My Yorkie is scared of our new Pit Bull. How can I help them bond?

Introduce them to one another gradually. First, by allowing them to hear and smell one another through a closed door, then by sight without physical contact, then supervised contact. You will need to progress gradually through each phase. Correct any aggressive behavior immediately and praise good behavior consistently. A pheromone product, such as the Adaptil collar or DAP plug in diffuser, may decrease any anxiety or aggression.

What a lucky little dog to have been adopted by a loving family such as yours!! Little dogs can find almost everything about the world quite scary. If Princess Skylar is most comfortable in her kennel then I would allow her to stay in there as needed. Put her kennel in a central part of the house (eg the living area) so that she is still ‘with’ the family. And encourage your children to sit quietly on the floor and offer her treats. It is very important to let her adjust to her new surrounds, and also for the children to hnderstand that she is scared and needs to be treated very gently and quietly. Be sure to leave the kennel door propped open for her so she has ready access and can come and go as needed to feel safe. She is a very sweet looking dog and I am sure will assimilate into your family very quickly!

Use a pheromone product such as the Adaptil collar or DAP plug in diffuser. Either may decrease any anxiety. If your daughter is old enough, have her feed Bambi and offer treats and toys to him. She can play or interact with him for very short periods of time initially. This time can be increased as he acclimates. Always use praise and reward as he progresses. Be patient and be consistent. Do not force him to play or interact. If your daughter is an infant, show her to Bambi for ever increasing periods of time. If she is crying or moving, go slow as this could be scary to him, especially if he's never seen a baby.

I recommend to focus on increased exercise for the bigger pup. The more physically tired she is, the less likely she will be to bully the smaller one. I recommend at this time to have a baby gate or some other type of barrier to separate them so that the smaller one feels more secure. Work on calming the environment with pheromone sprays and classical music. Make sure to give the smaller pup exercise as well as this will act as a stress reliever. You can also try distracting both pets with peanut butter (make sure there's no xylitol) Kongs that have been in the freezer for a few hours. Lastly, if these are not breeding dogs, getting them spayed will eliminate the sex hormones and this may help calm things down a lot (although this is not the case for every dog). I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post again if you have any further questions.

Poor Romeo! If he's very anxious and afraid all the time, it's no wonder he doesn't feel much like playing. I'm not sure how long you've had him, but it's possible that he just needs time and patience if he's s still adjusting. You could also try a DAP pheromone collar along with a natural calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure to help him feel more comfortable. If he's severely anxious and these things don't help, I would strongly consider making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate him in person and make more specific recommendations for you about how to help him with his anxiety. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org.

Not all dogs like one another. Pit bulls can be selective about which dogs they will get along with. Some dogs get along great in the beginning, then have problems. Some don't like each other from the beginning and get better. Your young bulldog has recently reached sexual maturity, which means males may rival one another for dominance. This is best avoided by having them both neutered and keeping them apart while their hormone levels go down. Dog should be kept apart when no one is around to supervise, and allowed to interact with leashes on while a person is holding each leash. Gradually increase the time they spend together, always supervised. Reward good behavior and ignored or scold poor behavior. Never hit your dogs. you may want the advice of an experienced trainer to keep the peace between the two of them.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Since you just got the puppy you need to give Biscuit time. The puppy also needs to learn from Biscuit when enough is enough, this is an important life lesson. Energetic puppies are a lot for older dogs to handle and you are going to have to accept that Biscuit may never love the puppy but may just tolerate him. You need to intervene when the puppy is pushing too much and find other ways to use up his energy: puppy training classes, the dog park, doggie day care, other play dates with more willing dogs. I hope this helps and I wish you all the best!