This behavior is driving me nuts. Maybe someone can give me some insight. I have a 4.5 yr old female german shepherd that usually is very dominant in her behavior with other dogs. Not aggressive, just doesn't play around. Enter into the home a new 8 week old male shepherd. He is now going on 12 weeks. He is a wonderful little guy, aside from the fact that he loves to pounce on our female and bug the heck out of her. He first started with the licking of her mouth, which she put up with. He has moved on to nipping and biting her in the neck. She puts up with it, no questions asked. When it comes to feeding times, our female will sit back and wait until the pup is done eating before she will eat. He shows no signs of food aggression towards her or anyone else. She backs down to him during play. She allows him to take her bone, even if he has his own. When we had decided to take on a new pup I had visions of constant supervision, crating one to feed the other, crating one during individual playtime, etc. I was prepared for the work ahead of me. It has not turned out this way. My concern is this. I am not sure if she is allowing the puppy to "take over" because he is a puppy or is she really backing down to him? Since our female has always been so serious about her place in the home(she is a pp dog), this behavior from her is odd.

She sounds like a dog that is confident enough of her position that she feels no need to defend it from a mere puppy. He sounds like a normal puppy that is still young enough to have the "horseshoe up his butt" protection afforded to the young that ensures they will make it to adulthood. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Eventually he will probably step over the line of good behaviour and she will chastise him. Some dogs are just really tolerant of puppies and will put up with all kinds of crap from them. I have had intact males that would never allow any impoliteness from another male allow puppies to suspend themsleves from their neckfur and play tug of war with their tails! Some bitches are more tolerant with their litters and let them get away with more and some bitches are tougher disciplinarians.

When puppies are still young, adult dogs will tolerate quite a bit from them. As the pup gets older, she should start to discipline him and gradually enforce his place. I wouldn't worry about it.

When your pup licks at her mouth I believe that is a submissive gesture- in the wild pups use this behaviour so other pack members will give them food. Your dog knows he's just a pup by his smell and his behavior so she'll probably be pretty tolerant. Just wait for the day she's had enough <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> . Puppies are so shocked when they really get put in their place.

Thanks for the input. I imagine it is going to be a real wake up call for him when she decides that enough is enough. Poor guy isnt going to know what hit him. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

I had a GSD/Dane cross that would actually upchuck for any puppy that asked. He wouldn't tolerate another male adult dog anywhere near him and was even a little pushy with adult bitches.

It certainly can go the other way too, I know an 1.5 year old neutered male that was completely dominated by a 9 week old male of the same breed. The 9 week old was not even a very dominate pup, but the adult had a nervous break down over the pup. The adult started crouching in the far corners of the room, it suddenly became un-house trained and had to be "forced" to go on walks. The adult apparently never had issues before with other dogs, but when a new pup came into the house the adult dog utterly and completely fell apart.

Well, it finally happened. Our female pounced on and scared the crap out of the pup. Poor guy was so scared he peed himself as well as the other. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> Problem now is she wants to challenge him constantly. We are back to both dogs dragging a leash and the older dog on a prong. Luckily she only mouthed him and there were no actual bites. But puppy ended up with a sprained shoulder. I hope this doesn't last forever. And I thought my kids were bad? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

How long until the puppy is old enough to be "taught his lesson" My GS/Malamute mix is now 10 mos old and my 7 year old GS/Lab mix is still letting him walk all over her. Its terrible. He is 6 inches taller and bullies her relentlessly. She just takes it until I give her permission to retailiate. Then she chases him about the house/yard and it becomes a big game. help?

Sarah,
Why are you letting your teenaged dog bully your middle aged dog? You need to take control of this situation yourself; obviously the younger dog is higher in the pack order than the older, just don't allow any displays of 'bullying' take place. YOU decide the parimeters of allowable bahaviour; no mounting, growling, neck biting, pushing, shoving, demanding obnoxious behaviour. Separate them if you have to, but make sure you maintain the pack order; more dominate dog gets first pets, first treats, first walks, etc. But make sure you also treat, pet, etc the second dog, with no interfernce from dog one.

How would you like it if a 6'10" bully moved into your home, took over, and the boss, who is supposed to look out for everyone, looks the other way, or worse, allows you to engage in a fight you know you will eventually lose?

I am not a fan of 'allowing' dogs to settle their own dominance/pack issues. In the wild, the animal will either take the abuse, and live the miserable life of an omega, or will leave the pack, and live the more miserable life of a pariah. We don't allow our dogs to leave the pack, and we don't want our dogs to be miserable, either. Take control, be a good and fair leader to both the dogs and stop all the bullying now. The older dog deserves better than that.