Puppy driving old GSD crazy. Let them settle it??

[Fade2Black]

Never had two dogs at one time. Just got a puppy Havoc now 11 weeks old last Friday. My current GSD Kaos is 9 years 7 months. He has always been friendly with other dogs and people either in my house. Outside or at the vets.....The puppy Havoc won't leave him alone though. Jumping on Kaos. Biting him on the feet or tail. He chases after him in the yard and steals his sticks I throw to him. Havoc even barked at Kaos two separate times when he took his stick back....

At 1st Kaos did the put Havoc on his back (actually Havoc just assumed the position) Kaos smelled him. Now the puppy is upping the anty while on his back he keeps thrashing his paws and feet. Trying to run get away. Kaos now had a couple times low level growled, barked and put his mouth around the puppy to hold him down. On a couple (prob. two) occasions the puppy yelped but there was no visible bite marks at all. I have thought you need to let them settle it now while the puppy is a puppy. Is this correct?? When or should they be separated?? (aside from if it looks like the puppy will get hurt). It just looks scary seeing the much bigger dog getting pissed at being tormented.....

Thanx Much in advance for the help......

[shepherdmom]

It's your job to protect your old guy. When you see he has had enough and he has warned the puppy it is time to separate them and put the puppy in his crate for a while until puppy settles down. Or at times when my old boy has had enough I let him into the kids room to nap on the bed without the puppies bothering him.

[blehmannwa]

I agree with shepherdmom. May I also suggest that you give Kaos a special treat when he interacts with the puppy and reward clam behavior in the pup. I use freeeze dried liver and other high value treats (that I hand feed). It's hard for old dogs to be grumpy when they have something delicious. You want to be in clear and complete control of the treat so it doesn't trigger resource guarding or possessiveness.

My Havoc kept going after my old girl's tail. What made it worse was that she was in the beginning of D.M. and had lost some feeling in her rear paws. I had an awful vision of Havoc chomping her toes off!

[Fade2Black]

Thanx. Have been doing the time out puppy in the crate. I also get Kaos to stay on the sofa while I play with puppy Havoc. Kaos is my 2nd shadow. So he's not happy unless he's around me or I would let him go off into another room. I am xtra careful of Kaos because of his bad hips. While they are in the same room all the time the puppy is loose (so I can watch him) They really don't interact as of now because Kaos hates being nipped/etc. As long as the puppy stays away they could be a foot away from each other in the same room all day and there wouldn't be a problem. For instance when the puppy is tired he sleeps beside the sofa. I am watching TV on the sofa and Kaos sleeps on the floor. Or when the puppy stays chewing a toy of his Kaos just stays content on the floor near him.....

From his reaction around people so far Havoc looks like he will be a real friendly adult also. I can see real different personalities between them though. For instance the puppy is a lot more adventurous then Kaos was. He wants to go off by himself and explore and get into things. Kaos never really did that. He got into things when I was there. It's what made him so easy to potty train. If he left my side he had to go. Kaos also when he was a puppy never would nip at an older dog .(Even though he was a terror at nipping my hands and feet and wanting to chew something.) He would play chase etc but never jump on the older dog. I had to mix Kaos puppy food with something for him to eat all of it. When he was a pup when he was full he was full. I could leave the bag by him and he wouldn't want any more. The puppy wants to eat everything in site. His Orijen lb puppy food is gone in seconds. If the bag was left out he would eat till he xploded......

[Longfisher]

I don't mean to be critical, but with names like Kaos and Havoc perhaps you had a premonition of how they'd behave with one another?

Please don't acquire another GSD just yet. All the Armaggedon-like names you've already used.

LF

[Fade2Black]

Originally Posted by Longfisher

I don't mean to be critical, but with names like Kaos and Havoc perhaps you had a premonition of how they'd behave with one another?

Please don't acquire another GSD just yet. All the Armaggedon-like names you've already used.

LF

I had premonition's about hitting the lottery. Still waiting on that one.....

When I was young I had the "Baron's" I, II and III. Been through the music group name with my last GSD (RIP) "Genesis". Next one could be called Mahem or Nightmare. Those names were under consideration for this guy. You need a fitting name for a GSD. Good names but there are to many Thor or Odin's etc, etc. Everyone loves the names Kaos and Havoc. Kaos the way it is spelled is actually from the Kaos of the old TV show Maxwell smart instead of say "Chaos" Theory from physics for instance.....

Hey maby I just sing "Kumbaya" to them......

(edit) My Kaos is the most well liked friendly GSD at Newkirk family vets (from the vets/staff). I am sure Havoc will follow in his footsteps. Kaos & Havoc are great names.....

[Fade2Black]

They are working on a cease fire......

[Nigel]

Our male, now 7 months, pesters The heck out of Zoey (she's going on 3). Zoey tolerates him for a bit, but when enough is enough, she clamps his muzzle and he quits. DW use to worry she was hurting him, but afterward he was fine, never a mark, just enough pressure to settle him down.

[jwn6w]

That is such a cute picture and beautiful dogs too!