Hello, We just added a new dog to our family of 1 neutered male dog that is about 2.5 years old. The new dog is a 1 year old female that is about the same weight and height as the resident dog. My question is should I let the dogs work out their differences with play or should I break it up when it gets too rough. And...what is too rough if I should break it up. One of the dogs is more vocal than the other...so its hard to tell what is play and what isn't. Thanks!
If they are wrestling - however noisy, the chances are that it is play. If food is involved in the tiff, it can escalate. The majority Beagles have no food manners - and most of them will steal, (not my angels of course!). After a pierced ear the first week Merry came, we started feeding ours with a baby gate between them. It came as a shock as we have never had food fights with any other breeds. It only took about 3 weeks until they could eat with 6 feet of floorspace between them, and it has been heads together from then on.
Yeah. They were wrestling over a toy then Jager landed wrong and yelped so I put them in their respective corners for a time out. Now they are both passed out.
Are all toys shared ones or do they have specific toys of their own? Maybe it is just a case of what he/she had got, I want! Brings back memories of twin and I being offered something or other - twin being the oldest always had first choice, and she always said "I want the one she [me] is going to have".
I got duplicates of some of the toys. It seems to be a case of "what he/she had got, I want!" I'm sure it will work itself out...
Jeager will soon learn to let her have first pick. At least that is what happened when Merry came here.
@CaroleC Do Beagles and Beagle mixes put on weight easily? Our Koko seems to be a bit on the chubby side for her size.
Yes Beagles do - especially neutered ones. I'm not sure about Boxers but I have seen overweight ones toddling round. I always weigh the rations for my two. Eddie is larger framed so he has an extra 2 ounces of kibble a day - he has 4 ounces at lunchtime and she has 2.5 oz. They have the same amount of meat and vegetable, a rounded tablespoon of veg and 50g of meat with their lunch. At suppertime, he has 2.5 oz of kibble, and she has 2 oz. They have a small drink of soya milk and water too. Ed is 18k, Merry is 14.5k. They are on Veteran variety kibble. (I know, it's a strange mix of Imperial and Metric weights, but it works for me.)
Mine used to play rough all the time and were very vocal one would think they were killing each other, if I thought it was getting out of hand then id stop them.
If it was getting 'edgy' or too noisy, yes, I would cool it. I don't have this problem with dogs being the age that mine are, but if they were too rough I would stop it. If they were being good humoured but too loud, I would turf them outdoors.
