HELP- my Yorkie won't get along with our new puppy - YorkieTalk.com Forums

ItsButters · 02-16-2009, 07:25 AM

Hi,

Our yorkie Butters is 5 months old (not neutered yet but I'll get to that later). Yesterday we rescued a 9 week Peekapoo from a shelter. She's very sweet and affectionate and I believe she has been socialized better since she was always around other puppies. Butters, however, is not having it. First he kept sniffing her out of curiosity, then he would pounce on her, growl, run across the room right into her, basically just calling out that he wanted to assert himself. He's never been attached to my father for instance, but when my dad picked up the new puppy, Butters started jumping on him too for the first time, like he wanted all the attention. I've resorted to keeping them separated-- Butters slept on the bed for the first time last night while I kept the new puppy in a laundry basket right next to me so that she wouldn't cry. I think today I'll have to go out and buy a crate for her. Now I'm also considering neutering Butters sooner than I thought because I've just never seen this side of aggression from him before. What should I do to assure him that he's still the alpha dog? I've read that I should feed him first before I feed the new puppy, take him on walks so that he tires himself out faster and has less energy/aggression back home, also take them on walks together to bond, etc. I'm also worried about when I'm gone-- should I keep them separated while I'm at work too?

Nancy1999 · 02-16-2009, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ItsButters

Hi,

Our yorkie Butters is 5 months old (not neutered yet but I'll get to that later). Yesterday we rescued a 9 week Peekapoo from a shelter. She's very sweet and affectionate and I believe she has been socialized better since she was always around other puppies. Butters, however, is not having it. First he kept sniffing her out of curiosity, then he would pounce on her, growl, run across the room right into her, basically just calling out that he wanted to assert himself. He's never been attached to my father for instance, but when my dad picked up the new puppy, Butters started jumping on him too for the first time, like he wanted all the attention. I've resorted to keeping them separated-- Butters slept on the bed for the first time last night while I kept the new puppy in a laundry basket right next to me so that she wouldn't cry. I think today I'll have to go out and buy a crate for her. Now I'm also considering neutering Butters sooner than I thought because I've just never seen this side of aggression from him before. What should I do to assure him that he's still the alpha dog? I've read that I should feed him first before I feed the new puppy, take him on walks so that he tires himself out faster and has less energy/aggression back home, also take them on walks together to bond, etc. I'm also worried about when I'm gone-- should I keep them separated while I'm at work too?

Sounds like you are doing everything right, feeding first is a good idea, and I also think you should have him sit before you place the food bowl down. While you are trying to reinforce the idea that he is the alpha among the dogs, you want him to understand that humans are the bosses of him. Some of what you call aggression is normal puppy behavior. At 5 months old, he's really not the "big" brother, so much as another puppy, and this is the way puppies play, and communicate. I think the less human interference the better, when dogs are trying to work out their relationship. He's not doing anything that is endangering the other dog. Remember pack order between them may change, since they are both so young, she may grow into the leader of the pack, because it does come more natural to some dogs, and this is something they need to work out, but I would still feed him first. Neutering him is a good idea, I don't know how young you can do it because I think it's important to pull the remaining baby teeth at the same time, so that they don't have the double row of teeth, which can lead to problems.

Hansch99 · 02-16-2009, 07:56 AM

In my experience, five months is right about the most playful/agressive stage for a Yorkie. As long as Butters isn't fighting with her, things should be alright. I'd do some training to keep Butters reasonably under control, but I wouldn't keep them separated unless the little one is being really overwhelmed.

In a few months, she'll be the one picking on him!

JoeyP · 02-16-2009, 08:17 AM

What you need to do Whenever there is an aggression issue
is that you assert YOURSELF as the alpha dog

Yes your older pup is showing signs that he doesn't like the newcomer
and why should he?
This is a threat to his attention ... that's why he jumps up now on people he never did before
What you CAN do
is get them together .... and play with them BOTH
Give HIM lots of love and attention AND treats whenever she's around
and he'll finally get it
.... hey, when this new puppy is a round I get good things

mkawczak · 02-16-2009, 08:29 AM

We got Aiden (our Yorkie) at 8 weeks old. When he was sbout 5 or 6 mo. we got Harley( a Peekapoo )puppy. They are both males. Aiden was very currious and jealous at first. It'll change. They'll be best buds. Aiden acted out more by marking all over hte pace. He was agressive for a little while. Harley never reacted to it so it got old fast. Now they play rough,but they play well together. They copy each other. They get in trouble together. They bark at the same things. I'm not sorry at all,for getting Harley so soon after Aiden. My Pongo(daschund) is 14trs old, and Aiden needed a brother to grow up with. Good Luck!!! Where in New York do you live?..we live upstate near Albany.

