Why won't my older dog use the yard or drink water after new puppy?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Abbey. I suspect that she is stressed by the arrival of the new puppy. Be sure to give her one on one attention and take her outside frequently. Give her lots of praise and a high value treat when she does go. Her behavior should get back to normal, but it can take some time. I hope this information helps!

Poor Lillian. Make every effort to get her outside to potty. Also work on making her more comfortable. It's a big change for her. Once she is comfortable in the house, you can begin trying to get her comfortable outside. It's possible something has scared her in the past and now she has developed a negative association. You may try to counteract this by creating a positive association. Begin by having a high value treat or toy. Start playing/a training session inside the house by the door way. Do this for a few days. Once Lillian seems comfortable playing by the door way, toss the toy or treat outside and allow her to retrieve it and come back inside. Do this until Lillian is comfortable. Then move outside by the doorway way. Gradually move further and further away from the door way. Then begin gradually decreasing the play time and just hanging outside with her. Try not to leave her outside unattended until she seems comfortable. I hope this helps.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I understand your concern. The symptoms Maya are displaying are very non-specific and there could be many reasons. She could simply be moping because of the new puppy. But there could be a medical reason: lyme disease, metabolic diseases (liver/kidney), viral infections, fever, foreign body ingestion or cancer. Watch her closely for any changes like vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, limping, etc. Try adding boiled chicken or hamburger to her dog food to tempt her to eat. Try taking her outside for her favorite activity with out the puppy-a nice walk, swim in the creek, dog park or play ball. See if that cheers her up! I hope this helps and good luck!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Annie. She is adorable! Great job on signing her up for obedience class. This will help her immensely. It will help to build her confidence. Once she learns basic skills she will know more of what you expect from her. This will help her throughout all areas of her life. As far as drinking water, if she is eating, then she will drink. Leave water available for her at all times. She is likely drinking when you are not around. Getting her to go potty outside may be more challenging if she has not done this before. You can try her on leash or off leash if you have fenced yard. She may be more comfortable one way or another. Give her lots of praise and a treat if she goes. The other option is puppy pad training her. You may need to try both and see if one method is more successful for her. As she becomes more accustomed to your home, she will likely become more comfortable with these activities. Be patient and give her time. She should adjust. Good luck!

Everyone deals with change differently and it sounds like Lady is a little stressed out. I would recommend a bland diet and some extra love from you and your family. I would spend alone time with her every day. This time should not include the new puppy. It takes time to adjust. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Lulu would not be aware of any contagious disease risks and many older dogs are unwilling and unsure of socializing with active, energetic puppies and take to time, up to a month, to fully adjust. Be sure to make time with Lulu on her own as you did before the puppy and try to introduce them after active play session when the puppy is more tired. Keep the puppy away from Lulus bed, toys and food bowls and keep him in separate room unless directly supervised to prevent friction and conflict

It sounds as if Coco may be a bit stressed out by the new puppy. Giving her some time on her own to relax and settle in with the changes is best. You can try spending some more one on one time together by offering a favorite treat, playing with a favorite toy, or just petting and grooming her without your other dogs present. Making sure each dog has some personal time as well as places they can rest such as their own bed, room, etc as well as making sure there are extra food and water bowls can help reduce stress and prevent tension between all three dogs.