Ohh boy... nasty dog problem

[LisaRN]

today Milo (Shih Tzu) bit my 17 year old on the face. A trip to the ED, stitches, antibiotics.. the whole nine yards Have any of you had a problem bringing in a puppy around an older dog who really starts to get nasty? I know Milo has been much more possessive and "on guard" since Chester came around. And honestly, Chester will chase Milo for a toy he may have. How have you dealt with it. I'm wondering if there are specialists who focus on older dog training??

 

[TessaAndSamson]

I don't but I'm so sorry Lisa! Thats no fun! I hope your daughter is doing ok!

 

[bullmama]

Oh my, I am sorry to hear this. I unfortunately don't know what can be done, except for an animal behavioralist?

 

[sheshistory]

Tough situation. One of the reasons I got Truman pretty quickly after Bentley passed away was because of all I read about how hard it is for older dogs to adjust to new family members. Even at 4 years old, I guess the threshold for most dogs is around 6 or so, though I am sure it is different for each one. Still, it sounds like you might need to call in a pro since Milo's attack was pretty serious and would've been even worse if it was a guest at your home but hopefully someone can work with him.

 

[froggz]

What were the events surrounding the bite?

It really sounds to me that Milo is now unsure of his pack status and was correcting your child for some action.

Take notice to who your feeding first, letting outside first, and spending time with first. That has alot to do with it and if its not consistant that could have Milo wondering where he stands in the pack now that the new dog is there.