Is it safe to get a new puppy with my aggressive senior dog?

I personally would not recommend getting another dog for the house just yet. I'm quite concerned that Crosby is aggressive at the dog park and when you went to see a puppy. I would be very worried that he would attack a new puppy, causing it serious harm. The best thing to do is get him into a professional behavioral expert to work on his aggression. I never recommend owners try to deal with aggressive dogs on their own due to safety risks, it's best left to a professional. The professional can work with him and you on his aggression issues, and they can give their opinion as to whether or not another puppy would be safe in your home. Unfortunately some dogs are meant to be only dogs due to these issues, but certainly work with a trainer first before coming to that conclusion. You can ask your vet for a recommendation to one. I hope this helps!

Puppies can sometimes be A LOT for senior dogs and it can take some time for them to get use to one another. If there were any food, treats, toys or special people near by Buddy could have just been acting protective over these. Also, with Buddy being older, if they puppy is always playing, jumping on him, or nipping at him, he may have been just trying to tell the puppy to leave him alone or trying to set some boundaries. Also, if he is arthritic and he knows the puppy jumping on him hurts, he could have reacted to prevent this. I would continue to keep them separate until you know they can be left alone together. I would definitely feed them separately as well. I would be sure you are still spending plenty of alone time with Buddy as he may be feeling frustrated that his home life has changed with the new addition. I would continue to have short but frequent times of them being together. You could also start Buddy on an anti-anxiety chew like composure or composure pro and get him a calming collar like sentry or adaptil. If these don't help, talk to your vet about anti-anxiety medicine like fluoxetine or trazadone. I hope this helps!

Your worry is very valid! It is best to make sure the two are only playing together when you can directly supervise them and that puppy and your older dog are separated when you are away so that an accident can't happen - even the most well intentioned of a dog can cause an injury! If the puppy starts playing too rough, a "time out" of a few minutes for everyone to calm down can also help and teaches your puppy that too rough of play is frowned upon. Diverting with treats and toys is also a great way, so keep that up.

If your dog does not get along with other dogs it was probably a very bad idea (and a very stressful one) to bring a new puppy into the house. A new puppy can also be hard around a newborn as they aren't yet sure how to interact with each other. You can try to continue to get the two to get along by starting with limited introductions that are supervised, however if a fight breaks out the interaction should be stopped immediately and started again later. Never leave the two unsupervised together as even a good play sessions can cause accidental injury. You can also use baby gates as a way for the two to "meet" each other without being able to physically be together. If fights are continually breaking out, talking to a trainer or behaviorist that can observe within the home is best.

Yes, if you are careful and keep them separated and monitor his behavior closely. Most dogs will adjust with training. Marco could become aggressive to the puppy if you are giving it too much attention and ignoring him. I also recommend neutering all of the dogs to prevent aggression. Aggression is particularly common when they reach sexual maturity as Marco has. It would be best if the puppy bonds to another household member and not you to prevent jealousy. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for your dogs.

While getting a new puppy can be an enriching experience for everyone, it does have the potential to cause behavior problems with the older established dog in the household. Here are a few great articles that outline the pros and cons and issues to consider. I hope you find them helpful! http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2465. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1678.

Before bringing in another dog to your home, I would recommend getting a trainer to come to your home and work with Jack. We cannot predict if Jack will attack another dog when they come into your home, but you can try to work with Jack and see if you can correct the problem. The trainer will be the best person to discuss if bringing another dog in would be ok. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.