended, uses positive reinforcement and fair corrections both. Max needs to work for everything he gets in life for a while and essentially be in doggie boot camp, heeling, staying on place, doing commands before he gets anything he wants, learning impulse control and calmness. This needs to be done with the help of a trainer to avoid you being bitten. You may also want to get him used to wearing a soft silicone basket muzzle while you are working on the training yourself. Out: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Leave It: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite Place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omg5DVPWIWo Working method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-doberman-to-listen-to-you Dog Training Do’s https://www.solidk9training.com/sk9-blog/2016/09/08/the-ten-commandments-of-dog-training-and-ownership-do-2 Again, hire a trainer to guide you through the training and get Max used to wearing a basket muzzle (he will still be able to open his mouth with a basket type) if he has shown aggression toward you. You can use his daily kibble as rewards for tolerating the muzzle. To introduce the muzzle, first place it on the ground and sprinkle his meal kibble around it. Do this until he is comfortable eating around it. Next, when he is comfortable with it being on the floor with food, hold it up and reward him with a piece of kibble every time he touches or sniffs it in your hand. Feed him his whole meal this way. Practice this until he is comfortable touching it. Next, hold a treat inside of it through the muzzle's holes, so that he has to poke his face into it to get the treat. As he gets comfortable doing that, gradually hold the treat further down into the muzzle, so that he has to poke his face all the way into the muzzle to get the treat. Practice until he is comfortable having his face in it. Next, feed several treats in a row through the muzzle's holes while he holds his face in the muzzle for longer. Practice this until he can hold his face in it for at least ten seconds while being fed treats. Next, when he can hold his face in the muzzle for ten seconds while remaining calm, while his face is in the muzzle move the muzzle's buckles together briefly, then feed him a treat through the muzzle. Practice this until he is not bothered by the buckles moving back and forth. Next, while he is wearing the muzzle buckle it and unbuckle it briefly, then feed a treat. As he gets comfortable with this step, gradually keep the muzzle buckled for longer and longer while feeding treats through the muzzle occasionally. Next, gradually increase how long he wears the muzzle for and decrease how often you give him a treat, until he can calmly wear the muzzle for at least an hour without receiving treats more than two treats during that hour. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Sydney, It sounds like your pup may have the stronger personality between the three. The growling and nipping is probably his way of trying to play but is just rude about it since he hasn't learned to be more respectful yet. This pup will probably need a lot more structure in general than your other two dogs, and that's alright. First, I suggest teaching the Out command (which means leave the area) and the Leave It command using the methods from the articles linked below. For the Out method, be sure to also read the section about how to use Out to deal with pushy behavior. Out command: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Leave It: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite Second, work on commands that build respect, self-control, and calmness in general this year. Remember to still be patient with him, he may have a strong personality but he is still a puppy and doing what is normal for many puppies at this age - he simply needs your guidance to learn respect, trust, self-control, and calmness so that he can enjoy being with your other two dogs. Place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omg5DVPWIWo Crate manners: https://thegooddog.net/training-videos/free-how-to-training-videos/learn-to-train-the-good-dog-way-the-crate/ Thresholds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-w28C2g68M Heel article - The turns method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-poodle-to-heel Heel Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTiKVc4ZZWo Dog Training Do’s https://www.solidk9training.com/sk9-blog/2016/09/08/the-ten-commandments-of-dog-training-and-ownership-do-2 Finally, reward him calmly when you randomly catch him making good choices, like lying down quietly without having to be told, being calm around your other dogs, or looking to you for direction. Use soft praise and calmer body language with him to help him stay calm. If you are not already doing it, crate train him and use an exercise pen with food stuffed chew toys in the pen and crate, to give him a calm, safe place to play and rest when you are not able to directly supervise him with your older dogs, or when he gets overly rambunctious - many puppies will actually get more excited when tired, and need some quiet time in order to calm back down. Surprise method for introducing the crate and pen: https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Shelly, First, continue using the crate and an exercise for pup to be in when you cannot supervise her and the older dogs together. Second, feed all the dogs in separate crates with the doors locked so that there are not empty or full food bowls around to guard. Keep the doors of the crates closed when no one is in the crate to prevent the other dogs