Is it ok to have yorkies that don't really get along together?
 

So many of you know I brought my Reesie (6 month male) home in January and right off the bat, Snickers (3yr male) did not like Reesie much. Snick would move away, run to my DH and steer clear.

Things have progressed now, 4 months later....they do play/wrestle/tug of war which I love....but they also bicker. Reesie will STILL get in Snick's face/nip his legs/bug him and Snick will snap at him & growl still. I break it up sometimes when I think it is too much but usually I let them work it out. BUT sometimes Snick will snap at Reesie JUST for walking by!!!!! This I don't like and I scold him.:confused::confused: Snickers will initiate play time w/ Reesie.

Do you think this will change in more time? Reesie is technically a pup still and even though he just got neutered, he still acts like a pup and is FULL of energy which I love. I got Reesie so Snick would have a companion but it really hasn't worked out that way. They do NOT sleep/snuggle/cuddle/eat together. Sad b/c Snick will cuddle w/ his other doggy friends at their nanny's house.

I'm a lil bummed, but at the same time grateful that AT LEAST they play together. I'm thinking as Reesie gets older and he settles down a bit, he may start to grow on Snick.

I know many of you have experienced things similar....would love to hear your experiences and how things transitioned.

Thanks-:):rolleyes::confused::(
Viv

As long as they do not fight, I would not push a relationship..it will develop as time goes by...as a rule..

Mine dont snuggle or cuddle together either. They are kinda independent from one another. They will play together sometimes but alot of times you have to play with them independently.

Is Snickers showing his teeth and then hissing and snapping at Reesie considered fighting?? Sometimes Snick DOES NOT want Reesie around him and lets him know w/ the hissing and snapping at him. There have been times Snick makes contact and Reesie will back away and duck down, but generally comes back to try to play again. About a handful of times, Reesie has yelped out when Snick snaps hard. When Reesie yelps, I intervene or sometimes I break it up if it looks too rough even if there is no yelping from Reesie.

Viv

I allow my Yorkies to express their feelings with growling or teeth showing..sometimes a puppy needs to be snapped at a few times..but most learn not to bother the adult unless invited...I would discourage snapping...take a hold of Snickers muzzle and firmly say no bite...find something else for him to do..yelling is not needed...your are the pack leader, you do not stand for his bahavior...

Becca shows her teeth to puppies all the time...but she looks my way, knowing it is ok to growl and flash her teeth but contact is not allowed...

Thank you very much!!!! I was verbally saying NO only....this should help. Snickers usually listens.....will try it.

Viv

We have 5 dogs and they are all under 2 years old. Somebody is alwyas fighting with someone and as long as it doen't get too bad I just let them play. If I hear any crying I break up the fight. Sometimes they cuddle up togeether but most time they like their own sleeping space. The dogs range in sizes from 55 lbs down to 6 lbs and so far no problems.

Pixie and my 11 year old boy that just passed away did not get along, Pixie is 10 pounds and Theo was 4 pounds and she would out of the blue attack him, he would never yelp or anything even if she made him bleed. We had Romeo who was 2 1/2 pounds and she got along great with him as did Theo, Actually he and Theo were inseperable. When we left the house we would make sure the boys were in one room and Pixie was in another because i was NOT coming home to a blood bath. This worked well for us and even if we were right there every so often Pixie would attack for no apparent reason, we do not know wahtused to set her off. She has been fine with the rescues we have fostered but for some reason she appeared to HATE Theo, but yet when he passed away she mourned him and still does...makes no sense to me I would have thought she would be glad he is gone.

They were together for 9 years before he passed and while we had a couple incidents it worked out fine. I think it depends on the severity of the bickring. If it is too bad then you might have to figure something out....

Could just be the older teaching the new kid the rules. As long as it doesn't get to actual fighting (tone of voice is a good indicator) I wouldn't worry. My two girls have their moments and it turns out the newer gal is usually the bossier.:rolleyes:

Lucy and Ringo aren't snugglers either. But they do play together and I notice that Ringo waits for Lucy to come outside before they run out in the yard together.

The other day, Ringo was being HORRIBLE on our walk; so I brought him home and Lucy and I continued on. But she would have none of it. She just wanted to go back home where Ringo was.

So even though they aren't snugglers ~ your two would probably be lost without the other.

Maybe it's just personalities not meshing.... Obviously Reesie is a perfect pup and you are happy with your choice, but that's what makes me nervous about getting a 2nd pup without the 1st dog meeting him first (this is what you did right?) I think it's important to find personalities that mesh well together if you want them to be best buddies... Jackson loves most all puppies, and there are other dogs that he is closer to than others, etc. I hope you don't take this the wrong way! I'm not judging your decision in ANY way and have thought about doing it myself in the future!! I'm just saying I think this is a risk one takes.

We visit a puppy 4 days a week and spend about 1 hour with him per day... so not the same as living with a pup! But for what it's worth, he is 16 weeks old now so he is super rambunctious and CAN get on Jackson's nerves. Jackson has corrected him a few times with a quick growl or nip and then the pup learns. I have not corrected or intervened YET.. generally they do this the whole time: IMG_4042.mp4 video by actionjacksonxo - Photobucket LoL! This is the kind of puppy that I'd be willing to bring home... because even though he gets on Jackson's nerves sometimes, in general, they enjoy to play and each others company. There have been some other puppies that Jackson is not very big on and just tolerates them basically so before bringing home a second dog/pup, I'd want them to meet and interact first.

