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Posted by Pat B! on August 7, 2007, 11:21 pm, in reply to "new puppy :-)" Just as with kids, you need to find a good balance between "alone time" and "together time". It's always tempting to spend all sorts of time playing with the exciting new puppy. But of course, that can leave your seven year old feeling left out, and cause resentment. So pay attention to the amount of time you spend with each of them and make sure they each get time alone as well as learning to behave when spending time with your together. A great way to do that is to begin training with the new puppy while continuing your training with the seven year old. You CAN train puppies as long as you're not using harsh methods and work in short, focussed sessions. Clicker training is a great way to do this. Puppies are "information sponges", and it's well worthwhile to take advantage of this. And training will strengthen the bond between you and BOTH of your dogs. Another reason this is a good thing to do is that it gives you a "tool" when needed to address behavior issues. Basically, if there are scuffles that arise out of jealousy, the best way you can respond is not by punishing, but rather by reminding them of who's in charge. It's not the puppy, and it's not the seven year old. It's *you*. And you can do this in a very benign, non-heavy-handed way - by asking for a behavior (such as a "Down") from BOTH dogs when there is any sign of ugly behavior. This does not place either dog at a higher level than the other, but just keeps them reminded that THEY don't get to make decisions. Again, this establishes a structure for them which will add to their overall sense of security, thus staving off resentment and jealousy. (And remember - if you use a "Down" or other behavior in this way - or utilize "time out"s in their crates, or anything else along these lines - you are NOT doing this in an angry way, nor is it a punishment. It is just a means of re-establishing order when things show signs of getting a little out of hand.) So keep the above in mind. And mostly, remember to keep paying attention. Problems arise when we get complacent around our dogs and start forgetting to pay attention to their needs and to the signals they are always sending us. Just remain aware of your dogs, of your interactions with your dogs, and of their interactions with each other, and you should do just fine!
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It's unavoidable that your routines will change when you bring a new dog into the house, but as much as possible and as soon as possible, return to the routines you had before, or consistently establish new ones. Dogs find security in routines, and the more secure you can help the seven year old feel, the less there will be jealousy as a factor.
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