from snooping around each others crates for food - which could make Koda feel upset. When you are supervising, teach all the dogs the Out command (which means leave the area) and make whoever is causing issues leave the area as needed. Out command: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Decide what your house rules are for all the dogs and you be the one to enforce the rules instead of the dogs. No aggression, no pushiness, no stealing toys, no stealing food, no being possessive of people or things, or any other unwanted behavior - if one dog is causing a problem you be the one to enforce the rules so that the dogs are NOT working it out themselves. For example, if pup comes over to your older dog when she is trying to sleep, tell pup Out. If she obeys, praise and reward her. If she disobeys, stand in front of your older dog, blocking the pup from getting to her, and walk toward pup calmly but firmly until pup leaves the area and stops trying to go back to your older dog. If your older dog growls or nips at your pup, make koda leave the room while also disciplining pup if she did something she shouldn't have. Be vigilant and take the pressure off of your older dog - you want her to learn to look to you when there is a problem, and for puppy to learn respect for your older dog because you have taught it to her and not because your older dog has had to resort to aggression. At the same time Koda needs to learn that it is not her job to manage pup and that she has to let you handle any issues and not deal with it herself - she is not in charge of pup. You are in charge of all the dogs. If you want pup to be free but don't want to chase after her while you are home, you can also clip her to yourself using a six-foot leash, so that she has to stay near you and not wander near your other dog. If Koda isn't listening to you well, have her work for what she gets in life by having to do a command first. For example, have her sit before being let outside, lie down before being petting, wait before being fed, Watch Me before you throw a toy, ect...sometimes dogs feel insecure because there is a lack of respect for the human in the house and that needs to be calmly dealt with. That doesn't necessarily sound like the case here but keep an eye out for it. Also, spend some time learning about canine body language. Watch for subtle signs that Koda is getting stressed. She likely is giving off warning signals but they are vague and pup hasn't learned to recognize them yet. Look for freezing, stiffening, raised hair on back, a quiet lifted lip, a hard stare, a tail that is raised where the tail meets her back, and ears back - which is more a sign of discomfort and anxiety, which can proceed aggression. Don't baby, reward, or pet Koda when she is behaving aggressively or tense. Instead be confident, firm, and calm. When she is tolerant, relaxed, and friendly you can pet, praise and reward to encourage that behavior instead of tenseness and aggression. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Niahm, first Crate Train the puppy. Crate pup at night and when you leave, and you can use an exercise pen with some toys in it also. When you cannot directly supervise the dogs together, puppy should be crated or in the pen. When you are supervising, teach both dogs the Out command (which means leave the area) and make whoever is causing issues leave the area as needed (which will mostly be puppy right now it sounds like). Follow the steps in the article below for teaching Out, then also follow the steps for How to Use Out to Deal with Pushiness section of the article, and step between pup and your older dog and be the one to walk toward the puppy until he backs out of the area. When Fudge gets really wound up he likely also needs some quiet time to chew on a food stuffed chew toy in an exercise pen or crate - many puppies get wound up when overtired or if they haven't been exercised that day or mentally stimulated. Out command: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Decide what your house rules are for both dogs and you be the one to enforce the rules instead of the dogs. No aggression, no pushiness, no stealing toys, no stealing food, no being possessive of people or things, or any other unwanted behavior - if one dog is causing a problem you be the one to enforce the rules so that the dogs are NOT working it out themselves. For example, if pup comes over to your older dog when she is trying to sleep, tell pup Out. If he obeys, praise and reward him. If he disobeys, stand in front of your older dog, blocking the pup from getting to her, and walk toward pup calmly but firmly until pup leaves the area and stops trying to go back to your older dog. If your older dog growls at your pup, make her leave the room while also disciplining pup if needed. Be vigilant and take the pressure off of your older dog - you want her to learn to look to you when there is a problem, and for puppy to learn respect for your older dog because you have taught it to her and not because your older dog has had to resort to aggression. If you want pup to be free but don't want to chase after him while you are home, you can also clip him to yourself using a six-foot leash, so that he has to stay near you and not wander near your other dog. Finally, whenever your older dog is being tolerant, friendly, or calm around the puppy sneak her a treat (try not to let pup see the treat so he doesn't run over to your dog). Also, whenever puppy first enters the room give your Tara a treat before she reacts fearfully or aggressively (if it ever gets to that point). Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Margaret, It sounds like she was never socialized around men while very young. Men are more intimidating in general for most dogs. How long have you had her? If you just adopted her, he needs to give it more time and try to be patient with her - it will be easier for him to be patient if he feels like he knows what to do about the issue probably. I suggest having him use her daily meal kibble as rewards for being calm around him. Check out the video linked below for an example of this. Whenever he is able, have him feed her her entire meal this way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIJoEJfTS-E I also suggest doing confidence building exercises with her in general: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elvtxiDW6g0 Finally, when your husband can get closer as she gets more comfortable around him, then have him teach her things like heel, basic obedience commands, and tricks to build their bond and her trust in him. Obedience is a great way to build trust and respect without intimidation. I would hire a trainer right now to help you with socialization. You can learn to do it yourself but you absolutely cannot afford to wait to get her around new people, and it will be easier if you have someone to guide you. Ask questions and make sure the person you hire has a lot of experience with behavior problems, fear, and puppies. When you get her around new people, you need to be calm, confident, and upbeat - praising her and rewarding her with treats for calmness, tolerance, and investigating new things. Have strangers toss her treats while she is calm and not barking to help her associate them with good things. When she can handle being around strangers and family, then have calm friends practice getting her used to touch by feeding her a treat while gently touching her somewhere - as soon as the treat is gone the touch stops. Practice this with her yourself first, then have family members practice it with her, before having trusted friends also help you. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Ian, I highly suggest hiring a trainer who will come to your home to help with the aggression. In the meantime Max may need to wear a basket muzzle when in the same space as buddy. Max probably needs a lot more structure and respect for your family. It sounds like he may be possessive of you - which is partially an issue of him not respecting you enough. Hire a trainer who specializes in aggression, work on building his respect for you, adding a lot of structure into his routine (making him work and do obedience), and putting rules in place for the dogs and you being the one to enforce it so dogs don't. Have him work for everything he gets for a while by having him perform a command first. For example, have him sit before you feed him, lay down before you pet him, look at you before you take him outside, ect.. If he nudges you, climbs into your lap uninvited, begs, or does anything else pushy, make him leave the room. Teach him a Place command and work on him staying on place for up to an hour, even when you walk into the other room for a minute. Practice crate manners. Work on teaching a structured Heel. Forget about getting places during a walk for a while right now, instead go somewhere open, like your front yard, a park, or culdesac and practice a heel where his nose does not go past your leg. You need to hire a trainer to help you with the aggression and you need someone who uses a lot of boundaries, positive reinforcement and fair discipline tactfully. Look for someone who is very experienced with aggression and different types of aggression - many trainers are only experienced with fear based aggression and you likely have some dominance- based or territorial aggression going on too, and they are treated a bit differently than fear. Place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omg5DVPWIWo Crate manners: https://thegooddog.net/training-videos/free-how-to-training-videos/learn-to-train-the-good-dog-way-the-crate/ Thresholds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-w28C2g68M Heel article - The turns method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-poodle-to-heel Heel Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTiKVc4ZZWo Introduce a basket muzzle while working through all this to keep buddy safe. To introduce the muzzle, first place it on the ground and sprinkle his meal kibble around it. Do this until he is comfortable eating around it. Next, when he is comfortable with it being on the floor with food, hold it up and reward him with a piece of kibble every time he touches or sniffs it in your hand. Feed him his whole meal this way. Practice this until he is comfortable touching it. Next, hold a treat inside of it through the muzzle's holes, so that he has to poke his face into it to get the treat. As he gets comfortable doing that, gradually hold the treat further down into the muzzle, so that he has to poke his face all the way into the muzzle to get the treat. Practice until he is comfortable having his face in it. Next, feed several treats in a row through the muzzle's holes while he holds his face in the muzzle for longer. Practice this until he can hold his face in it for at least ten seconds while being fed treats. Next, when he can hold his face in the muzzle for ten seconds while remaining calm, while his face is in the muzzle move the muzzle's buckles together briefly, then feed him a treat through the muzzle. Practice this until he is not bothered by the buckles moving back and forth. Next, while he is wearing the muzzle buckle it and unbuckle it briefly, then feed a