New Member...Introducing new puppy to 2 year puppy

[connietercero]

Hi everyone, I am a new member....I have a 2 year old lab pit mix and I am thinking about introducing a 12 week old husky into the mix.....thoughts about how to do that

[Howler]

Hello, and welcome to the forums

If your dog has a history of getting along with other dogs and being around puppies, below is a general guide on new introductions. Adult dogs who have never been exposed to puppies before may be stressed by the rowdy puppy behaviors and may engage in defensive behaviors.

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/introduce-dog-new-dog/

 

Consider that puppies often engage in rude behaviors because they haven't learned much social skills. Older dogs may "put them straight' but often do so in a ritualized manner (just a noisy growl or inhibited bite). The pup should "apologize" then, sending appeasement signals to the adult dog (such as licking the mouth or moving away with his body low) or even rolling over and submissive peeing.

 

Always supervise the adult and puppy interactions. Do not leave food or toys around as these may cause tension if two dogs are aren't accustomed to each other yet. Make sure your puppy has an escape route so to move away from the interaction as needed. Intervene if the behavior is more than just ritualized discipline and seems to have an impact on the puppy and doesn't bounce back to acting normally. While these adult dog "lectures" for puppies are important so that the pup learns what are appropriate ways to interact with older dogs, should you notice aggressive behavior or something that concerns you, please use caution and consult with a professional.