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Ignoring new puppy?


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Hi Everyone,



I have my border collie Jet who is nearly two. Today we brought home our second border collie Dodger who is 8 weeks old.



Jet is completely ignoring Dodger. He smells him the odd time but so far in the first few hours there is been little to no attention paid to him. Jet is extremely quiet and passive, but always wants to play with other dogs. Is there a reason why he is acting so goofy and different?



Are there any special tips to have the new move in go smoothly?


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My first dog, Sophie, was an only dog the first four years of her life. When I got Taz, she went out of her way to ignore him completely (and kind of comically, since we lived in a 400-sq-ft apartment at the time) for six entire days before she finally relented. They have been inseparable ever since. :)

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I think it's normal. I've seen plenty of older dogs try their best to pretend a new puppy is invisible. I think it's just a bit of upset and maybe a little jealousy, but really, ignoring the puppy is a much nicer choice than snapping or growling at it.

So, I'd say just let time take its course and be sure to give your grown dog plenty of attention and reassurance. He'll come around when he's had time to get used to the little rascal. Just be sure to back him up if the puppy bothers him and he tries to avoid it. :)

~ Gloria

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What they said.

 

Bodhi did exactly the same thing when I adopted 6 month old Tansy. It was almost like, If I ignore her maybe she'll go away. But they were soon fast friends and are incredibly close. When either one of their attention's not on me, it's on the other.

 

So just give it time, and yes, be sure to give Jet some extra attention that's just for him. Most likely he'll come around. You may see it first when he's surreptitiously checking out the youngster, but stops the moment he knows you're watching. ;) Just give him some quiet praise in those moments and let things take their course.

 

Congratulations on the new pup. We need pictures of the pair. :)

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same thing here. Jill ignored Ben for several weeks when I first brought him home, now they are inseparable. On the flip side of that Pete played and played with Ben when Ben was a pup, Now Ben is 3 and Pete is 7 and they pretty much ignore each other.

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Same thing with me. Cory was 4 years old when I got Cass. He'd play with her outside but completely ignore her in the house. Lasted about two weeks, then he started playing with her and they always got along well. After Cory passed, I got Logan. Logan acted like he had always lived in my house, was highly annoying to Cass and very difficult for her to ignore. She decided her job was to teach him manners. She never played with him, always bossed him around, but never hurt him. He loved her!! When she passed, I got Ziva. Ziva was terrified of Logan. He would occasionally sniff her but pretty much ignored her. After two weeks Ziva realized that Logan was a total wuss and started bossing him around. At that point he started playing with her. They are more like littermates than any of the others.

It just takes time for them to adjust. Thankfully you aren't having any aggression issues.

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Tess refused to interact with Crow at all the two times I took her to meet him and the first 48hrs after I brought him home. When she did decide to grace the living room with her presence she laid on the corner of the couch and showed her teeth at him any time he came close.

 

Now they are pretty much inseparable.

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Kylie pretended like Molly didn't exist until Molly was 6 months old and while Kylie now acknowledges her presence and very occasionally plays with her, mostly she still just - exists in the same house with her. They'll share a blanket on the couch or a training session - there's no hostility at all - but they aren't 'friends' and that's okay by me.


Dogs interact differently and like people they're not going to be BFF with every dog, even every dog they live with. There's a lot of variance in my crew. Thud and Molly are BFFs. I don't think Jack has voluntarily interacted/played with another dog more than 2 or 3 times in the entire time we've had him. Bug will play any kind of game with anyone. Kylie selectively plays with anyone if they are playing the right kind of game and she feels like it.


As long as there's no fighting or tension, don't sweat it. It'll settle out into the kind of relationship that works for them. Maybe that's best friends who play constantly, maybe it's dogs who only interact when they're both sleepy and want a nap, maybe that's just peaceful coexistence in their own bubbles. All of it's okay.


And yes, it all changes as the puppy grows. Kylie hates puppies - she's been better with teenaged Molly and expect she'll keep getting better. Bug loves puppies - she played a lot more with Mol when Mol was little than she does now.

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