treat. As he gets comfortable with this step, gradually keep the muzzle buckled for longer and longer while feeding treats through the muzzle occasionally. Next, gradually increase how long he wears the muzzle for and decrease how often you give him a treat, until he can calmly wear the muzzle for at least an hour without receiving treats more than two treats during that hour. Decide what your house rules are for both dogs and you be the one to enforce the rules instead of the dogs. No aggression, no pushiness, no stealing toys, no stealing food, no being possessive of people or things, or any other unwanted behavior - if one dog is causing a problem you be the one to enforce the rules so that the dogs are NOT working it out themselves. For example, if pup comes over to your older dog when he is trying to sleep, tell pup Out. If he obeys, praise and reward him. If he disobeys, stand in front of your older dog, blocking the pup from getting to him, and walk toward pup calmly but firmly until pup leaves the area and stops trying to go back to your older dog. If your pup growls at your dog, make him leave the room while also disciplining the other dog for antagonizing if needed (not an issue now it sounds like). Be vigilant. You want both dogs to learn to look to you when there is a problem, and for puppy to learn respect for your older dog because you have taught it to him. I would have pup wear a basket muzzle while practicing this to avoid injury to Buddy, give you the ability to enforce the training the way it needs to be - so he can't use his mouth to get what he wants, and to prevent pup from possibly redirecting his aggression toward you or protesting the new rules by biting you. Crate train pup, and give pup a food stuffed hollow chew toy like a Kong in the crate, and have pup spend time in the crate when you cannot supervise, and on Place for longer periods of time to learn better impulse control and calmness. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Heather, Crate train puppy and purchase and exercise pen and keep pup away from your Golden when you cannot supervise them together. Fill hollow chew toys with dog food and a little peanut butter, soft cheese, of liver paste (avoid Xylitol sweetener in some Peanut butter - it's toxic!). You can make the food last longer by placing pups food in a bowl, cover food with water, let it sit out until food turns to mush, mix a little peanut butter, soft cheese, or liver paste into it, then loosely stuff toy and freeze overnight. You can make several ahead of time and grab from freezer as needed - pup can eat all of her meals this way to keep her busier. Follow the Surprise method and the Crate manners protocol to help teach calmness in the crate. Crying for a few days is normal though - stay strong and don't let her out while she is crying unless she truly needs to go potty. She needs the opportunity to learn to self-sooth and self- entertain with the chew toy in the crate or pen. Surprise method for crate training: https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Crate manners to help teach calmness and self-control: https://thegooddog.net/training-videos/free-how-to-training-videos/learn-to-train-the-good-dog-way-the-crate/ Next, teach pup the Out and Leave It commands and also follow the section in the Out article on how to use out to deal with pushiness once you have already taught the meaning of the command. Use that advice when pup is pestering your Golden and not obeying Out. Out (which means leave the area): https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Leave it method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite To help with pup's energy have multiple short obedience sessions where you are teaching something new, something that requires a lot of self-control for her, or something that requires a lot of thinking in general. Mental exercise can actually wear puppies out even more than physical exercise - especially for more intelligent, driven breeds like Shepherds. Give the food stuffed hollow chew toys for her to work for meals also - this gives her a "job" to do and teaches her to chew the right things and settle down. Some good commands that require a lot of self-control are: Down Stay Heel-You can teach this in your own backyard or even in the house sometimes: Turns method for heeling: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-poodle-to-heel Place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omg5DVPWIWo Thresholds - you can practice with outside doors especially, as a good safety no-door-bolting protocol, BUT attach a long leash to her and the other end of it to something secure inside your home just in case she gets past you through the door during practice. Add distractions like neighbors or kids outside as she improves to make it harder and increase her skill level: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-w28C2g68M Any basic obedience: Sit, Come, Stay, Down, Stand - taught, then practiced all together in quick repetition, for longer periods of time, with distractions, or from a distance as she improves more. New tricks like bringing things to you Finally, be an advocate for your older dog. Make and enforce household rules for all the dogs so they don't have to enforce the rules themselves. Things like no stealing food, bothering while sleeping, shoving out of the way, acting aggressive toward, continuing when one wants to stop, resource guarding people or things, keeping another from getting into or through a space, ect...When one dog (mostly pup probably) breaks a rule, you enforce the rules by making the rule breaker leave, using