# Introducing a new puppy with older dog that has bad habits. Advice?



## reinekec (Oct 7, 2010)

Hi, I was hoping to get some advice on my particular issue that I'm sure many others have faced before. I plan on purchasing a pembroke welsh corgi as a puppy from a reputable breeder in the next few months and I wanted to know how I can make sure that my puppy doesn't pick up the bad habits from my roommates dog which is a shiba inu. That is to say his dog is not bad, it just has some behavioral issues; such as parking at strangers and over excitement when we arrive home from work(which includes whinning and jumping on us). 

I want to make sure that my puppy does not attain these behaviors and thinks that they are acceptable because my roommate's dog does them. I have done behavioral research on dogs and I have explained to my roommate how to handle this issues with his dog but he doesn't enforce them.

I want to make sure that I can raise my dog to the best of my ability and teach it good habits but at the same time I don't want to seclude the two dogs from playing with each-other and being able to communicate when I am away. What can I do or what should I do? Please give me your advice!



Thank you for your help!


----------



## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

Your dog won't necessarily learn the behaviors because of your roommate's dog, but if you are treating the two the same I'm sure the pup will. If your roommate lets the puppy jump on him and inforces it, you'll have issues. If you overplay coming home to the dogs, your pup will get over-excited. 

I personally think you should get through to your roommate or train his dog yourself before bringing a puppy home, just because it is hard to work with a new puppy in this type of situation where another party may reinforce behaviors you don't want your dog having.


----------



## reinekec (Oct 7, 2010)

DJEtzel said:


> Your dog won't necessarily learn the behaviors because of your roommate's dog, but if you are treating the two the same I'm sure the pup will. If your roommate lets the puppy jump on him and inforces it, you'll have issues. If you overplay coming home to the dogs, your pup will get over-excited.
> 
> I personally think you should get through to your roommate or train his dog yourself before bringing a puppy home, just because it is hard to work with a new puppy in this type of situation where another party may reinforce behaviors you don't want your dog having.


I have recently started training his dog. Trying to break his habits with techniques that I have researched on the web. 

So would it be wrong then to be more strict and limit the amount interaction with my pup and his pup? That is to say, let them play with each other at times but overall keep them separated?


----------



## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

It's not the other dog that will be the problem. It's that your roommate allows the behavior, and if they allow it with your puppy, your puppy will develop that behavior. 

I would make sure you don't leave them together unsupervised, just for the safety of your new puppy.


----------



## reinekec (Oct 7, 2010)

spotted nikes said:


> It's not the other dog that will be the problem. It's that your roommate allows the behavior, and if they allow it with your puppy, your puppy will develop that behavior.
> 
> I would make sure you don't leave them together unsupervised, just for the safety of your new puppy.


Thanks that's great advice. I was thinking the same thing. If I make sure my roommates treat the dog the way I treat him then that behavior wont be dependent on the other pup. I think now I have a good idea on how I want to approach this issue if and when it arises.

Thanks everyone for their help!!


----------



## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

Just to clarify, I mean don't leave the puppy and the roommate's dog together unsupervised. Rambunctious puppies and yelping/screaming can sometimes trigger another dog to attack. (Although, you might not want to leave your puppy and Roommate together unsupervised either, so he doesn't teach him bad habits.  )


----------

