New Member

Posts: 1
From:jersey city, new jersey,USA
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 12-11-2003 06:48 AM         

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I have just recently made a new addition to my home. My new puppy is a chocolate lab and pitt bull mix, she is about 10 weeks old. My brother has two boxers male and female, the female is ayear and a half and thw male is two years old. The first time I brought the puppy around the boxers, the puppy was growling, barking and snapping. Any advice on how to get the three dogs to be friends, and any ideas why the puppy was so aggressive or was she just playing?

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Member

Posts: 228
From:Grand Rapids, MI
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 12-11-2003 10:18 AM         

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She could have been trying to establish dominance among the group, or she could have been scared...plus since she is half pitbull there may be some natural dog aggression in her (see the thread I started on pitbull behavior). Really, though, if it is just due to the anxiety and new experience of the dogs, they should all be able to eventually get along. When I first introduced my 13 wk old pug/beagle puppy to my parent's golden, it was awful- she just growled and barked, and he snapped at her, I thought they would never get along. Now, however, 5 months later after many additional visits, they are best of friends. Hopefully if you keep re-introducing them for small periods of time, eventually they will all learn to accept eachother.

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Posts: 1387
From:Portland, Oregon US
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 12-11-2003 11:31 AM         

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My horse trainer breeds boxers and both of my pups played with his dogs and still do. The bark snap and growl when playing...check out your pups body language, does he look scared, intimidated or defensive? or does he look like he is trying to get the other dogs to play? If the pup is dancing around snapping, dodging in and out barking and growling, it may be he is just trying to entice them to play. Introducing dogs is always better on neutral ground, thats not always possible and when it's not you should do your best to keep your pup safe and make sure she is respecting the residing dogs home. My trainers boxer pups are very tenacious...they like to play really rough even with a dog WAY bigger than them.

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