Puppy biting another pup.

[Bevjc55]

Help needed please, I have a 12 week Labradoodle which we have had a week. Yesterday we got a 8 week Cockapoo. We thought they would get on as both being pups, the 12 week old is biting the pup, starts off nice than quite rough. The 8 week old has a go back, but is only small in comparison. What can we do? Keep trying them together, but then have to put them in different rooms. 1 male 1 female.

 

[gypsysmum2]

All normal behaviour for pups I am afraid.

You have the right mix of sexes and did right in choosing different breeds. In my experience, though, having two pups, or young dogs, of the same age is enormously hard work! I did it once and would never do it again.

The only thing you can do is to try to distract them and play with each of them separately, train them separately and hope to build a bond with each of them separately so that they listen to you more than they listen to each other!

 

[gypsysmum2]

Just in case you thought the biting was a sign of aggression then you can relax. It is how dogs play with each other. They learn, in time, to inhibit their bite because the other dog will refuse to play if the biting is too hard. This teaches the biter that, if they want to play, they have to soften their biting or not bite at all.

I would strongly recommend puppy classes run by a member of the APDT to support you through the trials and tribulations of rearing puppies. The other puppy owners will be going through all that you are and it is wonderful to share the experience.

Socialisation with lots of different dogs and all kinds of people is vital if a puppy is to grow into an outgoing and confident dog able to cope with all that modern life throws at them.