SOPHIE GROWLING AT NEW PUPPY AND MY CHILDREN - HELP

[RainbowClaire]

 

[silkstocking]

You'll have to give us more info than that! But try not to panic

When specifically is she growling at them?

[Mich]

Didn't you take Sophie on only a few months ago as an older dog?

I thought I remembered that you rehomed her?

[CraftySam]

Sapphi, my lab, growled at Barney when we brought him home. Which was a big shock as she'd loved it when Max, my GR, arrived at 8 weeks old.

Make sure you give Sophie as much attention as you did before and act like the pup has been there forever. Sapphi growled at Barney when he went near her, so what I did was everytime they got close without a reaction I really really praised her over the top and gave her a treat. Sapphi did no more than growl so I just ignored her when she did. After a few days of that the growling became less and a couple of weeks down the line all the growling had stopped.

How was Sophie with your children before the new arrived? Are the kids giving the pup loads of attention? Obviously children will be besotted with a new pup but its essential that they give Sophie all the attention they did before the pup arrived if not more.  Set up lots of positive interaction between your children and Sophie when the pup isn't in the room.

It takes a while sometimes for everything to settle down when you introduce a new pup. Try not to worry.  

[Jane S]

Have you only just got your new puppy? I think it was only yesterday you were saying you were looking at litters so your new arrival must be very recent. If so, it's not unusual for an existing dog to not accept a new puppy immediately - it can take time. You'll need to post more info for people to give you any proper advice though

[Cob-Web]

Claire, it would be useful to have a bit more info 

I know that Sophie arrived with your family four or five months ago, and there was an early incident that concerned you with a toddler in your home, wasn't there, although she seemed to settle down with your children quite quickly? How has she settled in since then? It can take a while for a re-homed adult dogs true character to be displayed, and I wondered what type of dog she has blossomed into, as that will have a strong bearing on the motive behind her behaviour 

The way in which the pup and Sophie were introduced may also have a bearing on her reaction.....I am sure that you will get loads of good advice if you can tell us a bit more about what is going on 

[RainbowClaire]

Wow- you guys are great! Your replies are so fast - It's great to know I'm not alone!!

Yes, we gave Sophie a home four months ago. She had just turned three. She was very grumpy with my toddler back then and she did do a couple of airsnaps at him, (I don't think she had experienced little ones much before that). With very carefull supervision she is very good with him now. He is also very good with her - very gentle! She does still avoid him if she can which is fine. Occasionally he may want to smooth her and she doesn't want him to so she will growl at him so I quickly remove them both. She has blossomed into a lovely little girl apart from that. She has always been wonderful with my eight year old daughter though, very affectionate!! Very docile - no energy whatsoever - and very reserved. She looks really snooty!!

Bonnie, our latest family member has only been with us two days - so It is really early days I know, but I can't help panicking.
We have a very large house, of which Sophie has the run and usually sleeps on my daughters bed. We have made extra special time for Sophie the past two days - an extra walk each night - extra treats - and I have conditioned my daughter into making an equal fuss of both her and Bonnie.

From the first meeting Sophie seemed indifferent to the puppy but her resentment seems to have built over the two days and now she can barely tolerate the puppy in the same room! She doesn't mind if the puppy is sleeping but if anyone pays any attention to her Sophie growls constantly at her and if the puppy makes the error of brushing passed her she snaps at her, (This happened twice this evening)!

Sophie was lying on her back earlier for my daughter to rub her tummy - and as my daughter was doing so, (the same as she always has), Sophie did a low growl at her.  Also, my daughter was giving Sophie a gentle hug earlier, as usual, but the same thing happened again...the growl. the times when I think she has growled at me today were also when I was being affectionate with her - and when I was checking her teeth, which I normally do with no problem whatsoever. She has also been lying by the front door and growls at people walking past - not usual behavior for her....she has also growled at my toddler about half a dozen times today.

Hope this extra info helps x 

[silkstocking]

This is probably the wrong way to put it

But it sounds a bit like "her noise has been put out of joint" Even with the extra fuss she's probably still feeling a bit "stressed" about the new arrival. I'm sure she will grow to love her new friend.

Maybe she's just not sure where she stands at the moment in the "pack"  and so shes letting the fact she is unsettled be known.

[Elisa]

Claire

I know how disheartening it is.  Bailey was terrified of Harvey when we brought him home and Harvey couldn't even walk past him without Bailey growling.  It never got worse than that, and we started to see improvements after about 2 weeks, and gradually it got better and better to where we are now, two lovely dogs living in harmony together.

