New puppy meeting old dogs
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I had a tiny 6lb maltese and 11 lb cat. I just brought the new pup home and put him in a play pen (or gated area like the kitchen). He stayed that way until my MALTESE felt comfortable enough to go near the new creature. This made her feel comfortable because she knew she could sniff this new "thing" when it appeared to be sleeping. I let the puppy out for short sessions which helped too. Before long they were playing all together. Took the cat 9 wks though to even tolerate the dog being close.
Most people suggest introducing them in a neutral place. |
| I just let the resident dogs meet the puppy. But I give them a physical out if puppy is too much of a pain and I back them up (I trust them with puppies) if they tell the bugger off.
I've never lived with little dogs, but given what I know about OES rowdieness and puppy clumsiness and guessing puppy will soon out grow the little ones, I would STRONGLY recommend letting them assert themselves over the puppy NOW before they're dwarfed. With my own litter and litters I've helped raise I introduce a friend's cranky (but won't go too far) Havanese at about 5 weeks old to impress upon them that little dogs are king. The result is amazing. You end up with adult dogs who will drop to the ground to solicit play and who will let little dogs crawl all over them at whim, and like it. I can't explain the dynamics, but I do like the results. Since puppy will be coming into their territory, even though he's a bit older, depending on your little dogs, hopefully they can explain the golden rule: Small dogs rule, big dogs drool. Whatever you do, if they tell him off, do not correct them. It's their chance to train the bugger. They have a right to do so and unless one of them is an actual minature cujo this is part of his continuing education and completely normal and even desirable. If you protect the poor widdle puppy because the little dogs are being "mean", you can be setting yourself up for some problems down the road. I can't stress this enough. Where in WI are you? Kristine |
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