Potter · 02-16-2009, 10:28 AM

I just want to wish you luck. Others have given you good advices! The only thing I wanted to add is when puppy is carried and he jumps on human's leg, don't allow that. Just turn around so that he has to go back to the floor. He has to be treated first but there should also be a boundary like the jumping on people's legs when puppy is being carried because he has to know, the people are first and he has to respect when puppy is being carried by people. Just be sure he gets as much hugs and carried as much too if not even more so he isn't feeling left out.

ItsButters · 02-24-2009, 11:35 AM

Thanks all for your responses! So for the first week we actually had to keep them separated bc the baby girl came down with a cold.

But now they're back to interacting and we figured out that it's not really male aggression on Butters' part that we're seeing, it's really just um a matter of... him not being neutered yet. He's going next week though, once he turns 6 months old. Thank goodness!

02-16-2009, 07:25 AM	#1
ItsButters YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: New York Posts: 5	HELP- my Yorkie won't get along with our new puppy Hi, Our yorkie Butters is 5 months old (not neutered yet but I'll get to that later). Yesterday we rescued a 9 week Peekapoo from a shelter. She's very sweet and affectionate and I believe she has been socialized better since she was always around other puppies. Butters, however, is not having it. First he kept sniffing her out of curiosity, then he would pounce on her, growl, run across the room right into her, basically just calling out that he wanted to assert himself. He's never been attached to my father for instance, but when my dad picked up the new puppy, Butters started jumping on him too for the first time, like he wanted all the attention. I've resorted to keeping them separated-- Butters slept on the bed for the first time last night while I kept the new puppy in a laundry basket right next to me so that she wouldn't cry. I think today I'll have to go out and buy a crate for her. Now I'm also considering neutering Butters sooner than I thought because I've just never seen this side of aggression from him before. What should I do to assure him that he's still the alpha dog? I've read that I should feed him first before I feed the new puppy, take him on walks so that he tires himself out faster and has less energy/aggression back home, also take them on walks together to bond, etc. I'm also worried about when I'm gone-- should I keep them separated while I'm at work too?

02-16-2009, 08:17 AM	#4
JoeyP YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Miami, FL,USA Posts: 875	What you need to do Whenever there is an aggression issue is that you assert YOURSELF as the alpha dog Yes your older pup is showing signs that he doesn't like the newcomer and why should he? This is a threat to his attention ... that's why he jumps up now on people he never did before What you CAN do is get them together .... and play with them BOTH Give HIM lots of love and attention AND treats whenever she's around and he'll finally get it .... hey, when this new puppy is a round I get good things __________________ Mike and Zach's Dadd

02-16-2009, 08:29 AM	#5
mkawczak Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 1,318 Blog Entries: 3	Mee Too! We got Aiden (our Yorkie) at 8 weeks old. When he was sbout 5 or 6 mo. we got Harley( a Peekapoo )puppy. They are both males. Aiden was very currious and jealous at first. It'll change. They'll be best buds. Aiden acted out more by marking all over hte pace. He was agressive for a little while. Harley never reacted to it so it got old fast. Now they play rough,but they play well together. They copy each other. They get in trouble together. They bark at the same things. I'm not sorry at all,for getting Harley so soon after Aiden. My Pongo(daschund) is 14trs old, and Aiden needed a brother to grow up with. Good Luck!!! Where in New York do you live?..we live upstate near Albany. __________________ N.Y. 'S FINESTPONGO,AIDEN,HARLEY, KI-KI ,GARFIELD ,MINI-ME

02-16-2009, 10:28 AM	#6
Potter YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 2,267	I just want to wish you luck. Others have given you good advices! The only thing I wanted to add is when puppy is carried and he jumps on human's leg, don't allow that. Just turn around so that he has to go back to the floor. He has to be treated first but there should also be a boundary like the jumping on people's legs when puppy is being carried because he has to know, the people are first and he has to respect when puppy is being carried by people. Just be sure he gets as much hugs and carried as much too if not even more so he isn't feeling left out. __________________ http://www.dogster.com/pet_page.php?j=t&i=410379 "No matter how little money and how few possesions you own, having a dog makes you rich."

02-16-2009, 07:56 AM	#3
Hansch99 Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: May 2008 Location: Milwaukee Posts: 159	In my experience, five months is right about the most playful/agressive stage for a Yorkie. As long as Butters isn't fighting with her, things should be alright. I'd do some training to keep Butters reasonably under control, but I wouldn't keep them separated unless the little one is being really overwhelmed. In a few months, she'll be the one picking on him!

02-24-2009, 11:35 AM	#7
ItsButters YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: New York Posts: 5	Thanks all for your responses! So for the first week we actually had to keep them separated bc the baby girl came down with a cold. But now they're back to interacting and we figured out that it's not really male aggression on Butters' part that we're seeing, it's really just um a matter of... him not being neutered yet. He's going next week though, once he turns 6 months old. Thank goodness!