Hi I have a 2 year old cocker spaniel female and have just bought a male cocker puppy 8 weeks old we have had him 5 days but our cocker is quite aggressive if the pup goes near her. I would love them to be able to bond as the only reason I got the pup was for companionship for her as I have to leave her at home a few hours a day. I would hate to have to take her back. I would be grateful for any suggestions.
I don't blame blondie since puppies are just too much for most of adult dogs. They are full of energy, lack of manners, and it's a lot of work to keep up with them. Some playful dogs might not mind, but I am sure my dogs would not appreciate them very much.
Did you let blondie meet the pup and see how she reacted before you brought him home? It is very important to find out the chemistry of the two dogs before you commit to the addition. It's mandatory to bring not only the existing dog but all the family members to meet my foster dog prior to the adoption at my foster organization.
That being said, I hope things are getting better as days go by. If not, provide blondie plenty of "one on one" time with you (and each of the other human family members if there are any) without the puppy. Make sure you all love blondie the best and if the puppy is trying to pester her too much, remove the puppy somewhere for a few minutes. In the mean time, teach blondie to be "nice" or "gentle" when the puppy is around and keep giving tiny bits of treats to her as the puppy comes closer to her so that she would associate "being nice (not aggressive) to the pup" with something good happening.
Since 8 wks is not old enough to take for walks, enjoy your one on one time with blondie while you walk her. The whole point here is to let her know that the puppy is not an invader or a threat to her. Having the puppy on a leash inside the house is a good idea, not just so that he would not pester her, but also it will be a quicker way for him to learn how to walk on a leash when the time comes, as well as to give him an idea of boundaries from the very beginning.
Just wanted to say I"m in total agreeance - this sort of thing is half expected when a new puppy comes into a house that already has a dog. Just give it time and be soothing to Blondie. Be sure she still gets one on one time with you, and reward her for tolerating the puppy! Once pup figures out how the house works and settles a bit I'm sure things will look up!
