Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all! We just a got a new puppy from the shelter. He is 4-6 months of age and is a lab mix. We also have a 5 1/2 year old Pomapoo. Well to make this short, my pomapoo hates the new puppy. He isn't too keen with any dogs, but our main concern is the one he has to live with on a daily basis. We had a trainer come to the house for an evaluation and she told us to just let them work it out. Well it's been over a month and they haven't. It's gotten worse, because now the new puppy is beginning to associate this behavior with how you greet all dogs. And its a huge difference to all dog owners when a 40 lb lab is growling and snarling as opposed to an 11 lb poodle mix. Any helpful tips are greatly appreciated?! No one seems to have any answers for us.

Are they both males? Are they both altered?

Two males getting along together is difficult, not impossible, but difficult. It would be better to have opposite genders. If eitehr of them have full male hormones going through their systems and are not altered, that will make issues worse. MUCH worse. So alter both dogs immediately and that will help- although not over night.

Once dosg have learned to really dislike each other, your job will be much harder. "Just letting them work it out" sometimes works, but generally speaking, it's not the best way to deal with it. In my house, my two dogs need to get along or they don't get extra freedoms in the house. Snarky, growly, mean behavior is not tolerated and is met by time outs of both paries involved. I don't just isolate the loudest individual because sometimes that individual was pushed to the point of making noise by the other one being silently naughty.

There's a book called "Feeling Outnumbered" that may help in your situation as well.
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Chelle and the rest of the crew including, but not limited to Kita and Taiko (the shiba inu wrestle maniacs), Adi (reserved and dignified tabby cat), and all 28 reptiles www.freewebs.com/performanceshibas