Is it safe to bring a new puppy home with an aggressive dog?

I personally would not recommend getting another dog for the house just yet. I'm quite concerned that Crosby is aggressive at the dog park and when you went to see a puppy. I would be very worried that he would attack a new puppy, causing it serious harm. The best thing to do is get him into a professional behavioral expert to work on his aggression. I never recommend owners try to deal with aggressive dogs on their own due to safety risks, it's best left to a professional. The professional can work with him and you on his aggression issues, and they can give their opinion as to whether or not another puppy would be safe in your home. Unfortunately some dogs are meant to be only dogs due to these issues, but certainly work with a trainer first before coming to that conclusion. You can ask your vet for a recommendation to one. I hope this helps!

The most important thing is that, if you get another dog, you introduce the two on neutral territory. Just waltzing a strange dog into Cody's house is begging for trouble. You could try a trial meeting to see how Cody is with the other dog. I would recommend a bitch, as two dogs of opposite genders are the least likely to fight. Remember that Cody was there first, and be sure he gets the lion's share of attention. Sometimes, the novelty of a new dog, and the requisites of trainng, mean that the old dog gets left out a bit. The new dog will not know you, and will therefore have no expectations as far as interacting with you. But Cody will want what he's always gotten. I don't know if Cody is aggressive due to basic temperament, or if it's a learned behavior. You can ask your vet for a referral to a canine behaviorist (different from a trainer) to help with this. Good luck!

You have to do what is best for your family. All dogs, whether trusted or not, should always be under direct supervision around babies. I would recommend that you have Jack evaluated by a veterinary behaviorist. The vet will be able to help you work on behavior modification and give you guidance on what changes need to be made before the baby comes. Use this link to find a veterinary behaviorist near you: https://www.dacvb.org/search/custom.asp?id=4709

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Usually these behaviors can be corrected but this usually requires in person training by a qualified dog trainer. I recommend you consider hiring a qualified dog trainer to work with you in person. I think with the appropriate training they may learn to get along great so that you do not have to fear this any longer. Otherwise, they may be fine but it is a bit of an uncertainty if it will happen again. Good luck and have a good day!

I assume Jack is the older one? It sounds like you are going to need to be very careful introducing these two, and be sure to keep them crated when you are not able to supervise them. Here is an article you may find helpful: https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-tips-to-introduce-a-puppy-or-dog-to-your-older-dog/ And an article on crate training which I would highly recommend: https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-crate-train-your-puppy-or-older-dog/

If your dog does not get along with other dogs it was probably a very bad idea (and a very stressful one) to bring a new puppy into the house. A new puppy can also be hard around a newborn as they aren't yet sure how to interact with each other. You can try to continue to get the two to get along by starting with limited introductions that are supervised, however if a fight breaks out the interaction should be stopped immediately and started again later. Never leave the two unsupervised together as even a good play sessions can cause accidental injury. You can also use baby gates as a way for the two to "meet" each other without being able to physically be together. If fights are continually breaking out, talking to a trainer or behaviorist that can observe within the home is best.

This can be a difficult question to answer because it will vary from dog to dog. The dog's personality will determine whether or not they adjust well to a new housemate. It does not necessarily matter whether the dog is older or younger. Some things you can do in the home when introducing new dogs are keeping the interactions very limited and making sure the dogs are under supervision the whole time they are getting to know each other. Also avoid feeding the dogs or giving them treats while they are together as this can sometimes cause aggressive behavior. Just be patient and work with the dogs individually and together and they should be able to get along fine. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.