Why does my one year old Bichon not like our new 3 month old puppy?

by BOB
(ALISO VIEJO, CA.)

She growls and snips at her when she is near.

Hi Bob
It's not unusual for the resident dog to be a bit unwelcoming to a new puppy! It's kind of like adding a new baby to your family and finding the older child is a bit jealous.

As long as your older dog is usually pretty even tempered and friendly, and isn't aggressive towards other dogs, things will work themselves out given time.

It's best to let the two of them sort out the 'pecking order' between themselves, only intervene if you're really afraid one of them is going to get hurt - this doesn't happen often.

When you add another dog to your family, it's usually best to make it of the opposite sex to the resident dog as that seems to cause less friction. However, as you already have the puppy, it will just be a matter of keeping an eye on them as the puppy matures and heading off any squabbles before they get serious. I'd strongly advise spaying them both, as this often helps them to get along better.

Do make sure that you treat the older dog with the respect and attention due to an 'elder'! It's important to reinforce her position as the 'Number One' dog so that the puppy learns her place.

You can find tons of information, tips and advice on adding a new puppy to your household on my Introducing A New Puppy page.

Best of luck with your two girls!