Should I intervene?

[tropicalsun]

Question for the experts...

I've had my pup home for two weeks. She's ten weeks old and an extreme high energy pups. We have an nearly three year old male GSD and an eleven year old female lab.

The male GSD has started to take a shepherding, disciplining role with the pup. He warned her away from our labs pillow last night. This evening we had a guest over. The pup was jumping on our guest who said "no, down." Instantly Markus basically grabs the pup and removes her from our guest. Tonight he just
Very loudly barked/growled the pup away from our lab's pillow. It seems he thinks he's in charge of pup discipline and gets upset when the pup breaks the rules. I must say...the pup listens to him! He's never hurt her nor do I think he would. However, I don't want him thinking its his job to keep the pup in line.

Should I intervene or let this work itself out?

[vom Eisenherz]

I would intervene, not so much because you think he might hurt her, which he may not, but because SHE needs to learn that you're the boss, not your other dog. You don't want them working out their own ranking system and leaving you totally out of it. It's also not his place. I would be more hesitant to correct him for warning her off of his things/food/etc., but it sounds like in a short amount of time, he's decided he's her guardian, and as odd as it sounds, I've seen this turn problematic quickly when he decides YOU can't be around his new charge. Far-fetched, probably, with what you've said about his temperament in previous conversations, but I have a friend that this happened to recently.

I, too, have had the "mother's little helper" dog as I called it. It's ok, most of the time, but it can get hairy when you really start working w/the pup and you're correcting her and then he jumps in to reiterate what you just told her Even if none of what I warned about above ever happens...it's not good for the pup's development.

[onyx'girl]

You also want your puppy to have confidence and the older dog may be squashing it with all that control.
Definitely manage the interactions!

[Whiteshepherds]

I agree with everyone else. I let our older two dogs discipline Pi if she's biting them too hard etc. but they aren't allowed to tell her what she can and can't play with, what she can go near etc.

[tropicalsun]

Thanks folks. I appreciate the responses.