the Out command, returning a stolen toy to who had it first, making pup leave the room while your other dog eats or sleeps, ect.. If food stealing is an issue, feed both dogs in separate locked crates to remove the tension around food and to help them focus on eating and not guarding food or feeling too worried to eat. It is OKAY for pup to learn to stay on Place for an hour with a chew toy and simply leave your older dog alone - in fact that is a useful skill later in life. This will take some time to teach though so be patient - BUT just practicing it should help wear pup out if it's a bit challenging. As long as you are giving pup the mental stimulation she needs at other times, puppy can spend time learning how to chew quietly on a chew toy and develop an "off" switch through practices like Place. Most puppies have to be an off switch taught while young - they don't naturally know how. As soon as she is well, I suggest finding a puppy play group or kindergarten class that has time for off leash puppy play that is moderated to prevent bullying and pups feeling overwhelmed (with breaks as needed essentially) to help her learn bite inhibition and social skills with other dogs - puppy play is by far the best and safest way to do this around other dogs. Don't wait to join a class, go as soon as pup is able because bite inhibition is age dependent. Once she is well, focus most of your energy also on taking her places and making interactions with other people fun but calm as well. You will have lost some time with socialization and need to do a lot of catch up fast, so that will be your main focus for a while when you get to that point with her health. As a more reserved breed socialization with others will be super important even though she is probably still at the age where she does fine - work on it when you are able to again so she stays fine and doesn't develop issues later. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Soekie, I suggest crate training, tethering, teaching Out, and teaching Place commands. Out means leave the area is a great command to use to teach a pup to stay out of another dog's space. Place is great for teaching calmness while they are together and you can give a food stuffed Kong while on the place also to keep pup entertained. Crate Training and tethering pup to yourself with a 6 foot leash are super important during times when you cannot actively supervise the dogs together and be teaching pup. Out command-read entire article for how to teach and also how to use in different situations: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Place - expect place to take pup time to learn. Start teaching pup now and gradually increase how long he can stay there with lots of practice - great command for adult dogs later too: https://thegooddog.net/training-videos/free-how-to-training-videos/learn-to-train-the-good-dog-way-place-command-the-good-dog-training-tips/ Crate Training - Surprise method: https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Crate manners - if needed: https://thegooddog.net/training-videos/free-how-to-training-videos/learn-to-train-the-good-dog-way-the-crate/ Google various ways to stuff Kongs to make them interesting. You can even make frozen ones ahead of time using pup's food, some water, and a little liver paste, cheese, or peanut butter (NO xylitol - it's toxic). If you freeze just put a straw through the kong while it is freezing, then remove straw before giving to pup - to prevent a suction action. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Shona, I generally recommend not allowing older dogs to correct puppies when things are tense. If you step in and manage pup instead, that takes pressure off the older dogs - which can help them like and adjust to her more easily, and your corrections still help her learn what's acceptable and not. Start by rewarding older dogs when she enters the room, they are tolerant of her, and friendly - try to remove without puppy seeing so she doesn't rush over to get a treat too. Correct older dogs for things you find unacceptable, manage puppy so she doesn't pester them too much by being rude, stealing toys, waking them up, ect... Some older dogs do a good job of teaching puppies how to behave but a lot don't so I generally recommend you make the rules and enforce them for all the dogs, instead of letting them work it out on their own. With everyone looking to you for direction, things should go more smoothly. The rules that dog's may make are not always rules you will be okay with. A crate, exercise pen, and attaching pup to yourself with a 6 foot leash are good tools for managing puppy when you are not actively mediating things between the dogs. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Za'Ria, Kahlua is hitting the age that's an equivalent of a puppy teenager right now - this is a common age for puppies to push boundaries, wander off, listen less, experiment with dominance, and play rough. As a herding breed she is also probably experiencing more of those instincts emerging (the shoving and nipping are herding behaviors in Aussie's - which you likely know). It's her way of trying to control the younger pup. I suggest teaching both dogs Out (which means leave the area) and Place - which is similar to Stay but on a certain spot and they can sit, stand, or lie down but can't get off the spot. Practicing Place with both dogs in the same room on separate place beds can help facilitate calmness around each other and respect for you - especially for the older pup. Out is great for giving direction and giving a consequence of leaving the room when there is