lancep Posted September 19, 2020 Report Share Posted September 19, 2020 Looking for advice and experience, I'm planning to get a male Border Collie puppy, and while I understand and accept all the pros and cons of the breed, I am unclear how my older dog will handle a BC puppy. She is a 7 year old corgi mix (taller) and shares a lot of the personality traits of Border Collies in that she is super smart, needs a lot of stimulation and attention, and is a one person dog who hates when I leave her alone. She is still active but not terribly fast and obviously won't have the same endurance as a BC puppy. Has anyone brought home a puppy to an older BC that is use to getting all of the attention? Can you share your story and experience? How did training go with the older dog clamoring for attention? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcv-border Posted September 20, 2020 Report Share Posted September 20, 2020 Congrats on your future puppy! Just responding to your training question in the last paragraph: Consider shutting one dog in another room while training the other. You can also train both at the same time by working on stays with one and commands with the other, then swap them out. (This is a very advanced exercise and will take quite a while, but it is a goal to work towards. I know of someone with 4 dogs: 3 stay while she works the 4th. Then she swaps out.) Keep training sessions SHORT - 15-30 seconds in the beginning. Even now, with a 2 and 6 year old, I like to keep training sessions short: 2-5 minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted September 20, 2020 Report Share Posted September 20, 2020 I've been bringing in new dogs, both puppies and adults, when I've had one or more established dogs in the home for over 40 years. Controlled introductions are important, as is having a plan in place to be sure the resident dog doesn't feel left out. Puppies do require a lot of time and attention, but be sure to make time to spend with the other dog so she doesn't feel abandoned. Be prepared to monitor their interactions for signs on jealousy from the older dog. Personally, I wouldn't permit the older dog to act out in jealousy. If she horns in, acknowledge her with a pet and then require her to accept the pup's getting attention. If she gets pushy or aggressive give her a short time out in her crate or another room for a minute or 2 (up to 5 if necessary) before letting her out and cheerfully starting over. Praise and reward with an occasional treat for positive interactions. If she's already a dog who interacts well with other dogs it shouldn't take long before she's accepting the puppy as part of the family. If she doesn't get along well with other dogs now, then I'd be making some concerted efforts before you get the puppy to work with her around other dogs so that she's more comfortable and accepting of them. Gvs's suggestion of group training is a good one. You'll essentially be training them together informally all the time anyway, but this will establish tolerance, acceptance and positive interactions between them. Please post pictures of the puppy - and your other dog - when s/he arrives. ETA: You also might consider offering to pet sit a friend's dog for an overnight or 2 now and again before the puppy arrives to give your dog some experience with sharing both you and her space with another dog. Have the friend come over with the dog first so you can both be there to supervise interactions. If necessary you could start slowly by having the friend leave for just a short time to see how things go and then follow up with a longer visit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Elle Posted September 20, 2020 Report Share Posted September 20, 2020 Although I am intrigues by GVC's suggestion of group training (and might try it sometime), I always have more than one dog, and even when the household is long-established, I never try to train more than one dog at a time, while the other(s) are shut in another room. I do short training sessions, 5 to 10 minutes at a time, switching them out, so they are not shut away from the action for very long. And especially when you are leash training, never bring the other dog along with you. Do separate walks if you are planning on training the puppy. Where are you planning to get your puppy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted September 20, 2020 Report Share Posted September 20, 2020 It'll help to have reasonable expectations for what your current dog should have to tolerate from the puppy, too. Some of the most important lessons puppies can learn are taught by adult dogs . . . within reason, of course. This just popped up on my FB feed and I had to share. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diane allen Posted September 21, 2020 Report Share Posted September 21, 2020 It took a Very Long Time....but I finally got to the point with my two BCs (I think first success was when one was 9 and the other was 3) - one in a down/stay while I work with the other one. At first, it was just living room conditioning exercises, but finally got to the point of being able to practice agility that way. That said....my youngest (rescue) may never get there! But we're working on it. Everyone knows they'll get their turn. I don't think the exact same amount of time is critical - one might need more than another. Good luck with the pup! And pics are necessary, here, ya know?? diane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Elle Posted September 21, 2020 Report Share Posted September 21, 2020 GL...I love the cartoon. (and my dogs get After-Walk Biscuit, too) (and Bedtime Biscuit, and Biscuit Because You Got Brushed, and.....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted September 22, 2020 Report Share Posted September 22, 2020 16 hours ago, D'Elle said: I love the cartoon. Me, too. Except that I would never punish the older dog for an appropriate puppy correction! Sometimes puppies need to be told by the older dog when to knock it off, and as long as the adult isn't being too harsh (and they rarely are but you do have to keep an eye on their interactions) then it's perfectly acceptable IMO and a necessary and usually very effective part of a puppy's education. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancep Posted September 23, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2020 Thanks everyone! Super helpful, it will be a while before we get the puppy since I am being patient and getting from a good breeder, so in the meantime here is a pic of our current spoiled child who will be learning to share the attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligande Posted September 23, 2020 Report Share Posted September 23, 2020 My older dog had been an only dog for 3 years when we got a puppy. Our initial introductions were not technically ideal as we drove from Mallorca, Spain to Scotland to get the pup and then visited family, spent two weeks with my mum before driving home, but at least they were on neutral territory. The older one was 7 and was definitely a spoilt child who had all my attention, there was never any animosity Fenway was to little for him to bother with! I made a point of spending time with him, agility was his quality time and so he got plenty of time with me without the pup. He basically tried to pretend there was no puppy, 4 years on they are very tight friends but still jealous of each other when it involves me, it’s never aggressive but they can be pushy!! I am actually having more issues now my older one has retired from agility and when I leave to go train he sulks, it breaks my heart but I can’t take him because he screams and yells demanding his turn! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Elle Posted September 24, 2020 Report Share Posted September 24, 2020 On 9/22/2020 at 8:48 AM, GentleLake said: Me, too. Except that I would never punish the older dog for an appropriate puppy correction! Sometimes puppies need to be told by the older dog when to knock it off, and as long as the adult isn't being too harsh (and they rarely are but you do have to keep an eye on their interactions) then it's perfectly acceptable IMO and a necessary and usually very effective part of a puppy's education. Of course, I wouldn't ever correct a dog for that either. Basically I have a policy with my animals that I don't interfere unless someone is being bullied or is going to get hurt. My current dogs have never had an issue with one another. More often I interfere with the cat, who always thinks it is appropriate to take his frustrations out on the dogs. I keep his claws trimmed so they won't get scratched badly, but I still keep him in check. I have found that the best assistant for training a dog of any age, but especially a puppy, is my older dog(s). Especially effective on daily things like waiting at the door before getting a release word, and so on. I don't ever want to train a young dog or puppy again without having an adult good dog for the young one to follow. It helps so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted September 29, 2020 Report Share Posted September 29, 2020 On 9/24/2020 at 10:33 AM, D'Elle said: I have found that the best assistant for training a dog of any age, but especially a puppy, is my older dog(s). Especially effective on daily things like waiting at the door before getting a release word, and so on. I don't ever want to train a young dog or puppy again without having an adult good dog for the young one to follow. It helps so much. This!! Well, maybe. Right now my 2 younger dogs both have enough quirks that I'm not sure I'd want a puppy leaning them. It was bad enough that the newest adult rescue learned to bark at things from the middle dog. Foster home said she'd never heard her bark once in the 3 months she lived with her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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