do I need to protect my older dog from the puppy?

[tim-o]

My 11 week old Boston is really REALLY rough with my 4 year old boxer. The pup bites her hard on the jowls, ears,neck anywhere she can reach. I've seen this 60lb boxer chase off 150lb rotties, why does she take this crap from a 10lb pipsqueek? I assume that if the boxer really couldn't take it, she tell her off or go hide or something. Is it some weird maternal thing? Should I be stepping in? Any thoughts?

[mrsgrubby]

My rottie puppy used to make my German Shepards tail bleed. My German Shepard was a pretty mean dog in general, but he would tolerate anything from my rottie puppy. I think dogs know when it is a baby, but as the puppy grows, the older dogs usually starts to enforce a few rules.


by the way....Thanks for posting with the red sweater I have been dying to see it. I think I want a boxer for my next dog. They are adorable!

[Kade]

I think you should let them play together -- the Boxer will let your Boston know when enough is enough.

In my experience, the older dog usually does let the puppy "win" -- until the older dog is tired of playing. And then the puppy gets the message through body language, a soft growl, or a gesture (the older dog may "pin" the younger one).

Just keep an eye on them and make sure he doesn't do too much damage.

[Carrie]

Having the older dog be the bigger dog is the reverse of my situation. My Chi's are the older ones and my Dobe was the pup. But if it comes to a point where there's too much frustration, yes, your Boxer will let your pup know. But down the road as the pup gets older, the Boxer may let him know too roughly. I'd watch it and be careful. With my dogs, my Dobe would pester them but I had to be really careful since they're so small and he needed me to teach him to be gentle....couldn't risk injury to the Chi's. But if your Boxer decides to "retaliate" too harshly, your pup could get hurt. Sometimes the big dogs don't know their own strength....don't realize what a toy breed is....not at first. So, I'd keep an eye out and assist your Boxer in teaching the pup to temper down his roughness a little. After all, you're the one who has to be all nervous watching this. It's your choice to make the rules for these dogs. LOL.

[Kade]

Gosh, Carrie, I've never even thought about the reverse scenario! That would make me really nervous.

[okpik]

I had my first dog for a year before I got the second.
They continuously banter, bite, hang off the other's jowls, tail or whatever constantly, and they asexually hump. (male and female).
If my son or I get down with them as the alpha of the pack we are regarded as fair game and are attacked as well but none of us are hurt. They are posturing within the pack however small it is.
My baby used to yelp occasionally and the oldest would let go only to be attack from behind a moment later. No blood, no fowl.

[Carrie]

LOL Kade. Yup....nervous is the word! Dobes are very, very paw oriented and Lyric's paws alone could smash a Chihuahuas back. He had no clue and he was a wild child. So by the time the Chi's would tell him to back off, it would already be too late. So, I really had to actively teach Lyric how to be gentle and watch every second for months. Then he figured out what I meant. Now, I don't have to supervise because he's more careful. But sometimes he gets a little brazen and the Chi's do tell him off and he backs off respectfully. It just took time to grow up.

But with the Boxer being the older one, it should be easier because he's alread mature. But still, if he's not familiar with having tiny dogs around, he may tell the pup off sometime, but rougher than he means to. It's just different I think with such extreme sizes of dogs. They don't seem to know what size they are....at least not for a while. Finally, it seems they get somewhat of a clue. LOL.

I've shown these pictures a million times, but it shows how Lyric did learn to mouth and play gently. He does love the Chi's and they put up with him and even play with him, but not as much as he'd like to play. That's when they give him a little piece of their minds. And he looks dejected when they do.

[Jamilupine]

Those pictures are fantastic Carrie!

[Boxermom]

When we got Houston, we already had Roxie and Maya, he was 5 months when we got him, Roxie 12, Maya 5, Houston is relentless with his big sister Maya, and she takes it, he hangs from her throat, she just looks at me like" Ma, help" of course she could easily whip him across the room, she doesn't but will and has with different things put him in his place. Roxie is older and doesn't much bother just sleeps alot, she will interact but she to puts him in his place, I guess I feel as long as their safe and playing nice then they need to and can establish their place in the "pack". They work it all out and love each other very much. Good luck!

[sharona1973]

When Mishka was 6 months old, I went home to do my internship and so Mishka got to meet Sheba, our family Sheltie who was about 9 years old. One night we were all hanging out in the family room when my mom saw Sheba and exclaimed, "Oh my, what is wrong with Sheba's face?" We turned to look and her left eye was totally swollen and red and her entire face was soaked....on closer inspection, we noticed it was slobber and realized that Mishka the puppy had been contendedly chewing on Sheba's ears and face....I guess she was in the teething stage or something. Sheba would lie completely still while this puppy scampered all over her and Mishka would even spend hours sitting on top of Sheba lick and "chewing" on her ears and face. Sheba was always a shy dog that didn't like people and we were really surprised that she would allow a puppy to do that to her (Sheba died 2 years ago....heart failure, we still miss her).

Now Mishka and Mocha (6 mos old male) play all the time and it looks rough sometimes, but they're just having a good time and sometimes it even looks like Mishka is the one who initiates play.

I think that older animals are aware of little ones....our cats even tolerated Mocha when he first arrived and was harrassing them. They would just walk away and ignore him and if he was persistent, they would swipe at him but without their claws. So I think that it's just normal play in some instances, but you still have to watch them. When Mishka and Mocha play and it starts getting rough, I just say, "ah ah ah" and they look at me and stop.