If you have an old dog who is beginning to slow down, you may think of a way to make him energized again by giving him younger companion. You think that he will become more active with a younger dog beside him.
Before you execute the idea to get a younger companion for your senior dog, you should consider if it’s really what your dog needs. We assume easily that older dog will always get along with younger dog, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes it works, sometimes it fails.
For senior dog who tends to spend more time curling up, this can become the source of some problems, like health deteriorating and becoming grumpier. This condition won’t make it easier for him to accept a new younger companion. There will be lots of growls and snaps especially when puppy refuses to respect him as older pet. When the senior dog can accept that younger dog is indeed foolish, then he can learn to get along with the young pup. If this happens, then there will be positive changes for the senior dog’s quality life. They will play together which leads to become exercise session and surely it will make the older dog healthier. Not only that, the younger companion will bring happiness back to the old dog.
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Through this article I would like to bring up the benefits of getting a puppy with an older dog.
1. Strong bond of friendship among the dogs
Even when you are not there for them, it won’t matter anymore as they have each other. They won’t get bored being alone as they can play each other and enjoy each other’s company. The younger pup will imitate the older dog’s way around the house to learn about the rules, about habits which can save you more time in training the new one.
2. Puppy learns rules of the house from senior dog.
The younger one will learn a lot from the senior dog. They learn about rules of the house from the senior dog as the older dog is already house trained with certain rules. This will save your time a lot in training the puppy. However, you should still keep an eye as your older dog might teach a trick or two to your younger pup. You don’t want to see your trash can flipped up and in a mess, right?
3. Health concern for the senior dog.
For older dog who is now becoming slowly, the puppy’s presence which representing a new young life can be a boost of stimulus for the senor one. The senior will become more active. Active dog will have less risks in ageing problems like arthritis. Rather than being stuck lying down being lazy, they will start to engage in activities where they should be active.
Even though their initial contact is not good, it won’t take long time to stay in that situation. Older dog will soon realize that the puppy is just a young foolish creature which needs some lessons to live in order. Eventually they will enjoy each other’s company and this thing will give many positive effects for the senior dog. He will have improved quality life.
However good reasons you adopt a puppy for your older dog, you still have to consider the good and the bad in bringing a new puppy to your home. Will it be good for your senior dog? Or will it just create a mess?
Hence, besides giving you the benefits of getting a puppy with an older dog, I would also like to give some little tips how to introduce your new young member to your existing dog.
Before you take your puppy home, let’s get your home prepared. Clean all favorite toys and chews that belong to your older dog. This is needed to avoid territorial behavior. You should also give each other’s space so they can be apart from each other. Do not use the same food bowl. They need their own bowl. And don’t forget to ensure their vaccinations up to date.
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We will differentiate the stages of the dog’s introductions
Your existing dog thinks that your house is his house, his territory. So, to prevent fights caused by territorial reason, find a neutral place for both of them. You should put your existing dog on leash while your new puppy being held by another person with a leash on too. The neutral place can be in the park, your neighbor’s yard, as long as it’s not in your house.
Don’t make the introduction into long time. Make it real quick. You should be calm as your dog can sense if you are feeling tense and nervous. Give them some time to get to know by sniffing the scents of each other. However, if they get tense, you are handling the leash, you can keep them away from each other immediately. But if they get tense, calm them down by saying something in a smooth tone to encourage them to stay calm.
Another tips for you to prevent the fight between the dogs is to take the senior dog outside when you are taking the new member into the house. Let your senior dog be in your yard. He should never be inside the house when the new puppy enters the house. Let him find out the new puppy is already in the house when he enters the house.
You should follow the routines you set for your older dog. Do not let him feel the presence of a new member will mess his schedules that has been set for all along. Rather, you should take a young puppy to follow the schedule of the older dog. This will create a harmony in the end.
This is a method to make your puppy gets accepted faster. This activity will reduce the anxiety, stress or fear in dogs. During the exercise they will be occupied with the scenes, scents and sounds. Doing parallel walks will need a partner to hold the leash of the other dog. Let them walk a bit further each other initially then after around 10 minutes you can walk the dogs side by side. And don’t forget to stay calm and relax in order to keep your dog to feel the same like yours.
Your dogs will need each other space. Don’t put them together when they are not under your supervision. This method is quite effective to train your older dog to get used to new puppy’s presence.
Now, let me recommend you more about choosing a rabbit as your pet. Take a look here 10 Reasons Why You Should Choose A Rabbit As Your Pet.