It is pretty much like skin kids, they will have issues and fight sometimes, then the next thing you know they are best buddies again.

I think it is unrealistic to expect them to be super close and compatible all the time, they have their own personalities and boundaries. As long as they aren't viciously fighting all the time, I wouldn't worry. And things will change as they get older.

With 4 furgirls, we have the occasional grrrrring over a toy, a treat, or who gets to be on mommy's lap. I don't intervene by scolding, but try to redirect their attention with a command they respond to, like "come-sit", or lets go (then walk outside with them).

Thanks everyone!!! No its not vicious at all. Im glad to hear others are in the same boat and that it's normal.

Brit.... Snick and Reesie do exactly what that pup and Jackson were doing all day long!!!!!!

Thanks, I'm more at ease now :)

Viv

Good!! :):) I think they will be just fine!! :)

You know, my two still bicker probably twice a week and its been two years. I think its just like any other siblings. They grate on each others nerves, get jealous of one another and even know what makes the other mad... its actually really interesting to observe. Anyone that says dogs don't experience human emotions hasn't met my dogs!

I would say that they've just really started to play with one another within the past month. They would tug at the same toy in the past and chase one another but weren't really interacting until recently. They've suddenly started acting like puppies bounding around the house like pals lately. So, there is hope! :) Just may take more time than you expected.

Do you know which dog is the most dominant one? I've read that it's best to show a little favoritism to the dominant one (by petting them first, feeding them first etc) which helps them maintain their 'status quo' as the dominant one, and decreases fighting.

I've found the best way to stop mine from fighting is to avoid the things that set them off. I have to separate them to feed them, if I give them bones I have to do it simultaneously for both or they fight over one bone, and I can't let the puppy go into the older dog's crate, or the older dog into the puppy's pen, or they get angry.

Snickers is def the dominant one and he gets treated like a KING!!!! Everything 1st!!!

:)
Viv

Siblings! They like each other today and not so much tomarrow. I owned brothers from the same litter (they were the entire litter). They played as puppies,fought as young men (ages 1 - 4),didn't snuggle until about age 8 and one of them passed away last March. His brother still looks for him. Boys will be boys.

perfectly normal. :) Mine dont "cuddle" together, but may share a same bed but not really "cuddle"
Could Reecie see that you and your husband favor Snickers more and act out for more attention? Does Reecie get as spoiled at Snickers?

Breny....you're so cute!!! REESIE is SOOOOO spoiled...hahahahaha. He has such a personality that no one could help give him attention. My boys are equally loved--the only thing were differentiate is when we give them things/greet them. Snick comes 1st only at that time. Upon greeting Snick, Reesie is IMMEDIATELY after as I don't have the heart not to cuddle both of them up.

I have to say the bickering has gotten better since before (months ago.) I just wanted to hear some others experiences. Also, yesterday, Snick sneered, and snapped at Reesie and I took him and gently closed his muzzle and said NO BITE and he backed off. I also had to opp to scold Reesie when he was bugging Snick and nipping his legs so he can also understand not to set Snick off. O only do that once in a great while, I don't want Reesie to think it's OK to be annoying but for the most part-Snick lets him know;).

:)
Viv

My four don't cuddle together See avatar: closest those two have ever been! Tink plays a bit hard so I do interrupt for that... she used to try to drag Finny (Biewer) by her ear (like a squeak toy):eek:. Now they play nice.

Finny acts like she's trying to cuddle and will sleep with Kitties, but her true intent is to annoy till they move then jump in the pre-warmed bed and have a nap!

I have had different ones at different times break into a full out fight, usually under my chair, and I just grab hair and pull them apart, and keep them apart till they settle (few minutes). First time I let them go too soon and it was like I never broke up the fight!

But most of the time they get along well, which to me is no fighting. They eat together, they'll all sleep with me in the bed but they don't snuggle with each other, they'll do just about anything together. What totally cracks me up is if I give them treats, they'll all sit in front of me and actually wait their turn. They will check out each others food bowls, like musical chairs, lol. Two or more get on DH's lap and are quite content.

They've all been living together about 1 year, 3,3,4 and 14 years old. I don't really expect them to get along all of the time. Walking them together helps them to bond with each other, they act like a real pack out of the yard.

Of course having a puppy is different, as they can be really annoying at times. I think they'll be best buds once some of the puppyness wears off...:D

THANKS KATHY!!!! Awesome response...I could see all the things you described!!!!

Much appreciated!!

Snick and Reese also sleep on our bed but not together, close at times, but not cuddling. Reesie SOMETIMES waits his turn but they look the SWEETEST sitting there together waiting for their treats!!!! They both will cuddle w/ me on the couch, but one on each side of my lap:).....silly boys. I also think things will be different after the puppiness wears off!!! Reesie is SUCH a puppy!!!!!

Thank you so much-
Viv