Jealous Dog with New Puppy - Help?

I have four dogs. Mackie 9yr Shep mix, Bella 4yr cockapoo, Karma 3yr Boxer and Flash a 9 week old Border Collie.

Mackie and Bella I have had since they were puppies. I adopted Bella because she was very sick and nursed her around the clock for the first 3 months. I was raised around big dogs - so she was my first “little” dog. Subsequently she has been babied and even though I know better - the household dynamic worked and everyone was happy.

Earlier this year my partner moved in with a 3yr old Boxer who, I integrated into my pack and I am still working with her. She has a high level of anxiety and is calming down gradually. She has really made terrific headway.

I just brought home a Border Collie pup and he is fantastic. He is an absolute sponge, his confidence level is building - he is problem solving and is learning basic commands just from watching the other pups.

Everyone is getting along and getting to know each other at a pace I am very happy with except my 4 yr old cockapoo.

She is jealous and possesive. She peed on my bed (where she usually sleeps - not any more - since that incident). She is aggressive towards the pup and you can feel her body language to be tense and hostile.

My response to the peeing and the aggression is - I have started to check her more and have cut off her privelleges to the upstairs of my home. She is now crated at night and is now being fed last. I am trying to send the message that this is my home and it is my rules. If she continues her behavior she will remain demoted in my packs rank - below even the new puppy.

Pre-puppy, I fed my Sheperd first, her second and the Boxer third. I am now feeding my sheperd, then boxer, then puppy, then her.

Surprisingly to me - the Boxer has really calmed down with this change and her anxiety level has dropped noteably. Which is awesome!

So - now I’m at a cross roads. I’m not sure if my approach is correct or how I should go forward from here.

I’m looking for help and advice.

I love to train and all the dogs love to work for me. I have done agility and obedience with my two and am working on obedience with the Boxer.

I really want to spend time bonding with the new pup and put my energy into training him but I don’t want to antagonize the current situation.

(everyone I know usually calls me for dog behavior advice - but now I’m the stuck one!! Please help!)

Answer #1

I’d feed her before the pup…in nature, the pup would still be below the cockapoo…their pack dynamics may or may not change as the pup matures. It’s great that YOU are the alpha in this pack…that is as it should be…however controlling the level of the beta’s is up to them…Of course you must protect the pup from the cockapoo, should she be aggressive, but trying to put the pup above her could cause more problems than you already have.

You’ve done a fantastic job of integrating your pack…but you still have to follow the rules of nature…puppies are last, until they mature enough to shift the order themselves.

p

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