how do i socialize my dog to my new puppy

[irmanella]

i have a gsd mix (f\9), and a pomeranian (f\8).
we recently rescued a husky/gsd mix puppy (f\8 weeks).
my gsd is doing well with her, they play and sleep together and if the puppy gets too rowdy she corrects her with a quick bark and that’s it.

however, my pomeranian seems unsure about her. prefers to stay away from her and quietly growls at the puppy when she gets too close.
i’m worried that if the puppy gets older and bigger my pom might start a fight with her.
she’s done it before when we were babysitting my friends dog.
out of nowhere she started constantly biting her and jumping up on her until my friends dog had enough and picked her up and shook her.
after that we had to separate them for the rest of my friends dogs visit.

my question is, what can i do to train my pom better and make sure they get off to a good start?
the puppy is already almost completely house trained and can sit on command and will begin regular puppy training soon, but i think my pom is the one who needs a lot of attention also, i’m just not sure how to train her to be okay with the new pack member.
i’m giving lots of treats and praise when she doesn’t react to the pup and i take them to exercise in the backyard and do some basic training etc, but i’m clueless on what else can be done.
please help me

 

[gibson]

@irmanella Well, hate to say it but 3 female dogs is a lot, probably would’ve been better to get a male this time.

The puppy has to learn from the established dogs, esp if the dog is small. Little dogs need to be able to protect themselves because they can get hurt/killed very easily. But they also don’t have to overreact. If the puppy is listening to her then let the Pom know she needs to stop, you can just pick her up and remove her from the situation to let her calm down for a bit. The puppy also needs to learn to respect the established dogs.

Your Pom may never like the puppy and that’s ok, just getting them to ignore each other so no one is stressed is a good start.

 

[oceanwaves]

@irmanella Your pom is little and is trying to set boundaries with your puppy. You need to teach your puppy how to leave your pom alone. And you need to make your pom feel safer which will help stop the correcting/overcorrecting. Your pom is correcting because you are not.

I have a three pound Chihuahua and I don't let larger dogs play with her at all. One accidental misplaced play bow or pounce and my Chi could be in the emergency room.

Your pom is also older, and probably isn't interested in playing anyway.

Keep the puppy calmer when the pom is around, and when you can sense the pom becoming uneasy put her in a place where she knows she is safe, like a nice cozy crate or a special place up higher where the puppy cannot reach her and she is safe. My Chihuahua has her "special place" on the back of the couch behind where I normally sit with a heating pad and blankets where other dogs are not allowed to be. That's her spot only. Also she is kennel trained and is never left unsupervised and out of her kennel around my other larger dog(s) because accidents happen and she is just so very small.

Some dogs like puppies and helping them learn, but many other dogs, especially older smaller dogs DO NOT LIKE/FEEL SAFE AROUND LARGER PUPPY ENERGY

Start advocating for your pom and start socializing your puppy with calmer, more trained dogs so she can learn manners and how to successfully read dog social cues so other dogs, like your pom, feel safe around her.

EDIT: especially since your pom has been in a fight you need to keep a closer eye on the poms body language and remove her to a safe place if she starts showing signs of stress: whale eyeing, growling, ect. I would definitely keep them separated as much as possible.