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How to introduce a new puppy to an aggressive or scared older dog?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

I have 2 teacup chihuahuas and just got a new puppy a few days ago. My 7 year old female chihuahua will stare at the puppy with a mean look and then sneak up and try to bite and scratch and attack her. I have kept them separated because I don’t want the puppy to get hurt. How can I get them to get along? And how long will it take? Also my other 5 year old male chihuahua is terrified of the puppy, how do I get him to not be scared of her?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Rodrigo Roca, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on March 20th, 2019

(continued) Don’t Leave them Alone -Depending on the dogs, you should keep them in crates or separated until you are confident that there is no potential for them to display aggression in your absence. -For some things to look for in your dog’s behavior, watch body posture, lip movement, and ear movement in order to determine how your pet is behaving towards another animal. Discuss with your veterinarian any potential problems. If you have any problems or concerns with introducing you pets, you can always contact your family veterinarian for personalized tips. It is very important to establish an ongoing relationship with a veterinarian to take care of the physical and emotional well being of all of your animals.

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    Answered By Rodrigo Roca, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Hello, thank you for your question and congratulations on your new puppy. I've provided some information below to help ease the adjustment. Hope it helps! Introduction: Congratulations on your new puppy! This is going to be a fun and rewarding experience for you. Remember the addition of a new family member also comes with added responsibility and challenges. It can be emotional stressful for an older pet to have a younger animal invading his or her space. It is important to establish a relationship between your familiar pet and your newly introduced pet. Sometimes, simple training and behavior observation can help you, your new pet, and your older pet become acquainted with this new living situation. The benefit to this is that potential problem behaviors are often stopped before they have had a chance to develop. Although these steps will require patience, the benefits to your household, and your pets’ emotional well-being, will be worth it. This transitional period requires preparation and care, and a few simple training steps can ensure the happiness of all in your home. Slow introduction on neutral territory -Allow them to view one another from afar, such as on a walk or at a park or friend’s house, and make this a positive situation. -Don’t let them run up to one another right away. Introducing pets too quickly can often lead to miscommunication. -They often determine their hierarchy relatively quickly, and a new puppy introduced on an older dog’s territory can make for a negative interaction. -Your older dog might be territorial and not respond well to the new introduction on his home turf. Make it a positive experience. -Give them lots of treats, play games that they enjoy, and give them praise. -Allow them to interact with your full attention, and praise each of them for interacting with one another positively. -Introduce food and treats when they show calm and relaxed behavior, and they will begin to associate one another with a positive environment. Keep it Controlled -Monitor the body language of both dogs and watch for impending fear or aggression. By watching the interactions between your pets, you can be aware of impending problems and prevent potentially dangerous interactions. -Do one introduction at a time if multiple dogs are involved. At first, your pets should not be allowed to interact without your supervision. -A useful technique is to have both dogs on a leash with one adult per dog. If you know that your dog might be possessive of its own toys, do not use them during these interactions. A Little Bit at a Time -Short play times and breaks will help keep the experience more positive and prevent overwhelming them. -Allow them to play as long as they seem to be interacting well, without fear or aggression, and take the time to separate them for short breaks. -If you are seeing signs of aggression such as growling, bared teeth or raised back fur, give the dogs a break from each other and contact your veterinarian. Taking Your New Dog Home -If possible, allow several interactions over several days before fully incorporating the puppy into your home. Your older pet is already established in this environment, and the new puppy will likely be treated as a newcomer. -Use the same techniques of treat and positive reinforcement so that your older dog does not see the new puppy as an invasion, but more as the playmate that he was interacting with before. -Prepare a confined area for the puppy separate from your other dogs, and keep interactions to a minimum for the first few days. Wait awhile before introducing toys and treats, such as rawhides, over which they might be possessive. Make sure that there are plenty of toys so that there is less for them to fight over.

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