pushiness too. It's also good for increasing impulse control - which is an important skill for your older pup to practice right now. Out command - read the entire article, including the section for using Out to deal with pushy behavior: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omg5DVPWIWo I also suggest crate training both dogs so that they can have a calm place to chew on a chew toy away from each other when things are tense, or one dog is pestering the other, or you are not home to supervise while they are still getting to know each other. Crate training is an important potty training and safety measure for a young pup also. An open crate while you are home can also serve as an additional Place to practice, and feeding both dogs in separate locked crates can prevent food resource guarding and remove stress around mealtimes. You may already be doing this but if not I suggest adding it. The crate manners protocol is good even for already crate trained dogs - to work on impulse control, respect and calmness skills. Crate Manners - great calmness and gentle respect building exercise : https://thegooddog.net/training-videos/free-how-to-training-videos/learn-to-train-the-good-dog-way-the-crate/ Surprise method - for introducing crate for first time: https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Reel In method for teaching Come: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-whippet-to-recall Decide what your house rules are for both dogs and you be the one to enforce the rules instead of the dogs. No aggression, no pushiness, no stealing toys, no stealing food, no being possessive of people or things, or any other unwanted behavior - if one dog is causing a problem, you be the one to enforce the rules so that the dogs are NOT working it out themselves - meaning your older pup isn't controlling as much. For example, if pup comes over to your other dog when she is trying to sleep, tell pup Out. If he obeys, praise and reward him. If he disobeys, stand in front of your other dog, blocking the pup from getting to him, and walk toward pup calmly but firmly until pup leaves the area and stops trying to go back to your other dog. If your older dog pushes pup or gets between you and pup uninvited, tell your older dog Out and enforce her leaving. When she is waiting for her turn patiently, then send Whiskey to place and invite Kahlua over - no demanding of attention right now from either dog - especially Kahlua. Make them wait or do a command first to work for your attention if pushiness is an issue, and make them leave if being pushy or aggressive. If your older dog growls at pup, make Kahlua leave the room while also carefully disciplining Whiskey if pup antagonized her first. Be vigilant and take the pressure off of your dogs - you want them to learn to look to you when there is a problem, and for them to learn respect for each other because you have taught it to them and not because they have used aggression. Moderate the play. Use commands like Out, Place, and Leave It to enforce when it's time to play and when it's not. Your younger pup doesn't need to stick up for himself - you be the one to make and enforce your house rules and teach dogs to abide by them. Keep a drag leash on both dogs, or at least Kahlua while in the house while you can supervise. Calmly go over to pup, step on the leash and pick up the end of it and direct Kahlua where she needs to go if you gave a command like Place or Out and she is ignoring you. Having the ability to back up what you say is huge here - she needs to learn that when you give a command you will back it up - so that your commands have meaning to her and she will learn to respond to them better as time goes on. Consistency and Working methods -as needed: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-doberman-to-listen-to-you Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Johanna, If the dogs were inside dogs or you were outside with them more, then the solution would be a high level of training and managing on your end to establish rules and you enforce them between the dogs - the dogs way of treating each other would be based on respect for you and not just for each other, so that no dog is deciding what another dog can and can't do - that's your job. With the dogs being outside dogs and not with you most of the time you are looking at simply managing opposed to truly training. I suggest separating the dogs. Dividing the yard with a shelter in each section of the yard for all the dogs and preventing Cleo from being able to get to Jesse and bully her - not just around the shelter but in general. Best of luck, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Deborah, Unfortunately, I highly disagree with your vet's advice in this case. First, I highly suggest crate training the puppy. Almost all puppies will cry the first two weeks of crate training - it is new to them and they have to be given the opportunity to learn to self-sooth and self-entertain to prepare them for environments they will have to be in later and prevent dangerous destructive chewing habits that happen without confinement. Use the Surprise method from the article linked below to gradually help her learn to be calm in the crate and to relax by using rewards for being Quiet. https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Once she is crate trained then life with both dogs can be a lot easier for everyone. Crate pup at night and when you leave, and you can use an exercise pen with some toys in it also. When you cannot directly supervise the dogs together, puppy should be crated or in the pen. When you are supervising, teach