I wonder if anyone has experience raising two dogs. In my imagination, it would be such a beautiful scene to see two dogs playing and keeping each other company. But what if one dog is an older dog and the other is a younger dog, and the two dogs have too much difference in physical strength and energy? When the younger dog keeps running to play with the older dog, or even provokes and pretends to bite the older dog, what should the owner do and how can they act as a mediator?

I have two dogs like this at home; one is a 15-year-old senior dog, and the other is a recently adopted, energetic young male dog of about 3-4 years old. Before the new dog arrived, the senior dog was truly listless and didn't want to move, spending all his time lying on the blanket. My initial idea was to find an energetic dog to cheer up the senior dog. After the new dog arrived, the senior dog was indeed motivated, but I inadvertently discovered something: the young dog would often tease the senior dog when I wasn't looking, and even occasionally pretend to bite him. Although I know that dogs are just playing, the senior dog's stamina is really not good, and he doesn't want to play, so he can only dodge. Moreover, the senior dog probably just wants a peaceful and tranquil retirement, which has now been completely disrupted by this young man. So, what should a dog owner do to mediate between them? After doing some research, I found that there are indeed methods that can be tried.

Puppies sometimes have excessive energy. In these situations, the owner should act as an arbitrator between the older dog and the puppy. If the older dog still has the energy to discipline the puppy, the owner should try not to intervene. After a few times, the puppy may become less likely to misbehave. However, if the older dog is too old or has a very gentle temperament, the owner should intervene, take the puppy to another space, give it toys to distract it, and help it calm down.

To expend the puppy's energy, play games with him more at home, let him play with toys, or take him out for walks to run around and burn off his energy. In addition, this can also help him get to know other dogs and divert his attention from the older dog at home.

In addition, you can train a new puppy to obey commands, letting it know who the master of this house is. A dog that obeys commands will make the training work easier. If it suddenly becomes excited and out of control and starts to harass the older dog, it should obediently return to its proper space and not dare to rebel as long as you give it a command.

Actually, having a young dog to keep an older dog company is a great idea, as it can boost the older dog's activity and spirit. However, the owner should pay attention to the relationship between the two dogs to see if the puppy bullies the older one, and also be mindful of the older dog's emotions. After all, the owner used to belong to this dog, so the older dog shouldn't feel that its owner's attention has been taken away by the puppy in its later years. This is something the owner should be especially careful about.

Reference link: https://www.loveupets.com/report_detail_pc.php?id=299