Hi everyone!

So I got Blu about a week ago and I am in love with him! Though, it is VERY different from any other dog I have ever had before. When I first got Blu he loved me! He didn't give me a hard time at all, and considering everything I read I was a little bit surprised because he was being so great! A few days passed by and my roommate brought home a German Shepard puupy(she cried to her boyfriend the night I brought Blu home and complained she felt left out) Anyways! Since their puppy Max has been here Blu has been so bad! he won't listen to me, and he seems to only like being around my roommate and her boyfriend! I try my hardest not to show that my feelings are hurt, but they are. I moved 8 hours away from home recently, and I wanted a companion. I love Blu so much already, but I just feel like he doesn't feel the same. At night he throws tantrums because he wants to be in my roommate's room with her boyfriend and little max and doesn't calm down until he finally falls asleep! I feel a little discouraged, I'm a huge dog person, I've never had an experience where my own dog didn't want to be with me! Any advice?

Hi Blu's Mama (though a name for you would be nice)

Let's face it, in a contest between people and another puppy, the puppy's going to win.  It isn't that Blu doesn't want to be with you, he wants to be (playing) with Max.  You seem to be taking this personally - and I imagine it feels that way - but it's not.  Blu doesn't want to be with the other *people* he wants to be with the other puppy.

Remember, you probably just got him from a breeder where he was with his pack all the time.  There were other puppies to play with - and then he was moved to where there weren't any other puppies just some big human being who don't play like puppies do. So it's natural for him to want to be with the other puppy. 

It's now your job (and it is a responsibility) to ensure that he learns what he needs to in order to be a "Canine Good Citizen" (I'm not plugging them, just stating the obvious). If he's spending all his time with the other pup (and it's owners), you have to put a stop to it, some mutual playtime is okay, but this is one of the reasons that people get told to not get two pups at once. It's up to you - not your roommate - to make sure that Blu gets out to learn his house training.  It's up to you to make sure that cute little Blue learns that jumping on people and things isn't right - because when Blu isn't so little any more, it won't be so cute.

Sounds like I'm saying that *you* have some work ahead of you, well, you do.  But it's when you do the training and you take him for his walks and you show him that "throwing tantrums" isn't going to work that you and he will be building a bond that will last a lifetime.

Hey there!

I'm the owner of a fearful border collie. It took me almost 6 months to form a "real" bond with her. I am not sure if that is due to her personality or if it could really take that long. I just wanted to use that as encouragement that bonding will not be instant. Also, assuming as Al said that you got the pup from a breeder, you are dealing with a homesick puppy that is still trying to adjust. In honesty, that was not a very nice (or educated) thing your room mates did in complicating the situation for both pups.

It's not going to be fun, but I suggest putting up gates to keep the pups separated. Only allow a few hours of mutual play a day. All the rest of the time make yourself the most fun thing possible - train, play, etc. For tantrums, you're going to have to ignore them. Don't put him in a crate without a Kong or a toy to keep him company. But then also don't let him out until he is silent a few seconds. Every day, extend the requirement for silence by a second or so.