There is just about nothing cuter than a baby puppy. Floppy ears, soft fur, razor-sharp fangs… well, I suppose every rose has it’s thorns. Part of the responsibility of puppy raising is to help mold this wiggly, mouthy, bouncy ball of clay into a happy, eager dog who looks forward to going to “work” and can control his puppy impulses in public.
Within puppy raising, there is one teacher that sometimes appears whose value cannot be understated. An older dog with appropriate social skills can often communicate in a way that is so much clearer than anything us bumbling humans can come up with.
But a well-behaved dog can help influence a puppy’s behavior. An older dog can show the puppy where the door to the backyard is, and also influence their door manners. If the older dog waits calmly for the door to open, a puppy will have an easier time learning to stay at the door. An older dog who busies outside leaves scent that can help clue the puppy in to the correct potty area. A puppy also can observe that the resident dog keeps the home area clean, and that tends to speed up housebreaking. The puppy can also get an opportunity to eat around another dog and learn manners around food.
Probably one of the biggest benefits of an adult dog though is the social interaction. This can be achieved even in single dog households by allowing the puppy to visit with a responsible older dog. A well-socialized dog tends to be very patient with puppy silliness; they will interact, play, and allow the puppy to expend some energy. They also, however, let the puppy know when he is biting down too hard with little baby teeth, or when the puppy is getting too wild. As the puppy ages, his “puppy card” will begin to run out, and the adult dog’s tolerance for inappropriate behavior lessens. With baby puppies, some adult dogs will simply turn their head away or stand up to avoid the onslaught of chomping. But as puppies grow, the adult dog may begin to use corrections.
If an adult dog corrects a puppy, it is usually by a hard stare, a growl, or even a snap. An appropriate correction (versus aggression) will occur during or after playtime. Sample scenario: the dogs are playing together fine, the puppy chomps down on adult dog’s tail, and adult dog snarls. The puppy backs off and lowers his body, wagging his tail and trying to appease the adult dog. The adult dog accepts the “apology” and play can continue, or sometimes the dogs will separate and do their own thing for a while. Either scenario is appropriate. There is also a possibility that the puppy will decide not to respect the adult dog’s signals and will continue with the irritating behavior. That’s the time to step in and separate the dogs, so the puppy learns that his behavior resulted in the end of playtime, and the adult dog can have some peace.
Dogs communicate mostly by body language, and an older dog can help a puppy develop appropriate social skills. It is important to allow your puppy to have interactions with other dogs in order to “learn the language”. However, it is important to pay attention to the body language dogs are sending off. The onset of puberty can create some tension between dogs who have previously been friendly together, and too much stiff, upright body language means it’s time to end the playtime. There are times when adult dogs can overcorrect puppies, and there are also times when puppies are bold enough that they feel like fighting back. Those are negative interactions that should be interrupted before they escalate.
Finally, an older dog can help instill confidence in potentially worrying scenarios. A puppy might show a fear of blow-up holiday decorations, for example. Bringing a more confident dog along for a fun walk can help the exposure become successful. If the puppy sees that the other dog is unconcerned and willing to investigate, the peer pressure can help the puppy work through his fears.
