Those who had a puppy with an existing dog

We have a 2 yr old female cocker spaniel and just a week ago we took home another cocker, he's 10 weeks old today. They get along okay so far, less the puppy trying to nurse and nibble my other dog, but she does tire of him at times so I give them breaks from each other so my older dog doesn't lose her mind. Question - If you've had two dogs (one older, one younger) how long did it take for the puppy to settle down and the two of them to play together without the puppy driving the older one nuts? Thanks!

Re: Those who had a puppy with an existing dog

It takes a couple of years for the younger one to settle down.
Who is the dominate one? With us, the older one was the dominate one and she would make the puppy know that she was done playing. Nothing to be concerned about - just letting the puppy know.

Re: Those who had a puppy with an existing dog

Re: Those who had a puppy with an existing dog

I agree with Cookiepuss, it will take a few years for the puppy to settle down.
I have a rescue (female) not sure of her age, probably 6-8 years old. WE got a 2 month old male. She was AMAZING with him. I think because when they found her, she still had milk dripping from her. She played with him, followed him everywhere. I felt she helped him with the potty training. He is now 2 and a half years old, and still crazy, and so much bigger than her. They still play, but when she has had enough, she gives it to him, and she will go find a quiet place.
They will get along, and it will be fine. Best of luck!


I have 2 of the same breed of dogs. They are English Bull Terriers.

Message edited 4/26/2021 6:09:07 PM.

Re: Those who had a puppy with an existing dog

Mine two were always going to differ in size. The older one was a border collie at 70lbs and the new puppy was a min dachshund that is no bigger then 15lbs full grown.

Re: Those who had a puppy with an existing dog

Re: Those who had a puppy with an existing dog

Re: Those who had a puppy with an existing dog

In my experience, all my dogs flipped a switch around 2 years and they just calmed down and start behaving better. We had a puppy and an almost 2 year old dog at the same time. There were some fights but the older dog knew how/when to put the puppy in it's place. I honestly found it EASIER with another dog in the house.

ETA: When I say fights, I don't really mean fights. They'd bark and jump at each other, but no one ever got hurt.

Message edited 4/26/2021 7:28:12 PM.

Re: Those who had a puppy with an existing dog

A girlfriend of mine just went thorough this.

The time frame is a month.

She found that to be pretty accurate in the time it took for both to get acclimated.

Those who had a puppy with an existing dog

We adopted a 3 year old Pomeranian when our shih tzu was 2. They get along for the most part.... But it took quite a few months for them to play together.
There are times where it is a literal dog fight though.

I wish they would cuddle.

Those who had a puppy with an existing dog

Never!!! Our older dog was 8 when we got the puppy. The younger one still annoys the older one but the older one is a saint and just leaves the room if he’s getting annoyed!!

Message edited 4/26/2021 10:35:12 PM.

Re: Those who had a puppy with an existing dog

Posted by alli3131

Never!!! Our older dog was 8 when we got the puppy. The younger one still annoys the older one but the older one is a saint and just leaves the room if he’s getting annoyed!!

Re: Those who had a puppy with an existing dog

Thanks everyone for the input!

Re: Those who had a puppy with an existing dog

Once the puppy learns his place, they will get along fine. You can’t go by me because my “older” dog is 15 and my puppy is now 10 months. We took him home at 8.5 weeks about 8 mo after we lost our rottie. Fred (my senior dog) was best friends with Mia (the rottie) her whole life. So when we lost her, he was lost. When we were ready, we got Doug (CavaJug - cavalier/Jack/pug mix)
Figuring Fred wouldn’t be lonely anymore. It took 2 weeks for Fred to acknowledge him. As as the time goes on, they are better but not besties like I had hoped. Fred is just too old at this point and Doug has so much spunk.
But when Doug is sleepy and calm, they lay together & lick each other’s faces. They will also bark together at the front window.

Your older dog is only 2. There is hope. It’ll just take time for your puppy to realize he needs to calm down in order for her to accept him. At 16 Wks when the puppy has his rabies shot, you need to walk them together. Being in a “pack” helps a lot. Plus once he’s neutered , it’ll be even better.

Just Don’t force it and let them work it out.

Message edited 4/27/2021 12:09:47 AM.

Re: Those who had a puppy with an existing dog

Re: Those who had a puppy with an existing dog

Posted by Hofstra26

Posted by PhyllisNJoe

Once the puppy learns his place, they will get along fine. You can’t go by me because my “older” dog is 15 and my puppy is now 10 months. We took him home at 8.5 weeks about 8 mo after we lost our rottie. Fred (my senior dog) was best friends with Mia (the rottie) her whole life. So when we lost her, he was lost. When we were ready, we got Doug (CavaJug - cavalier/Jack/pug mix)
Figuring Fred wouldn’t be lonely anymore. It took 2 weeks for Fred to acknowledge him. As as the time goes on, they are better but not besties like I had hoped. Fred is just too old at this point and Doug has so much spunk.
But when Doug is sleepy and calm, they lay together & lick each other’s faces. They will also bark together at the front window.

Your older dog is only 2. There is hope. It’ll just take time for your puppy to realize he needs to calm down in order for her to accept him. At 16 Wks when the puppy has his rabies shot, you need to walk them together. Being in a “pack” helps a lot. Plus once he’s neutered , it’ll be even better.

Just Don’t force it and let them work it out.

So sorry about your Mia. The loss of a pet is the worst feeling ever, it's so hard.

I am looking forward to being able to get the new puppy outside on walks, I think that will be good for both of them. Like your dog, when Tucker (the puppy) is calm and relaxed they get along ok and will cuddle. It's the constant puppy nipping and rambunctiousness that makes the older dog exhausted by him. I don't blame her, I am tired of getting nipped too. lol

Thank you for sharing.

Message edited 4/27/2021 2:54:21 PM.

Re: Those who had a puppy with an existing dog

Posted by Momma2015

Posted by Hofstra26

Posted by PhyllisNJoe

Once the puppy learns his place, they will get along fine. You can’t go by me because my “older” dog is 15 and my puppy is now 10 months. We took him home at 8.5 weeks about 8 mo after we lost our rottie. Fred (my senior dog) was best friends with Mia (the rottie) her whole life. So when we lost her, he was lost. When we were ready, we got Doug (CavaJug - cavalier/Jack/pug mix)
Figuring Fred wouldn’t be lonely anymore. It took 2 weeks for Fred to acknowledge him. As as the time goes on, they are better but not besties like I had hoped. Fred is just too old at this point and Doug has so much spunk.
But when Doug is sleepy and calm, they lay together & lick each other’s faces. They will also bark together at the front window.

Your older dog is only 2. There is hope. It’ll just take time for your puppy to realize he needs to calm down in order for her to accept him. At 16 Wks when the puppy has his rabies shot, you need to walk them together. Being in a “pack” helps a lot. Plus once he’s neutered , it’ll be even better.

Just Don’t force it and let them work it out.

So sorry about your Mia. The loss of a pet is the worst feeling ever, it's so hard.

I am looking forward to being able to get the new puppy outside on walks, I think that will be good for both of them. Like your dog, when Tucker (the puppy) is calm and relaxed they get along ok and will cuddle. It's the constant puppy nipping and rambunctiousness that makes the older dog exhausted by him. I don't blame her, I am tired of getting nipped too. lol

Thank you for sharing.

Ugh those damn puppy teeth! They are like razors! We got our pup in November at 12 weeks old and it took til about February for the nipping to really subside, but they started hurting less before that.

My old dogs never got to the point where they cuddled each other. They cuddled us but not each other. This new puppy,Trebek, cuddles not only us but the cats! lol! The cats were about a year and a half when we brought the puppy home and they play great together, it's so bizarre.

Re: Those who had a puppy with an existing dog

Posted by Hofstra26

Posted by PhyllisNJoe

Once the puppy learns his place, they will get along fine. You can’t go by me because my “older” dog is 15 and my puppy is now 10 months. We took him home at 8.5 weeks about 8 mo after we lost our rottie. Fred (my senior dog) was best friends with Mia (the rottie) her whole life. So when we lost her, he was lost. When we were ready, we got Doug (CavaJug - cavalier/Jack/pug mix)
Figuring Fred wouldn’t be lonely anymore. It took 2 weeks for Fred to acknowledge him. As as the time goes on, they are better but not besties like I had hoped. Fred is just too old at this point and Doug has so much spunk.
But when Doug is sleepy and calm, they lay together & lick each other’s faces. They will also bark together at the front window.

Your older dog is only 2. There is hope. It’ll just take time for your puppy to realize he needs to calm down in order for her to accept him. At 16 Wks when the puppy has his rabies shot, you need to walk them together. Being in a “pack” helps a lot. Plus once he’s neutered , it’ll be even better.

Just Don’t force it and let them work it out.

So sorry about your Mia. The loss of a pet is the worst feeling ever, it's so hard.

I am looking forward to being able to get the new puppy outside on walks, I think that will be good for both of them. Like your dog, when Tucker (the puppy) is calm and relaxed they get along ok and will cuddle. It's the constant puppy nipping and rambunctiousness that makes the older dog exhausted by him. I don't blame her, I am tired of getting nipped too. lol

Thank you for sharing.

Re: Those who had a puppy with an existing dog

I have two Shetland Sheepdogs (Half-siblings - same mother) that are a year apart.

They settled down pretty quickly, I'd say within a few months. When Casey (the older one) got tired of Archie, she would just find a quite place for herself.

It helped that we kept Archie in a puppy play area when we weren't directly supervising him and Casey was out on her own by then so she could easily find quiet time for herself.

Image Attachment(s):

Re: Those who had a puppy with an existing dog

Posted by PhyllisNJoe

Posted by Hofstra26

Posted by PhyllisNJoe

Once the puppy learns his place, they will get along fine. You can’t go by me because my “older” dog is 15 and my puppy is now 10 months. We took him home at 8.5 weeks about 8 mo after we lost our rottie. Fred (my senior dog) was best friends with Mia (the rottie) her whole life. So when we lost her, he was lost. When we were ready, we got Doug (CavaJug - cavalier/Jack/pug mix)
Figuring Fred wouldn’t be lonely anymore. It took 2 weeks for Fred to acknowledge him. As as the time goes on, they are better but not besties like I had hoped. Fred is just too old at this point and Doug has so much spunk.
But when Doug is sleepy and calm, they lay together & lick each other’s faces. They will also bark together at the front window.

Your older dog is only 2. There is hope. It’ll just take time for your puppy to realize he needs to calm down in order for her to accept him. At 16 Wks when the puppy has his rabies shot, you need to walk them together. Being in a “pack” helps a lot. Plus once he’s neutered , it’ll be even better.

Just Don’t force it and let them work it out.

So sorry about your Mia. The loss of a pet is the worst feeling ever, it's so hard.

I am looking forward to being able to get the new puppy outside on walks, I think that will be good for both of them. Like your dog, when Tucker (the puppy) is calm and relaxed they get along ok and will cuddle. It's the constant puppy nipping and rambunctiousness that makes the older dog exhausted by him. I don't blame her, I am tired of getting nipped too. lol

Thank you for sharing.

Thank you.
She was really such a great girl. Lost her 1 week before her 12th bday which is great for Rottweilers. It was unexpected though which was really hard. I can’t tell you how close her and Fred were. They slept together, played, groomed each other. Absolute love.

I hope your pups find their way quickly.

Re: Those who had a puppy with an existing dog

Those who had a puppy with an existing dog

I'm still waiting lol. Have an 11 year old elkhound then got a elkhound puppy. It's been about a year and a half. But to be honest the puppy doesn't bug her too much anymore at times the older dog goes over to bug her.

Re: Those who had a puppy with an existing dog

Crap. Trying to post a picture and miss tinypic terribly LOL

Message edited 4/28/2021 11:51:02 AM.