- Apr 25, 2010
- 435
- 2
- 121
The whole giving-the-bone-to-the-puppy thing.... all I can say is don't LOL You're telling the adults they're not higher up in the pack than the puppy, and sooner or later they'll feel the need to defend their position. You're giving them reason to worry that their bones and treats will be taken away from them. Let them sort it out amongst themselves within reason (obviously don't leave them all together unattended until you're sure they're ok). I'd put anything 'valuable' (ie likely to cause a fight) away for the first few days.
Adult dogs usually are grouchy with new puppies for a while, it's just their way of establishing the pecking order. If they were friendly and licking a new puppy they would essentially be handing over all control to the new guy. The pack hierarchy of our dogs is very apparent when someone new comes along; the lowest will be friendly and playful, and willing to share their beds from day one. The two alphas will not acknowledge a puppy for a week or two, and will reprimand it if it touches them. It soon settles down.
Adult dogs usually are grouchy with new puppies for a while, it's just their way of establishing the pecking order. If they were friendly and licking a new puppy they would essentially be handing over all control to the new guy. The pack hierarchy of our dogs is very apparent when someone new comes along; the lowest will be friendly and playful, and willing to share their beds from day one. The two alphas will not acknowledge a puppy for a week or two, and will reprimand it if it touches them. It soon settles down.
