Pyreenes not tolerating new pup

J

juliets

New Member
We have an almost 3yo male Pyrenees and an 11 week old Bernese. Our Pyr isn't much on playing with other dogs, though will be tolerant for the most part. At the dog park he mostly ignores all the dogs and runs around on his own. He will growl at them, and if a smaller dog is jumping around him or trying to sniff him, he will sometimes turn very quickly but has never snapped. Just growled and run off.
We had a Berner pup who was sick and passed away but they got along great. She didn't act like a silly puppy and the only time they played was if he initiated it and it never lasted long. If both were at the park together he would be protective of her and play some but usually still stayed on his own.
With the new pup, our Pyr tolerates but not for long. We have had the pup for two weeks now and is also a male. Our Pyr will growl if the pup is whining a lot, and growl and show teeth and has also snapped and nipped at him when he tries to play and bug him.
Should I be worried this will only get worse, or in time should things get better? Was getting a puppy with him a bad idea?
Any advice is welcomed!
 
tigerlily46514

tigerlily46514

Honored Member
OH darn, sorry to hear this, BUT do stand by, someone smarter than me will be by soon to help you out.:msnohyes:

It is too bad you did not bring home a FEMALE pup again, as some dogs are MUCH more likely to accept a young dog of the OPPOSITE gender...but, i guess that doesn't help you much now. but that WAS the first thing i wondered, when i read this, was, is the pup the same gender as the resident dog.
My dog is total brat, :dogmad: (okay, not TOTAL brat, just 2/3 brat, ):msngiggle: has many issues getting on with other dogs, BUT, even my crazy dog Buddy loves loves loves young dogs of opposite gender.


I'm only posting this for anyone else reading along, to know--IF you have a dog who is not real social, and are planning to add 2nd dog-----your best bet is a young dog of OPPOSITE gender.


HANG IN THERE, SOMEONE WILL BE BY WITH A GOOD IDEA!!!
 
J

juliets

New Member
Our Pyr has never had issues with other dogs of the same gender so I didn't see it as an issue. He was scared of our last pup (female) when first brought her home. He seems unsure of smaller dogs. This pup is extremely whiny (no idea why. Working on that one!) and it doesn't seem to sit well with him either. Trying to get some answers from a trainer we used for our Pyr and our last pup.
 
tx_cowgirl

tx_cowgirl

Honored Member
Staff member
Honestly, some dogs are extremely tolerant and puppy-loving and some dogs really hate them. My boy is a puppy lover, and my girl loathes puppies with a fiery passion. REALLY hates them. Just them being in her sight makes her growly. I can control her just fine, and I can get her to ignore them, but she really hates puppies. Not sure if there's any history there; she was a rescue and was 3 years old when I got her.

Regardless, he may just take some time to adjust to the little one. Does he growl/snap at pup when pup is irritating him, or just randomly? If he's doing this in response to something the pup is doing, I wouldn't discourage it unless you really think it's going to get serious. Pups have to learn what is acceptable from older dogs. The only way they learn is to get told off by an older dog when they do something the other dog deems unacceptable. Mud(my girl BC) hates nosy adult dogs, and typically the average puppy is nosy and rude(in a dog's mind), which I think contributes to her immediate aggression towards the little ones. She's met one puppy that she actually was interested in, and that pup was completely uninterested in her. Your Pyr may be the same. As long as he's left alone, he likes them, but if they act like...well, puppies, then he wants nothing to do with them.

Dogs who actually like puppies typically allow pups to have a "Puppy License." They pretty much get away with anything. Chewing, biting, chasing, nipping, stealing toys/food, it's all okay until that puppy license expires. Once the puppy license expires, the teaching begins. The older dog will correct the pup for disrespectful behavior. This is all just part of dog behavior. Pups who never really spend time with older dogs often become annoying, nosy, rude dogs and typically don't do well in dog parks because they get their butts kicked. :dogmad: They never learn how to play respectfully with other dogs, and it really hurts them when they grow up and try to play with dogs.

So, in short...I wouldn't be concerned unless you really think it's going to get serious. You know your dog. :) If he's just getting grumpy when the pup is generally annoying him, then let him. Your little Bernie has to learn from somebody. :dogsmile: Just make sure your Pyr isn't the only adult dog your pup is around. Let him play with other adult dogs so he learns that some dogs are more playful than your Pyr. The more adult dogs he gets to play with, the better he will be when he's older because he will have learned the limits of various different dogs.
 
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