We never made an extra fuss of Bailey, but we made sure we didn't give him anything less than what he had before Harvey came along.  Nothing in his day to day routine, our reactions to him, walks, dinner time etc changed for Bailey.  Harvey had to fit in with Bailey's routine and our relationship with him (ifswim  )

Give her a few days, and I am sure she will start to accept Bonnie.  She has still only been with you for 4 months as well, and will still be unsure and settling in.  Good luck and let us know how things go 

[PennyB]

Ruby was a real madam when Wilf arrived and would put him in his place at every opportunity (steal things from him, growl at him, tell him off just because he was there) --- it looked horrible and sounded horrible but I left them to it (I supervised to make sure he wasn't hurt ---- he didn't like it but he was fine --- but didn't intervene). Even if he yelped I would only go to him after he stopped yelping just to check he was OK (each time he was fine).

Poor Wilf when he went out on walks for the 1st time Ruby would literally floor him just for being there, again I didn't intervene.

The upshot is that Wilf and Ruby love each other to bits and wouldn't be without each other --- they're like chalk and cheese but you could never imagine them not being together

Its always hard settling in any new pets

[Cob-Web]

She does still avoid him if she can which is fine. Occasionally he may want to smooth her and she doesn't want him to so she will growl at him so I quickly remove them both.

It does sound as if she is not entirely comfortable with your son's presence, which may cause her to be in a heightened state of alertness/anxiety, which in turn may lower her tolerance for other triggers 

Have you considered consulting a behaviourist about this behaviour? I am just wondering whether Bonnie could learn some bad habits from Sophie as she grows up............pups tend to learn a lot from an established, older dog - which is not always a good thing 

[PennyB]

I agree with Rachel it would be best to consult someone as if it were just a problem between Sophie and the new pup then I'd say she'll get over it on her own in her own time without any intervention, but because its affecting her relationship with everyone else then you might need help that can't really be given over the net (we cant see from here how things really are --- 'we' often interpret dog behaviour in human terms and miss subtle clues the dogs give us especially when we're so closely involved).

Some dogs don't always like hugs as well (hard as that may seem to us)

It could be that everything is just very unsettling for Sophie right now as her life has just been turned upside down yet again

[scooby's mum]

Sounds just like my Scooby 

Scooby growls continuously, at the kids (if he wants to be left alone), at Misty (our new pup) and people as they walk past the house - the list goes on.  He has air snapped twice at strange children, which I must admit worried me, so I have to be very vigilant with him whilst out but the day-to-day growling I suppose we have come accustomed to (we just think he's grumpy) 

Apart from the air snaps, he hasn't shown any other signs of aggression though (never showed his teeth etc.).  We have come to the conclusion that it's just his way of expressing himself, and we just ignore the growls.  At first the children were really scared but I really do believe it's just a form of expression, he even growls at leaves falling from trees 

As for the pup, Misty has not got used to his growls and even she has begun to ignore him too.

I know I'm not being much help here am I, and every dog is different, and you do have to be careful, especially around children.  Like the others have said, it might be worth talking to a behavourist.  I did speak to a behavourist about Scooby and she told me I had a dangerous dog on my hands 

[RainbowClaire]

Thanks for all the advice! I think a behaviorist is the right way to go.... Sophie is obviously not a happy dog right now and I am shocked by her aggression. She has 'gone' for the pup several times now - even chases after her continuing to nip her as she is running away screaming. The pup isn't provoking her either - she is a very submissive little thing.

Today I was sitting on the floor and Sophie came over and virtually stood on my chest for a cuddle and as I was smoothing her my son started to climb on my legs, (Not even touching her), and she started growling at him. I have never known this jealousy before and firmly pushed her off and sent her to her bed.  Did I do right? Should I be telling her off for attacking the puppy? I haven't as of yet. HELP 

[Jan/Billy]

Today I was sitting on the floor and Sophie came over and virtually stood on my chest for a cuddle and as I was smoothing her my son started to climb on my legs, (Not even touching her), and she started growling at him. I have never known this jealousy before and firmly pushed her off and sent her to her bed.  Did I do right? Should I be telling her off for attacking the puppy? I haven't as of yet. HELP 

It may not be jealousy, it could be that she was grolwing in anticipation of what she THOUGHT may happen next ie son stroking her too, ahe growled to PREVENT what she thought was gonna happen, if that makes sense.

Just my opinion but I Never punish Billy for growling, this is your warning, you dont want to teach you dog not to warn you as you may end up bitten in future with no warning Instead I'd work on avoiding the thing that you know makes her growl.

A behaviourist is definately the way to go IMO , they can see her in the flesh and get a much better understanding of whats going on