Older dog hates puppies.... About to get a puppy...

[stephanie.jackson]

Yes, the changes were made in about a week. Then after a month, he began playing with the dogs.

I just didn't know if I should use the same method with a puppy. I want to make sure during our training, he doesn't harm a puppy. I do not know for sure if he will or not.

[stephanie.jackson]

Codmaster, the problem is that he has a very hard time tolerating a puppy that is 4 months or younger. He very much so prefers an older dog.

[Verivus]

Originally Posted by stephanie.jackson

Yes, the changes were made in about a week. Then after a month, he began playing with the dogs.

I just didn't know if I should use the same method with a puppy. I want to make sure during our training, he doesn't harm a puppy. I do not know for sure if he will or not.

Thats a question you should be asking your behaviorist. We don't know what method you're talking about, so we can't say either way.

[doggiedad]

your dog is reactive towards pups. you're going to be working
12 hour shifts. you didn't follow through with training your
dog. no puppy for you.

[Sunflowers]

Gosh, this would be taking in so much. I can't see why. I would devote all my time to working with the dog I already have.

[jocoyn]

I will add to the others........this sounds like a bad idea.

If you go through with it, I had one female I did not trust when I brought Beau home. I kept him away from her crate and let her approach his crate with him in it. I did not let them meet until she progressed to a stage of coming into my office (where I kept his crate) and she curled up and would sleep next to him-this took a few weeks (my old male who had no issues was ready to meet him the first day)

Big difference though. I WORK from home 8 hours a day. I could not even begin to imagine bringing a new puppy in were I in your situation.

[WVGSD]

Like everyone else, I say that this is a horrible time for you to bring in a new puppy. First because your life is changing so rapidly and second because of the current dog.

If, however, you are set on bringing in the new puppy, than I suggest and STONGLY recommend that you commit yourself to a routine of crating and rotating your dogs for life. Invest in strong baby gates so that you can allow the dogs to see one another, but not have the chance for fights. Never leave them together when you are not immediately supervising. Crates will be a must for both dogs.

I have a seven month old GSD puppy and she plays with my other dogs by jumping on them and mouthing them. I supervise all interactions and only let her play with my two most tolerant neutered males. My most recent foster German Shepherd was a lovely adult female GSD who just hated dogs in her face. She was not reactive or aggressive, just did not like dogs in her face or climbing on her. She and the GSD puppy could never be together and thankfully, I only had the foster dog for one week.

Since you currently have a reactive dog, you need to be prepared for a lifetime of "management" of the interactions between the two dogs - not just for the first four months or so. A strong committment to constant training with both would also help. At this point, you just can not predict how they will get along, but you do know the behavior of the current dog. You must commit to keeping the puppy safe and to preventing any fights or altercations for the lifespan of the two dogs.

[LaneyB]

So I have a 21 month old GSD (Midas) who was attacked by another dog when he was a several months old. After that, he was very dog reactive.

Just be very careful that Midas doesn't end up attacking the new puppy, and the new puppy then becoming dog reactive. If you are definitely getting a new puppy can the behaviorist come and help work on introducing them? My dog trainer has introduced new dogs to Ruki and I can't believe how much more smoothly it goes when the trainer is present.

[bigd3077]

The title made me lol. Don't get another dog yet.

[msvette2u]

Nobody has helped give me an answer on training techniques for this issue I appreciate all of the responses though.

That's because, if you asked "when I go out and drive my car 150 mph in a school zone, should I steer like this, or like that?" We'd be sitting here saying, "Um, you should not be driving 150 mph anywhere".

Basically, you're asking us for assistance with cooking a recipe for disaster. You may as well ask us how to build a bomb in your back yard. The result will be the same.
Don't do it.
Now is not the time in your life for a puppy - it's not the time in MANY of our lives, and that's okay.
When it's time, you'll know and we'll direct you to the right info then.
Right now it's impossible since your current dog has so many issues, and you're an RN gone 12 hours A DAY.

If you're getting puppy 2 to keep dog 1 company, bad bad bad idea.
Better idea to take the deposit and enroll him in dog day care or hire a dog walker.