Introducing an older unsocial dog to a puppy?

[Rachel]

So, I have a 9 year old Chow/Collie/Mutt mixed dog who lives with 2 other dogs (both related to her) back home with my mom. She hasn't been introduced to a new dog in years and I cant remember how it went last time because I was so young. Also, she is submissive around people and a little frightened at first. When I went to college 2 years ago I felt like she wasn't getting the love and degree of treatment that she deserved since I was no longer there for her and my mom is disabled. My sister just moved into a house not far from where I go to school and she's offered to take in my dog if I can guarantee that she will get along with her 3 month old puppy. I guess what Im asking is if anyone else has had this situation and what they did to help ease the process of introducing the two...

I dont want any of the animals getting hurt but I really feel its important for me to try to bring my dog to a better home. Ive studied animal behavior briefly in college and I haven't come across a particular situation like this. I toyed with the idea of muzzling her while she meets the puppy first just so that no one gets hurt, but I don't want to have to do that if I don't have to. How has anyone else introduced two dogs before? I understand canine body language pretty well and I know that I should lavish my dog with treats and praise when the puppy and her first meet and she does well but some pointers on anything else I might miss would be great! Thank you!
Just a heads up, I want the dog to live happily for the last few years she has. My mom isn't able to walk her (since she is wheelchair bound) or care for her the way she needs to be cared for and its difficult as it is for her to care for the dog and I would like to make it easier on her. I know that my sister and I can do a much better job. Also for the record, I do not intend to keep my dog in a muzzle for weeks or even hours on end, I know what cruelty is. I was referring to the initial meeting between the puppy and my dog.

 

[Jamie Winston]

Separation is a good idea at first. Having the new puppy in the house is enough for your older dog to get used to, let alone having to deal with the puppy nipping, barking and playing with their toys and bed. Try to have the puppy be in a room that your adult dog doesn’t spend a lot of time in at first. Bathrooms tend to work well for this because the older dog is probably not used to hanging around in there much. You can even use a crate or kennel. One important thing to remember is to train, feed, and play separately. You must remember to give equal time to both pets to keep the jealous behavior to a minimum.

To introduce the new pet, pick a neutral area. Somebody else’s yard, or even have someone meet you walking down the street. Both of the dogs must be on leashes and under control. If you have more than just the one dog already, introduce them one at a time to the newest puppy. Start with the friendliest of them. You can start by having a friend and not a family member hold the puppy in their arms and letting your adult dog take a sniff. Separate the dogs and put the puppy down and let the dogs approach each other at their speed. You must remember to stay relaxed during this process. The dogs can sense if you are anxious. Verbal support, such as “good boy/girl!â€￾ reinforces any good behavior. If there is any aggression from either side you, will have to take a break and try again a little bit later. If the aggression continues, consult a guide or trainer. Allow the dogs to spend five to ten minutes together at a time and then proceed.

Always start with small romps. Allow the dogs supervised access to one another for the first week or so. Slowly they will form a good bond and can be trusted alone. Depending on the dogs, these romps can be five minutes to an hour or longer. Pick the largest play area possible so the dogs have room to move around. I like to use the yard. If the older dog repeatedly shows signs of fatigue or aggravated behavior such as to avoiding the puppy, growling or snapping. Remember to remove all toys from this mutual play area to avoid possible aggression over these toys. The puppy is still a baby until they reach one year and because of this they don’t always recognize the signs of aggression.

Hope this helps!

 

[Jordan]

Woah, woah, woah!

Listen to what you're talking about doing and really think it through. You want to uproot your older dog from her siblings, take her to a new place with someone she isn't bonded to, to live with a puppy while wearing a muzzle for the first few weeks of her stay there, but you won't be there to care for her and help her through it.

No. Just...just no. This is not fair to your dog. It will be best to wait until you're living in a place where the dog can live with you. It will be much better for her and much less traumatic.