My new Puppy

[Orrymain]

On request, this is my new puppy. Her name is Gracie and she is named after the daughter of British Tenor, Alfie Boe. She's about 16 weeks old now and she was rescued from a shelter. Working on her adapting to life with my two other dogs. It's an adjustment that may take some time. Anywho, here is Gracie!

 

[Fringe Reception]

Bark bark! What a cutie!

 

[SWHouston]

Woof woof, I agree, and Ichabod likes Gracie TOO ! :thumb:

 

[Orrymain]

She loves new friends, human or dog! Having a few adjustment issues with my black lab but hoping that passes soon.

 

[SWHouston]

Orry, you said...

"my worst problem is getting the 3 dogs to adapt to being a trio. The oldest two now aren't eating normally. They get along with the puppy though. It's all so confusing"

That's actually called a "Pack".
But, I leave three kinds of Food out (Beef/Foul/Sea) for my 4 guys 24/7. It's so much easier on me to just check them once or twice a day. Allowing them to self-regulate on their intake has worked out well for me. Additionally, once they get used to it being available all the time, resource guarding is not an issue either.

Also, it's not unusual that older/adult Dogs yield to a Puppy even if it's not their own, and one can negatively effect the residents quite a bit. Be sure to emphasize petting/treats/etc with your resident animals, they may feel that the new guy is taking their place.

 

[Orrymain]

I make sure to give the older dogs all their regular attention and more. They are fine with Gracie for the most part. It's just this weird thing the oldest one is doing. When it's all 4 of us, she walks right up against my other older dog, with her nose right in her neck. Sometimes she'll growl if Gracie tries to play with one of them at that point. It's really challenging to try and figure it out. Pet trainer guys says older dog is trying to redo the dog dynamic and make sure she's alpha. Even so, she's never gotten an argument about that from the other dog, who is just being Miss Submissive. It's a little better but it's still an issue, especially once she growls which makes Gracie jump up on one or both of them and sets things off. sheez

 

[SWHouston]

Even though their natural instinct is to create a Pack/Pecking Order, a great deal of that lies with you. They have a direction, but, want very much to please their Leader (you), and probably will yield to the hierarchy you create.

I have a 2yo Male (Ichabod), who is the most pesky, relentless and obnoxious little guy you'd ever meet, and probably will make me the best Alpha Male I've ever had...but, not today. When he and my resident Alpha (Sneakers) get into an authority struggle, and where I choose to intervene, Ickey is the one who's wrong. Doesn't matter who did what, Ickey gets scolded. It is my choice who's my second in command. You too can "mold" your Pack. But, you must be Johnny on the spot and consistent with the intervention.

 

[Rickideemus]

I saw a Dog Whisperer show once, where the guy just played ball with the dogs. They said the dogs are SO deeply impressed by our ability to do something they can't (throw anything) you immediately become top dog. So maybe play catch with all three at once, and make sure YOU decide who gets to catch every time? Or something like that??

I dunno, just an idea I thought I'd throw out...

 

[SWHouston]

Rick,
That's not unreasonable, but, Dogs have a very acute sense of our "strength", and some Humans may not be as much of a Pack Leader as they would like to think they are. One thing for sure, Pack Play is very recommended. That "togetherness", inside, outside or wherever really means a lot to them.

 

[Orrymain]

They actually do pretty good together, the 3 of them, until Gracie jumps on Tessa in play. Tessa doesn't care. She doesn't love it, but she just stands there, with Gracie's paws on her, but then Cassie gets upset and starts growling and such at Tessa, not Gracie. I still don't get it. I'm doing my best to redirect Cassie's attention but sometimes, it's very difficult to do, especially because once she starts, Gracie gets super excited and her jumping escalates. She'll even start barking, just because Cassie may be. I try to stay calm, but I end up with Gracie all over the place, Cassie trying alpha Tessa for some weird reason, and Tessa just wanting them to leave her alone.

 

[SWHouston]

Orry,
I pay very close attention to their attitudes and try to determine reasons for their actions. However, any disappointment I realize from rationalizations in any mater concerning Dogs, is neutralized by admissions from the Experts, that they are experiencing the same thing. :dizzy:

One thing though, is when you're trying to correct behavior of one, among several, that you isolate or reach out (physically) and touch the animal you're directing the correction to. This way it better focus' your dislike to one, rather than sitting across the room and calling out, with several animals hearing that. General corrections even when you call out their name, are quite confusing to others in the Pack.

