I'm not sure if this is the right section because I could be wrong about the guarding thing, but if I describe what's happening I hope you can help! Tuppence is a 2.5 yr old female( desexed) and has always been pretty well behaved on the lead, I could take her to cafés and new places with no worries. Since I got jax (6mths) , and I have walked them together, she has become increasingly reactive to EVERYTHING ! Cars, bikes, people and other dogs. She barks and growls like a crazy lady! And if we are passing on a close path , it's embarrassing, it's like she's never been trained or to obedience school but she has. When my partner is with us , she is less reactive but not perfect. When she is off lead, she is slightly better. She does not lunge or snap , she stands her ground , head down and barks. I have tried walking in the other direction, diverting her attention with a game( hard to do on the go) and sit stay with treats (this kind of helped but jax is a guts and gets in the way trying to get the treats so she looses interest!). I don't want to have to walk them seperately long term, they should be able to work together. Is she guarding the pup? Or is this a adolescent thing? Do I go back to obedience training? Help !
Big sister 'guarding' ? Puppy on walks?
- Thread starter Miss
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Caro
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To me it sounds like one of two things, her anxiety levels have risen with the pup around, or she's over-excited now when you go on walks with the pup.
Before you start out for your walk try 5min of obedience work - commands that help improve her self control (and keep any rewarding low key) and also she starts out the walk focusing on you and not the pup. Don't go straight out when you get up/come home and don't rev the puppy up that you are going out either. You want to start out low key so you set the tone of your walk. Which I know is hard with a puppy in tow, but you want to keep Tuppence's excitement levels lower - that will work whether she's anxious or excited.
Before you start out for your walk try 5min of obedience work - commands that help improve her self control (and keep any rewarding low key) and also she starts out the walk focusing on you and not the pup. Don't go straight out when you get up/come home and don't rev the puppy up that you are going out either. You want to start out low key so you set the tone of your walk. Which I know is hard with a puppy in tow, but you want to keep Tuppence's excitement levels lower - that will work whether she's anxious or excited.
I have seen this a lot with people who have an adult dog then get a puppy.
In my doggie daycare experience, I know a woman who has an adult rottweiler x husky, she then got a black GSD puppy. The rottie who was normally quite laid back (though he knew how to use his size with other dogs) was very protective of the pup when he first came to the doggie daycare at about 4 months old. He'd bark and try and chase off any dog who tried to play with the pup.
Things have calmed down a lot as months have gone by, he isn't bothered if someone plays with the pup (who's probably 6 months old or so now) any more.
A couple down the road have an adult Portuguese water dog and they got a female pup. The adult one barks and goes mad at anyone who approaches now.
Try walking them separately every once in a while. I think your adult dog will be fine and will go back to normal once the pup seems less vulnerable, but Dogs are amazing for picking things up and learning behaviours from other dogs. You don't want your pup picking up that barking at cars and such is just a thing you do. You need to be able to walk Jax without him concerning himself with every day situations and objects.
In my doggie daycare experience, I know a woman who has an adult rottweiler x husky, she then got a black GSD puppy. The rottie who was normally quite laid back (though he knew how to use his size with other dogs) was very protective of the pup when he first came to the doggie daycare at about 4 months old. He'd bark and try and chase off any dog who tried to play with the pup.
Things have calmed down a lot as months have gone by, he isn't bothered if someone plays with the pup (who's probably 6 months old or so now) any more.
A couple down the road have an adult Portuguese water dog and they got a female pup. The adult one barks and goes mad at anyone who approaches now.
Try walking them separately every once in a while. I think your adult dog will be fine and will go back to normal once the pup seems less vulnerable, but Dogs are amazing for picking things up and learning behaviours from other dogs. You don't want your pup picking up that barking at cars and such is just a thing you do. You need to be able to walk Jax without him concerning himself with every day situations and objects.
It's actually opposite in my case, my pup acts like a loon when on walks with my adult dog. Separate walks is what we ended up having to do to stop it. I recommend going back to separate then reintroduce the puppy to the scenario and start where there isn't a lot of distractions.
Laddie's Mom
Forums Enthusiast
Bella is sort of guard dog on walks, but yet, let someone walk up to us, she gets scrared, but then, she is scared of her own shadow.
I have taken my dogs on walks together, they do not bark that way, and wow, is it an adventure, but cute to see.
I have taken my dogs on walks together, they do not bark that way, and wow, is it an adventure, but cute to see.
I had something similar, but less difficult. My older dog got along with everyone/everything and loved nothing more than making new friends. When I walked him with the pup, he was fine with people and many dogs, but with some dogs, he would start barking, which was not typical of him. I assumed he was telling me what dogs were safe for the puppy to meet.
I was advised to walk the pup alone frequently though so that he learned to be confident on his own.
I am pretty sure my older dog's behavior diminished as the pup got older.
I was advised to walk the pup alone frequently though so that he learned to be confident on his own.
I am pretty sure my older dog's behavior diminished as the pup got older.
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Thanks for the advice guys
I have tried to start thier walks without too much excitement and with basic training commands. There is this one dog that tuppence is really reactive to that has started on our route. Not sure if it's a boy or a girl but tuppence goes nuts ! I try to get her to 'look' or ' sit' with a food lure, kinda didn't work. I have walked them seperately but now she is still reacting without pup 
I am thinking of trying to get a dog trainer to come help me, I must be doing something wrong?
I have tried to start thier walks without too much excitement and with basic training commands. There is this one dog that tuppence is really reactive to that has started on our route. Not sure if it's a boy or a girl but tuppence goes nuts ! I try to get her to 'look' or ' sit' with a food lure, kinda didn't work. I have walked them seperately but now she is still reacting without pup I am thinking of trying to get a dog trainer to come help me, I must be doing something wrong?