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Two Dogs: Maybe This Isn't Going As I'd Hoped

3832 Views 9 Replies 7 Participants Last post by  Thracian
After being a one-dog family for a while, I got a puppy a little more than a week ago. (You can read more about that here.) The short version is that Cupid was curious and had his tail up when we met Clayton, which he hadn't done for any of the other dogs we saw. So I brought him home.

Clayton adores Cupid, and during the day Cupid . . . accepts, I guess is the word . . . Clay. Cupid seems to most enjoy their walks together. They both get lots of attention and love, but they typically play separately--Cupid is a fetchaholic, and Clay's interest there is like any other puppy. He's interested for a little while, then moves on to something else.

The problem is bedtime. They are both sleeping in my bed now (Cupid has been for months). Usually one on one side of me and one on the other--they are small dogs, so there is plenty of room. :) But now Cupid sleeps practically on top of the pillow. It seems clear he's trying to get as far away from Clay as he can. And the past couple of nights, after we've gotten out of bed for potty breaks, he goes to the couch to sleep. :(

I wouldn't object to this if he wanted to sleep on the couch, but I get the feeling that he's trying to add distance. And this makes me sad. Cupid is my skittish boy, so I figured it would take time. It's just hard for me to think that he's not comfortable in his own bed.

Basics: Cupid is 2 and neutered. Clay is 12 weeks old and won't be neutered until at least 6 months.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.
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I would move the pup to sleep somewhere other than the bed. It's a lot of adjusting for Cupid and it'd probably help him some to have his own space that Clay wasn't. Does Clay have a pen or crate? Make sure they get enough separate time and Cupid has a safe place to go if he wants away from the puppy.

When we introduced Summer, she HATED the other dogs. Not just running and hiding, but snapping at them as well. It took weeks to get her comfortable enough with them. Now they're best buddies. I know if I add another dog though, she will take her time to get to like it.
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