A funny situation though...
I mentioned my rambunctious Jr. Male Ichabod. He gets into more trouble than Carter has Pills. When I take him aside, and shake a finger in his face as I correct him, My Adult Female Becca wags her tail vigorously. She likes to see him get into trouble, and I'm very suspicious that she manipulates situations where he will. :whoo:

 

[scooterville1289]

Rocky and Oliver-Warming up!

So it was 33F outside and my hounds were cold so they took over a heater lol
I had to share this one of my jack Russell ( Rocky) and my Maltese (Oliver)

 

[Lily13]

So cute!


...I'd rather have a cat...


But it still IS cute!

 

[Orrymain]

Orry,
I pay very close attention to their attitudes and try to determine reasons for their actions. However, any disappointment I realize from rationalizations in any mater concerning Dogs, is neutralized by admissions from the Experts, that they are experiencing the same thing. :dizzy:

One thing though, is when you're trying to correct behavior of one, among several, that you isolate or reach out (physically) and touch the animal you're directing the correction to. This way it better focus' your dislike to one, rather than sitting across the room and calling out, with several animals hearing that. General corrections even when you call out their name, are quite confusing to others in the Pack.

A funny situation though...
I mentioned my rambunctious Jr. Male Ichabod. He gets into more trouble than Carter has Pills. When I take him aside, and shake a finger in his face as I correct him, My Adult Female Becca wags her tail vigorously. She likes to see him get into trouble, and I'm very suspicious that she manipulates situations where he will. :whoo:

LOL I've seen that kind of behavior before. I had a beagle once who was really sly. She was always trying to get her puppy in trouble. Her puppy was really a golden retriever, not literally the beagle's offspring. They loved each other, but that beagle was crafty. She plotted and planned like no other dog I've seen. Watching her was an education!

Still having problems with this one situation. It's very difficult for one person to handle all 3 dogs when something goes off. The trainer told me to focus on Gracie, the puppy, which I do but then things escalate anyway. I did have a victory on Sunday --- Cassie was in the house and the other two were outside. I looked out and Tessa and Gracie were play-bowing and playing. Yes! Then that night they tugged on a tug toy together. That's all good news. Just really need to sort out whatever is going on in Cassie's head.

 

[scooterville1289]

@Lily13
I like cats but im deathly allergic..like hives and my eyes swell and cant breath its weird. My fam. Figured it out when we lived on a farm when I was younger and over a sum of a few years we accumulated around 20 cats .. well one thing led to another and I had a seizure from like age 2-9 never knew the real reason.. but I was with cats every time..

 

[scooterville1289]

I want to point out I had multiple seizures not one seizure that lasted years lol.

 

[SWHouston]

Her puppy was really a golden retriever, not literally the beagle's offspring. They loved each other

It's amazing how that can happen. I have an Adult Male Yorkie, who is the most ill-tempered animal ever (protective/territorial/doesn't like anyone but me). He has raised several Puppies (not his) for me, and will literally give them food right out of his mouth, nurture/lick, allow them to play/bite him, and never gets out of sorts ever with them. Given his rather negative reactions to other (older) dogs not in my/our Pack, there's no doubt in my mind, that he's "raising" and tolerating the pups for ME.

There's a lot more to being "Man's best Friend" than meets the eye.

 

[Fan-boy-comics]

Woof woof, I agree, and Ichabod likes Gracie TOO ! :thumb:

Adorable!!!!

 

[Lily13]

Poor you! I've never had such problems but well... I only had a guinea pig as a child... I'd still love to have a cat though, I don't think I could be allergic, nothing ever happened to me with my friends' cats.

 

[PecolaR]

I absolutely love dogs. They're so beautiful. But I refuse to get attached to any other dogs because of my bad experience while I was pregnant. one of my dogs had to get taken away because apparently the idiot who gave us the dog stole it and when didn't know until police came. Then my last dog died from the dog disease that's incurable. I believe it's called povo.