I have two dogs. A 5 year old bichion, Alex, and 10 week puppy, Charley.....?

Alex may not be mistaking the pup's energy for aggression. What is more than likely happening, is that there needs to be a time of transition, and Alex needs to mourn for his friend. The puppy's energy may just be getting on his nerves. I have a 9 week old pup, a 7 year old and an 8 year old dog. Sometimes, the pup just tends to get on their nerves, and needs to "learn" his place in the pack. And dogs are very territorial, esp. when it's their bed, toys, etc. You need to slowly introduce the pup into Alex's world, and give them time to blend. Also, Alex needs his own space.

It's like a new kid around adults who are not used to having kids around..... get the idea?

good luck. also, establish a place for the new pup to have a time out from Alex and make sure you let Alex know he is still very much loved. *take them for walks together, at least for 20-30 minutes daily, to help the transition. trust me, it's important in getting them assimilated.

for more tips, visit the cesar milan website... it's helped me alot with my pup and dogs!

good luck!

It's possible that it's too soon for your bichon to be very accepting of another dog into the house as she is probably missing the other dog. You should be careful with them at first and allow them to be together in neutral grounds for a while. Take them to a park and let them get used to each other and play there. Bringing the puppy into the house and letting them meet is the grounds of the bichon and she might feel territorial. Let them explore and get to know each other in a place where they both feel comfortable and the older dog will not feel she is defending her territory (and her friend's territory who died). When they're inside, let then spend short supervised periods together and make sure that the older dog has a place she can retreat to where she feels safe and away from the puppy. She will come around, but it will take time for her to get used to another dog, especially after losing a friend.

Introducing them now should not be an issue. The Siberian will grow up the two shih-tzu's so he won't really realize that he is that much bigger than they are eventually. Puppies are like a blank slate in that they do not have preformed opinions nor do they have innate antagonistic tendencies. The real question is are YOU ready for a Siberian? This is a demanding dog that will get very big, maybe 80-85 pounds. He will need lots of room to exercise and he needs vigorous exercise for about 2 hours per day at least and should not be penned up in a small kennel. Siberians are prone to wander and they do not come home when it is time to eat, they just want to see what is on the other side of the horizon. They jump fences and dig out in 5 minutes if your fence is not wired underground to prevent the dig. They are not watch dogs. If someone comes to rob you, if they will play with the husky, he will show them where your valuables are as they never meet a stranger and they think everyone came to play with them. These dogs do not really bark unless they are very excited about something. This is a high energy working dog that needs a job and if he does not have one, he will become beyond destructive because he will find something to do. This is a demanding and challenging dog. As adults, if they are not socialized well, they think all creatures smaller than them deserves to die and they are efficient killers. No blood and guts, just a swift movement to break the spine and drop the prey on the ground and they are off to another task. I used to find dead wildlife all over with my Siberian and because I did not rescue him until he was 6, there were many things that it took years for us to overcome. I trained my husky to pull me on my bike. He loved it. I could not walk him, it pulled my shoulder out, he was too powerful but it took one loop on our journey and he learned all the commands and we went for a run/pull every day, even if I had worked until 9 pM. did not matter. If it wasn't storming, we went for a pull. With this type of dog, it is just a fact of life that you have to prepare yourself for. So, please research this dog, and if you cannot offer him the life he deserves to have, I would urge you to look at other breeds, like the dogs you have. These are two diversely different breeds with very different needs. Just think about it. Best wishes with your choice.

Dogs have feelings just like humans do. In time, your two dogs will become friends. For the moment, Alex is probably very sad about his friend's death. Give him time, make sure you pay attention to Alex, and he will eventually make friends with Charley.

Well,,, Alex might be trying to indimidate the other dog. He's new and not the bichon who Alex is used to....... You need to just correct Alex when he's misstreating charley.....

How do some of these people type so much??? WOW! My dogs are like that, The older dog will eventually teach the younger one who's boss