Can you tell me why? I'm new to the puppy thing...wouldn't you want all of your "pack" to get along - as long as you're the leader?

From what I understand, they should only interact if you want/tell them to. They have to 'get along' because you (the leader) does not allow fighting, not neccesarily because they LIKE each other.

Correct me if I'm wrong, experts! =)

Allowing dogs to interact with each other a lot, creates what a lot of us here call "doggie" dogs. Meaning that your dogs would rather be together than with you.

It creates a lot of issues regarding training and developing a lot of bad behaviors.

I have 6 dogs and 2 boarders right now. Most of them get no more than 5 minutes a week with each other. My Lab and my Dutch get to be around each other while I am out because I have a great bond with them and they follow me everywhere, rather than go off and get into trouble together.

I think that it is more important if you are planning to have a working or sport dog to keep them separate most of the time than it is for pets. But it is important for pets as well.

I am sure more will chime in with more advice.....I have probably missed a few things.

Yup! Carol is right! I learned that the hard way, when I was fostering my dogs female littermate. My dog just blew us off! I'd let them hang out all the time. Once I found the other dog a home, she was back to her obedient self. I am planning to get another pup soon, and I won't let them get "doggie" on me anymore.

 Quote: Carol Boche

My Lab and my Dutch get to be around each other while I am out because I have a great bond with them and they follow me everywhere, rather than go off and get into trouble together.

That sounded kind of bad on my part......I have great bonds with all of my dogs, but my Mal can get ROUGH when she plays and it turns into dog fights and the puppies are in training and only around the other dogs while on lead for socialization and my Bloodhound, well, he is a hound and goes where his nose takes him if he is loose....he could care less about the other dogs. The dogs in training are kept separate because they are not members of my pack and my dogs will let them know that.

Just wanted to add that so it did not seem like I was not bonded with my other dogs.

Yeah the doggie dog stuff...

My dogs both were bonded to me and had obedience before I let them have any length of playtime. Now at 18 months old and 3 years old my dogs will skid over the floor when they slam the brakes to come to me when I call them if they are in the middle of running around together. If they were bonded to eachother more then there would be a "wellll I'd rather play with Cujo" mentality from the younger dog. I want the dogs to look at me, not to eachother. They are a happy pack when I let them out and they are best friends, it didnt affect their ability to be friends at all by seperating them, but they do not take it for granted.

I'm glad you guys posted this information. I have been allowing my four month old pup to play with one of my adult dogs who is still very puppy-ish and although they don't get aggressive with each other, the playing gets rough. That's when I break it up and make them chill out. I allowed the two to play quite a bit because I thought it would be good for them to bond plus tire them out but after reading these posts, I now realize this isn't necessarily a good thing. I thought it was good for the pup to tire out this way only because it's extremely hot and humid here in Florida and the pup is a Bernese Mountain dog/Great Pyrenees mix with a wooly coat. He gets hot very fast and tires out before my other dogs on walks. The adult dog is a dominant female and the pup is a submissive male and although both of them are about equal in weight, the female tumbles the pup in the dirt, sometimes head-over-heels and I don't like that.
Now that I have read these posts, I will certainly limit these rough play sessions quite a bit. I want my new guy to bond with me and so far he's doing great. He comes to me every time I call him and he makes sure he can see me even when he's wandering around in the yard.
By the way, how do you guys post large photos on this forum?
Thank you in advance.

Kameron,

This is a really hard part about bringing a new puppy home...at least it was for me. First, let me say that my dogs are both pets. Sure I dabble in obedience classes and play a little at agility, but first and foremost, they are well trained pets.

When we brought Kira home at 4.5 months, I did keep my 5 year old GSD separated from her quite a bit (a baby gate works great for this by the way). By quite a bit, I mean most of the day. They were together for about an hour or so spread throughout the day.

They were allowed a limited amount of interaction both in our home and in the yard. Kira was old enough when she came home that she could learn not to pester Grace, especially in the house. It took some time, but they essentially ignore each other in the house now...they know that outside is where they are allowed to play and even then, they tend to focus on me because I'm the one who provides the entertainment (ball throwing).

I'm also a big advocate of walking the dogs together once your pup is a little older. This works wonders for pack leadership IMHO.

Hope this helps a bit