Older Dogs and Pups.

[Lee&Falks]

Just after hearing others experiences as many of you have more than 1 Husky.

We recently added Falkor (8 week old male) to our household to be with Noushka (9 year old bitch). Some of you have seen Noushka with your Huskies in the dog park and have seen she seems to like her own space.

Well Falkor really likes cuddling up to her which is fine on the floor, but if he climbs in bed with her she just moves out and finds somewhere else to sleep. With playing, sometimes she plays but will pin him down or try and mount him and Falkor just tries to playfully bite. He will then sit a few meters form her pawing at her like a tough dog.

In the garden they will sometimes run and jump and seem fine, but it is minimal that they play.

Also Falkor went up to Noushka when she was guarding a treat ( a general action, just sits with the chew stick) and she growled at him, she was lying down. I had given her the treat in thre garden 5 minutes before when she was on her own and hadnt realised she hadn't eat it.

Just from others experience's wil they more likely play more when he gets bigger,noushka will sometimes play with bigger dogs, and if she is a bit heavy pawed with him what is the best way to deal with it. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

As I speak they are sleeping next to each other on the couch.

[siberian_wolf]

I would recomment you keep an eye on them both for a few days. Look at their body language when they are around each other and with each other when a 'resource' is around (i.e. Food, toys, treat, attention/fuss, time with you, etc).

If Noushka likes her own space I would be inclined to give her an area where she can get away and be on her own for a while, some dogs will start to fight over personal space so do be careful that flakor or anyone else in the house doesnt keep going to her when she goes to 'her space'. I would also try and do the same thing for Falkfor too so they both have somewhere to go when they want alone time from each other. Having their own space may also help if they become anxious with fireworks, etc as I would hope they would feel safe in 'their space' and so would go there during anxious times like firework nights and then because they feel safe they would simply curl down and settle.

With the dominance, I would start doing some training with them with this situation as you don't want them to become dominant with other dogs they meet and also become dominant with people. My oldest, Gizmo, is very bossy with people and dogs and we have been working on this matter now since october when we had the behaviourist come and help us. I will try and get a video for you to see what sort of body language Gizmo shows towards Marley and Bandit when he is being dominant but it won't be very good as I dont like him showing that behaviour so like to correct it asap.

Hope this helps

[Sarah]

I agree with amy (added to rep) I'd make sure she has her own space she might come round a bit more when he get's a bit bigger

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

i agree we got blaze at 7 weeks old n had bing who was 9 at the time he liked his own space n wud avoid blaze like the plauge after a couple ov months this got better tho bing still likes havin his own space sumtimes they are alot better 2geva

[Lee&Falks]

Thanks for all the advice guys/gals

Today for the first time they had a good play on the couch, I guess I am just worried with Falkor being so small he will get hurt, especially as Noushka does tries to dive on him. Falkor has been cuddling up to her all day on the couch with no problems at all.

I guess its just making sure that if she does go to her own bed that he stays out of it.

Regardibg the food, they are getting fed apart so there is no drama's with the food, although at work Noushka shares her food with my mates Hungarian Viszla, will just need to keep an eye on her, she has a tendancy of taking treats and leaving them in her bed and eating them much later