[emily120908]

Hi I got a male german shepard pup 3 days ago he's nearly 8 weeks old and I have a german shepard x female and she's 3 and she doesn't like the puppy at all she growls at him when he comes near her and had gone for him twice I have put a stair gate on the front room and have kept her out most of the time apart from at night when he's in his crate and through the day when he's been in his crate and I have let her sniff around the crate while he's been in it I introduced them at my house as he hasn't had his shots so I couldn't reali introduce them out of the house but before I fetched him home I came home daily with his scent to get her get used to his scent for when he did come and I had the breeder I got him off fetch him into the house so it was a neutral person

[worried_mama]

For one thing you said you had an older female. With any new dog or kids for that matter is always best to slowly introduce the two. When we did this a few years ago I had my husband hold our older dog by the collar and I brought in the new puppy. We let the older dog sniff the new puppy while we told our older dog to be nice repeatedly. After a few days of doing this we would put them both on leashes and slowly let them interact with one another while telling them both to play nice and to be nice. After a few weeks the two were inseparable. You need to let your older dog know that you love her and spend time with her one on one, even if that means putting the new puppy in its crate for a little while. One your female gets used to the idea that the puppy is here to stay she will come around. Time and patience is the key.

[Alty]

German shepherds do not handle change very well. They don't like additional family members being added.

You have your work cut out for you, and it won't happen overnight, but it can be done. You do have to be patient though, it will take time.

First, do not crate your puppy to spend time with the older dog. The puppy seems to be spending enough time in the crate, and isolating them while you're home is not going to get the older dog to accept this new puppy.

Supervision is the key. Never leave them in a room alone. Don't show that you're nervous, they can both sense that. Let them sniff each other. If the older dog starts to get aggressive, a firm no, and then remove her from the puppy. She has to learn that her behavior is not acceptable, which is why putting him in a crate to spend time with her is not a good idea. The crate should be a safe haven, not a place for a time out. That would teach her that she's right, that she doesn't have to accept him, and that growling and being unpleasant will make the puppy go away.

Make sure that they have separate eating areas, and water dishes. Do not let them eat in the same room together at this time.

Also teach the puppy basic manners. Most older dogs find puppies annoying because they get right in your face, want to play all the time, and generally can be a bit of a nuisance to an older dog. He also has to learn to respect her boundaries. When he gets in her face then a firm no for him and removing him is also needed, but don't put him in the crate. Remember, the crate should not be a punishment.

It's only been 3 days. Think of this as bringing a new baby into a home with an older child. The older child will feel a bit put out by the baby, but most children get used to the new addition, given some time, patience, love, and rules.

When the puppy is old enough start walking them together. Most dogs will walk very well together.

Just be consistent, and let them spend as much time with each other (supervised) as you can.

Most of all, give it time. It will take a lot longer than 3 days.