My old dog won't get along with my new dog. What should I do?

Question

How do I get my old dog to get along with my new dog. I have a 9yr old hyper (not neutered/boy) dog, but 3 days ago I got a 2yr old calm (neutered/boy) dog,for 3 days my old dog has only cried and wanted to be with him(be in his face, lick ,hump him),while the other dog is becoming more uncomfortable and upset. Ive tried letting them be together, putting my older dog on a leash while the new dog lays down, Ive taken them for walks together. I don't want to keep the dog,but running out of options. Pet's info: Dog | Bichon Frise | Male | unneutered | 9 years and 3 months old | 11 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

I'm sorry to hear that things aren't going well with your new dog. Unfortunately, it sounds like this may not be a good match - just like humans, some dogs have very different personalities and may simply not get along. If you want to try keeping both dogs, I would really recommend getting in touch with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate the dogs in person to give you a better idea of whether this is a fixable issue - if so, he/she can help you put together a detailed step-by-step plan to work on the problem. You can search for a behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org In the meantime, I would recommend keeping your older dog on a leash or physically separated from the other dog with a baby gate or other barrier. This will allow the younger dog to relax a bit without being harassed. If things go well like this for a few days, you can gradually allow short periods of contact between them. Reward both dogs when they are together, and particularly praise and reward your older dog for calm behavior around the new dog. You may also want to try a DAP pheromone collar on both dogs, along with a natural calming supplement such as Zylkene or Composure for your older dog to see if this helps a bit.

My old dog won't get along with my new dog. What should I do?

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