both dogs the Out command (which means leave the area) and make whoever is causing issues leave the area as needed. Out command: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Decide what your house rules are for both dogs and you be the one to enforce the rules instead of the dogs. No aggression, no pushiness, no bothering another dog when they want to be left alone, no stealing toys, no stealing food, no being possessive of people or things, or any other unwanted behavior - if one dog is causing a problem you be the one to enforce the rules so that the dogs are NOT working it out themselves. For example, if pup comes over to your older dog when she is trying to sleep, tell pup Out. If she obeys, praise and reward her. If she disobeys, stand in front of your older dog, blocking the pup from getting to her, and walk toward pup calmly but firmly until pup leaves the area and stops trying to go back to your older dog. If your older dog acts aggressive toward your pup (which is not as likely if you are defending your older dog from her), make her leave the room while also disciplining pup for antagonizing her if needed. Be vigilant and take the pressure off of your older dog - you want her to learn to look to you when there is a problem, and for puppy to learn respect for your older dog because you have taught it to her and not because your older dog has had to resort to aggression or she has to hide all the time. If you want pup to be free but don't want to chase after her while you are home, you can also clip her to yourself using a six-foot leash, so that she has to stay near you and not wander near your other dog. Whenever puppy enters the room, give Nova a treat while Lily is not looking. Whenever she is calm, relaxed or tolerant of puppy also give her a treat. Try not to let puppy see you rewarding her though so that Lily doesn’t run over and overwhelm her. Right now Nova probably feels overwhelmed by Lily and because of the age and personality difference. She needs to feel like you are the one managing Lily, protecting Nova from her pestering her, and making her appearance pleasant for Nova. If you can take the pressure off of their relationship and help their interactions to be calmer, then Nova may adjust to her presence as she grows, especially when she calms down when older and through boundaries you have taught Lily. Don’t expect them to be best friends. The goal right now is calm, peaceful coexistence. They may end up bonding and enjoy each others company as adults later but they don’t have to play or be thrilled right now. My own older dog was very tolerant of our youngest dog for the first year and did well, but they were not buddies until she became an adult and calmed down. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Terri, At this stage definitely always supervise the dogs when they are together. Confine pup to the crate or an exercise pen when you can't supervise. With two dogs, its always a good idea to give both a lot of structures, decide some boundaries for both dogs, and you be the one to enforce the rules. Some examples of rules you can put into place for the dogs can include, but are not limited to: No aggression, no pushiness, no stealing toys, no stealing food, no bothering another dog when they want to be left alone, no being possessive of people or things, or any other unwanted behavior - if one dog is causing a problem you be the one to enforce the rules so that the dogs are NOT working it out themselves. For example, if pup comes over to your older dog when she is trying to sleep, tell pup Out. If he obeys, praise and reward him. If he disobeys, stand in front of your older dog, blocking the pup from getting to her, and walk toward pup calmly but firmly until pup leaves the area and stops trying to go back to your older dog. If your older dog growls at your pup, make Stella leave the room while also disciplining puppy if pup broke one of your rules, like antagonizing Stella, also. Be vigilant and take the pressure off of your older dog - you want her to learn to look to you when there is a problem, and for puppy to learn respect for your older dog because you have taught it to him and not because your older dog has had to resort to aggression or avoid him. Some good commands to work on with both dogs to help with boundaries and calmness include: Out command - this is the command I would work the most on with puppy right now: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omg5DVPWIWo Leave It: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite Thresholds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-w28C2g68M Heel article - The turns method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-poodle-to-heel Place, Out, and Leave It are especially great commands for multi-dog households! Out is probably the number one command I use managing multiple dogs and the command I would suggest using to help pup learn to give your other dog space. Read the entire article "Out" article I linked above and pay special attention to the sections on How to teach Out and How to Use Out to Deal with Pushy Behavior. You will find yourself having to enforce out a LOT at first - stay consistent and pup should gradually start learning to listen without you having to walk over there to physically show him each time. Reward your older dog with a treat (when puppy isn't watching) whenever she is tolerant and calm around the new puppy. Also, reward your older dog when puppy simply enters the room at first - to associate pup's appearance with good things for your older dog. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden