Tips needed for a playful puppy and a non assertive dog

Best of luck Smileless - as I frequently say, our own dear cockapoo has been more of a challenge than any previous pup or rescue or foster dog. Dog training friends increasingly talk about the problems these lovely dogs bring to their classes.

I've just seen your pm Iam and sent a rather long reply full of questions.

"Very lively, assertive, rarely tired etc" yes, that's our little darling to a 'T'.

Smileless, the dreaded cockapoo puppy. Very lively, assertive, rarely tired etc.
I've pm'd you.

I agree with this advice from Situpstraight:
"It might be an idea to give your dog a place that he can take himself off too to get away from the puppy,"
I used to go for walks with our elderly dog and my friend and her young bouncy labrador. My pet was inhibited at first, a few warning barks, but as the lab. calmed down, ours became more lively.
A neighbour's male dog used to come with us sometimes and he was even more firm with the young nuisance - snapped at her a few times.
They need to learn from their elders .

Get a rope tuggy, the smallest you can find. Obviously take it gently with her Smileless but the baby teeth will only come out when they’re loose anyway.

Enjoy her ???

smileless our other dog is a springer spaniel and just too soft for words!

Thanks for that OldMeg. We're doing all the things you've suggested about greeting, feeding and giving treats. She's got the toys she had from her breeder but a tuggy's a good idea.

Is she old enough for one at only 10 weeks with her baby teeth? Can you get them especially for puppy's?

As you can probably tell it's years since we had a such a young puppy. Our poodle was 8 months when we got him.
Thanks for responding, you've made me feel better.

They each have a cage opposite one another for when we are out and during the night Situpstraight. At the moment our poodle can get on the chair and she isn't big enough to get up on her own.

I've just been talking to my brother who said we have to let them sort it out to a certain extent. If we're too quick to jump in our poodle bless him will just rely on us.

Oh, maybe it's in the breed Nonna, what breed is your other dog?

First of all welcome to your new puppy. I’m in a similar position often as I foster dogs for rehoming. We often have puppies especially about now when people who bought them at Christmas are getting fed up of them ? These then just want to play, hang on the ears, nip at the feet of our old dog. He doesn’t like it. If we get two young dogs together then that’s a help as they play with one another..

I’d suggest you get a crate. Not too big. Put puppy in there to give resident dog a rest. I keep mine under the kitchen table when it’s nice and dark and feels like a safe den for them. Even if only for 10 minutes when your dog had had enough. Teach your puppy his place in the pecking order by greeting your older dog first in the morning and when you come in. Give older dog treats first, pup his bowl down first, etc.. This will send a message to both dogs.

I also find putting the puppy on a lead calms them down and gives you control.

It’s only puppy playfulness but very wearing on resident dog. Take pup outside teach him to chase a ball. Get him a tuggy, that’s also good for his teeth.

But your resident dog is young too so it may be that before long he will start to play with pup. And be ready for a few snarls and lip raising as he needs to teach puppy where the boundaries lie. Most of this is only ‘handbags’ an with a bit of love and patience they will be the best of buddies ....eventually.

Your adult dog is quite right to growl as a warning to the pup, it is what mother dogs do to teach their offspring what is acceptable behaviour. (So not just mums and Grans then)
I wouldn’t worry too much “play nicely” is not something dogs do any more than children and poodles generally have strong characters. Whatever you do though, do not try to interfere in who is “top dog” however unfair it seems.

I think it’s early days, your poor dog has had a playful pup thrust upon him and a well placed growl will hopefully make her calm down and leave him alone. However she is a puppy and will be bouncy for a while yet.
Give them a few more days before you get stressed and see how things evolve, she will be used to playing with her siblings in harmless rough and tumble and your dog won’t be.
It might be an idea to give your dog a place that he can take himself off too to get away from the puppy, do you have a cage for him or the pup?
My DD s pup never responded to the clicker, she just wanted to play and play ....... and play.

Sorry no help here, as we never did manage to stop this behaviour in our cocker. She still takes everything (apart from food!) from him and has a real go at him when let out of the door or off the lead. He has never been at all assertive with her. At dog training we were advised to keep them separate which I think exacerbated the problem.