leethebeer

Hi
I am new here and I come in need of some advise please.
I bought a cocker spaniel puppy 6 weeks ago tomorrow (13 weeks old now) and she is brilliant both with being gentle with my 2 kids and with learning / training so far.....

I rescued another cocker spaniel who is 8 weeks old (male) and this one seems very gentle so far how ever Roxy (the eldest) will not leave baily alone and is far to rough with him until he snarls and hangs off her ears until they get into a fight. I understand the this is possibly because she is trying to be the leader of them but I cannot leave them alone together. Its been 3 full days now and I do not want to give up.

Please help, Cheers, Lee

kmes

Are you sure that they aren't playing?
With 13 and 8 week old puppies I wouldn't expect any actual fighting.
Sometimes puppies and dogs play really rough. Is the younger puppy actually trying to get away from the older pup?
A good way to tell whether or not it is play is to seperate them for just a second and then let go of the puppy being picked on. If it goes back for more it was likely just rough play.

leethebeer

I am not entirely sure that they are fighting or playing but the younger one is crying and yelping and also snarling
They are asleep at the moment so Ill wait until morning and try to seperate them

When I think about it he doesnt run off and hide. Would it be a bit weird if I recorded it and posted it on youtube and post link on here ?

alfi

I think a video would be great lol...

leethebeer

Cool Ill film it tomorrow but I didnt want people thinking I am filming dogs fighting for fun

pawzaddict

lol I think the younger pup just needs to learn boundaries with the older one. Sometimes it takes time to bond, let them work it out as long as a full blown fight does not occur. Just my .02

Criosphynx

next time the "fight" pull the two apart and then release the "victim" to see if she runs back to the "attacker". If it is a fight, the younger one will not try and re-engage the older one

leethebeer

This is what is happening
Older one (female) starts to play with the little one. It gets to rough for him (I think) and he snarls and shows his teeth and chases her until she gets him by the scruff and makes him yelp and then he snarls and tries to get her.

When I pull them apart he wags his tail at me as if he is greeting me but when he is snarling / growling it doesn't look all that playfull it looks just like he is attacking

Criosphynx

it sounds like play honestly...when there is a yelp do they both pause for a second?

get a person to help you, and pull them apart, to opposite ends of the room...then let the little guy go while you hold the bigger guy. If the little one runs straight to the big one and tries to reengage him in play, its just play.

A video would be nice, easy to tell that way. Dogs play very rough som'times.

leethebeer

I am getting my Mrs to help me pull them apart in the morning but I have made progress tonight. I have decided they are playing........most of the time. It starts off quite nice playing then gets quite rough however it turned a little nasty 2 out of 5 encounters so far since 7:30. I have now walked Roxy (older) and they are friendly and sat with me. My one trouble is going to be how to discourage the nastyness, or are they learning each others boundries and will get out of hand less and less. I really appreciate your help guys and I am getting more confident the more I read