[trapspeed]

I watch my sister-in-laws Cockapoo Mon-Fri for the majority of the day since I am off work early. Well, I just got a 2 month old Black Lab puppy and am having issues with them getting along.

Usually the Cockapoo is very submissive to humans but when taken to the park he'll growl at other dogs. I tried to slowly acquaint them but the Cockapoo seems scared of the puppy, yet intrigued. The Cockapoo will try to sneak up on the puppy to sniff him out but as soon as the Lab pup sees him he starts to chase him. If the Cockapoo can't get away from the Lab pup he starts snapping at the puppy and growling very loudly. He actually bit the pup on the snout but not hard. I noticed after a few times the pup snaps also, although more playfully (he doesn't bare his teeth.)

How do I get them to get a long? Do I leave them be and the Cockapoo will slowly become more comfortable? I tried letting the Cockapoo watch me play with the puppy but all the Cockapoo does is sit high up on the couch and cry like he wants to come down. What do I do??? I really need them to get along!

 

[Thracian]

The Cockapoo will try to sneak up on the puppy to sniff him out but as soon as the Lab pup sees him he starts to chase him. If the Cockapoo can't get away from the Lab pup he starts snapping at the puppy and growling very loudly. He actually bit the pup on the snout but not hard.

From your description, it's hard to tell if they are not getting along or if the cockapoo is correcting your puppy as older dogs often do. This is a natural part of older dog/puppy interplay.

Maybe other members can offer ideas as well.

 

[Lolas_Dad]

Does the lab puppy lower the front of his body and extend his front legs out when near the cockapoo?

 

[Trainer]

The dogs know how to get along and from your description, it sounds like they are doing it just fine. Rules of behavior in the dog world are much different than rules of behavior in the human world. You are trying to impose human standards to dogs. The less you intefere with their interaction the better things will be.

From your description, the pup is just acting the way a normal puppy acts. He is playing with the other dog. The older dog will either play with him or will teach him to leave him alone pretty quickly if you just let them be.

 

[hulkamaniac]

The dogs know how to get along and from your description, it sounds like they are doing it just fine. Rules of behavior in the dog world are much different than rules of behavior in the human world. You are trying to impose human standards to dogs. The less you intefere with their interaction the better things will be.

From your description, the pup is just acting the way a normal puppy acts. He is playing with the other dog. The older dog will either play with him or will teach him to leave him alone pretty quickly if you just let them be.

I tend to agree with this as long as it's not a long term on-going thing. Dogs have a completely different social structure than humans and puppies tend to be at the bottom of it. I mean if I bit someone on the nose for trying to play while I was trying to sniff his butt I'd get in trouble, but in the dog world it's just the older dogs way of teaching the younger one some manners.