# New puppy stealing toys from older dog.



## GiuseppePuppy79 (Dec 8, 2014)

Hello all, I’m a new member who recently adopted Jep, a 5.5 month old Border Collie-x (?) puppy to my formerly “single dog household.” The former only dog, Addy, is an 8 year old Dobie-x who I adopted at 4.5 months old. 

For the most part, Jep is a darling, biddable and intelligent addition to our family. He was really quiet when we got him, due to emaciation and a nasty upper respiratory virus. Now that he’s feeling better, what a difference, haha! He can definitely be an exhausting little stinker now. 

Addy seemed pretty put off at first, (snapping and growling at him when he got too close to her bed she was laying in, and when he bumped into her when playing on his own.) It was all bluster and noise, no real contact was made and Jep seemed to get the message and be more respectful. Three weeks in, she seems to have mostly adapted and they have even lightly play wrestled and played the super fun game of “chase” a couple times a day. 

The trouble now is that Addy seems to be too forgiving and I’m worried her nonchalance will turn Jep into a pushy brat. She lets him take her toys ALL the time. When I throw a ball, she used to retrieve it and bring it back to me. Now, she’ll chase it but then drop it when she realizes Jep is coming, almost like she doesn’t want to deal with him annoying her and would rather give up playing than deal with him.

And if Jep is playing with a toy and she has another, he’ll drop his and go steal hers and she lets him do it! She will not, however, let him take a bone or a biscuit. (Does that mean the toy really isn’t of high value to her and I shouldn’t worry?)

He is also starting to initiate play too much with her, in my opinion…she tries to walk away from him and he grabs at her (not hard but I can definitely tell its annoying her) and tries to be too “rough and tumble”. 

I love him but I’m starting to worry he’s going to end up being a pushy bully and my wonderful first dog will suffer for it. 

I have started intervening when he tries to initiate play and she’s clearly not interested –he’s learning the command “Leave it” right now and so I’m using that. That seems to help pretty well and I’m hoping with repetition and consistency he will get the message to leave her alone when I say so. 

The toy thievery is much harder – if I’m not constantly supervising them, he will steal her toy and I’ll find her sitting there wondering what happened. I’m hoping I don’t have to guard my female’s toy use over Jep’s harassment forever. 

Are there other methods/ training techniques I could use to help him "get to good"? Should I put up all toys unless I’m around? Thank you very much for any advice ya’ll can provide.


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## sharpei (Mar 15, 2013)

if your older dog was bothered by her theft of the toy it would most likely correct the pup. older dogs tend to get "parent syndrome" <--(I made this term up) for pups that move in and allow them the toys when they are fine with them playing with them once they get adjusted to the new pup. your older dog has accepted the pup as a member of the local loose society that dog packs are. honestly, I think you are over thinking this too much and anthropomorphizing the theft and equating hurt feelings that are not there.

as for the rough and tumble play when its annoying her she will correct the pup if he goes too far, and honestly as long as its not escalating beyond a corrective growl and nip, then I wouldn't worry about it. the pup needs to learn some dog communications through dealing with dogs, intervening too early on will not let the pup learn those signals when it is young enough to be treated/taught by the other dog with just a nip instead of an attack. it will potentially dull its senses of signals from other dogs and potentially lead to disaster with a different dog as it ages. you obviously want to prevent over escalation but she does need to learn to speak dog and only dogs can teach dogs that language.


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## Darkmoon (Mar 12, 2007)

Sounds like he has his puppy license right now which allows him to get away with murder. When Peanut was a puppy, she was very pushy and Nubs let her get away with everything, he refused to correct her at all. I remember Peanut latching onto his jowel once and Nubs running over to me crying with this 15lb puppy hanging off of him. 

3 years later, her license never expired. She's queen bee of the house and he is ok with it. She has a bad habit of stealing the bones right out of his mouth and he does nothing about it. I have to get up, get the bone from her, then give it back to him. Then I redirect her from bugging him because she only steals stuff when she wants him to play. 

I wouldn't use the command "leave it". Leave it should only be used for things he is never allowed to touch. I would say "no" then redirect him to something you want him to focus on. Im guessing like my dog Peanut, he's trying to get her to play by stealing stuff. 

You are doing the right thing, she may just not be a dog that likes to correct naughty dogs. You will have to do it for her.


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