HELP! Need advice, brand new Boxer pup and existing dog.

Roc3b · #1 10-16-2006, 11:56 AM

Hi gang...

I came home with a new fawn female boxer that is nine weeks old on Saturday. She is all brown with flashes of white on her nose, neck, paws, and chest.

Intro'ed her to my male Neo outside and they played for a couple of hours before coming in the house. At first he was all about it and my girl and I have been very careful to shower him with attention etc...everything was fine except that now when he is laying down and she wanders over to him he give a low rumble under his breath and has not taken a shot at her but I worried about the stress that he is now under with the new act in the tent. She has made herself at home in his beds, one in the living room and the other in the master bed that are in corners. He did not seem to mind at first and is growing more agitated about it. I plan on buying her her own beds today, but does anyone have any suggestions on how else I can integrate her into the pack without Neo feeling like his position in the pack order is under threat. I am really concerned about this as I got her to keep him company when I am out of the house for 10 hrs at time. He usual just sleeps but I have always felt bad about his being lonely so this is why I got him a sister it just seems that I was really wrong about the whole thing.

She was a $1k and AKC from a champion line out of Illinois. If after week this is not work out she will be ten weeks old and I will have to put her up for sale and try to find her a good home and recoup my investment.

Anyone with advice or interest in her please respond here. Thanks to all for reading.

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fln8tive · #2 10-16-2006, 12:38 PM

We brought a schnauzer pup into the house when our male boxer was about 5 y/o. They seemd to bond up pretty well. Maybe get them lots of time in a neutral (go for walks) setting? I believe we kept the Schauzer caged for the first week or so when we weren't there.

Bet she's a cute little pup! G/L, hope they work it out.

Wagner · #3 10-16-2006, 12:50 PM

You should definitely give them their separate space as soon as possible (i.e. own beds & own toys). Let them figure out who is in charge of what. You have to expect some growling and close calls initially as Neo is establishing dominance over the new 'contender'.

I think you're doing it right, just get those beds ASAP.

GUINNESS · #4 10-16-2006, 12:54 PM

You can get a separate bed, or they can learn to bond on the same bed. You can also crate the pup when she is sleeping at night. It took my 7y/o schnauzer a good month and a half to come around to our new guy. It made me nervous because for quite some time he wanted nothing to do with the puppy. Now they don't stop playing together and follow each other like shadows. It will take some time but they really have to figure it out on their own and the older one has to establish dominance.

rickp · #5 10-16-2006, 01:13 PM

Actually this is normal when a new dog is brought in the mix. Pecking order must be established as there always has to be the Alpha Dog. It may look sinister to see/hear your dogs growl but it should subside once the order is established. My $.02

r6girl · #6 10-16-2006, 01:28 PM

funny, i just saw an episode of 'good dog university' on animal planet that addressed a similar issue! the trainer had the owner be sure to feed and pet the older dog first - this assured the older dog that he was indeed higher in the pack than the new dog. it wasn't that he told the owner to treat the older dog any better, just make it obvious that he was getting "perks" for being there first and higher in the pack. they came back to the house later, and the growling and aggression the older dog was showing to the new dog was completely gone.

so, this should work for you. definitely get them separate beds and such. feed and pet your first dog before you pay attention to the puppy.

good luck! puppies are so much fun...

JV · #7 10-16-2006, 02:23 PM

Rick- I had 2 Boxers at a time too, male and female.

I got Rocky in Spring of '92 and I got Tasha in Spring of '93, both as puppies. They had some time to work out their places in the family which inolved a lot of barking and nipping from the little girl, but Rocky just shrugged it off. I did get brand new beds for both of them as soon as I added Tasha to the family and Rocky was cage trained and they both slept where ever they wanted to for the first 6 months they were together. They just kind of became best buds within a week(Rocky was neutered) but she had jealousy issues that she woulda had with any other dog, just the type that she was.

You know how Boxers are- they're exciteable and full of energy- so I would be careful leaving them home alone to roam because they will no doubt get into everything in the crib!

JV

Roc3b · #8 10-16-2006, 02:47 PM

Thanks to all that replied. I just hit Walmart...only becuase it was an emergency...I got her two beds one for up and one for down stairs...she is in a crate right now. I believe that crate training is the path to success over the long term so that is where she is. I also got her toys that she can call her own. She was playing with Neo's stuff till this morning. I will make sure that he eats first and gets his walks etc so as to not make him feel that he has lost any of that. I might be over worrying at this point and will give it more patients and less panic...it is just that I have never heard him growl at anyone....I will also let them figure it out amoungst themselves.

Juanted · #9 10-16-2006, 02:49 PM

Neo is just establishing the pecking order in the house. My sweet, bark-at-nothing, love-everyone, and love-every-dog yellow lab did that also. A couple growls, and the puppy will figure it out. The older dog won't hurt the puppy... but he WILL let the young one know who the boss is. They'll be best friends within a few days.

Juan

Roc3b · #10 10-17-2006, 10:55 AM

Bump for pics....I appreciate the advice everyone...last night was much better between them although she did have an accident in her crate....SHE IS A STINK MACHINE!

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