barneysmom

Thelma Lou is 9 weeks old now and she absolutely loves time with the adult basset and mixed breed. The mixed breed female is being very appropriate, including mild correction when the puppy "misbehaves" but the Basset male is either afraid of her or annoyed by her. The two adults are also very energetic and roughhouse. When might it be safe to leave her in the company of the adults without our supervision?

I'm asking this because I just had a sudden health issue that might land me in the hospital for treatment and surgery. I'm not going to be able to give the pup as much attention as I had intended.

Mikey T

Unless the male dog has actual cause physical harm to the puppy your interfering and mediating encounter between the two may do more harm than good.


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mhvonalmen8908

When we got Virga she was about 6 weeks and Doppler was just over 1 year. When we got home with Virga we just put her on the floor and let them figure it out. We supervised of course and sat on the floor so she had somewhere to hide from him if she felt it necessary. But we've left her with him ever since and there's never been any problem. They figured out who was top dog and it's been great ever since. But we don't leave them alone in the house together, mainly because Virga isn't reliable loose in the house yet.

barneysmom

It's always hard for me to handle dog arguments, but the only one that ever made me give up one dog was when my Greyhound chased one of my cats, who was outside the fence and in no danger, and my Great Dane who had never had any issues with the Grey even when they were first introduced in my house, (which is supposed to be a no-no) attacked the Grey. The Dane went into full protect mode. The Dane was the only one with wounds (never underestimate a Greyhound bite) but the Grey was dripping saliva from her neck. That was not a dominance squabble. The Dane meant business. And from that moment on, the Grey was public enemy number 1. The Dane was raised with the cats and she saw them as family.

This situation now is just concern about the rough-housing play of the adults inadvertantly injuring the puppy's joints because she is right there with them. I know she'll learn, but she might have a joint injury. The mixed breed is great and just does the typical female corrections of growling and pushing, Barney the basset just tries to get away when she annoys him. I don't think either would ever hurt the puppy intentionally. My concern was primarily about the age when a basset pup's joints are stable enough to really play. Right now we are letting the big dogs teach her manners and only intervene when the two big dogs are playing and the puppy is being trampled under their feet.

Mikey T

[quote]My concern was primarily about the age when a basset pup's joints are stable enough to really [quote]

Joints are never really stable until the growth plates close which they do a varry rates anywhere for 8 month to 2 year give the individual dog and the plates in question. However by avoiding play and ruff housing exercise etc you can potential do a lot more harm. Is there a risk of injury sure, but that risk is small. By not allow play there is a bigger risk of behavioral issues form insufficient socialization that issolation and such can bring.