Just got some of the snake oil ADAPTIL for the puppy introduction (for both dog and puppy) and have the puppy's crate, playpen, and bed (for the office) set up. Grant woo-woo'ed me about the playpen. We suspect he's figuring out these things he hasn't seen since puppyhood mean something big.

Anyway, I only found one short conversation on ADAPTIL here from 2012, and wondered if anyone had suggestions regarding that or other calming advice for the first weeks of the puppy's life in our home. I'm placing the DAP collar on Grant for the two weeks before the puppy arrives as advised in The Art of Introducing Dogs by Louise Ginman.

ADAPTIL link:
https://www.chewy.com/adaptil-dog-diffuser-refill-48-ml/dp/116891?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=Adaptil&utm_term=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiZ_Ojeyv2AIV2BmBCh2wGwikEAQYASABEgI67vD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

TIA!

What sort of problems are you anticipating?

None specifically, since 2yo Grant is well-trained and the puppy is female. I'm supervising at all times, and just adding things to my prevention list so the introduction phase goes smoothly. Grant is playful yet calm around other dogs, but a Husky puppy is tiny at 8.5 weeks, and they won't be able to really play as equals for several months.

I don't know how much out of the normal stuff I would do. You don't want Grant to think this puppy is somehow different than other dogs other than just being smaller and end up having a bad association with her. If he's well socialized and has been around small dogs before I wouldn't worry too much. They figure out how to play pretty easily and if you think he's getting a little rough just separate until he calms down. They will find their way and puppies are pretty resilient. Chances are she will have him running from her very soon and that tiny stature will be a thing of the past. lol. You're going to give me puppy fever.

What Jenn said...I'm.too lazy too write it all out.

Good point, Jenn and Amy.

As a cosmic test, a huge Nordic man and his burly, off-leash bulldog ambushed us on our trail run this frosty evening (Grant loves the cold) and Grant listened to me while being playful. He even let the guy pat him on the head, which he doesn't like. We had to stop and chat (ugh) because the bulldog was all over the place, but Grant was bouncing happily as we resumed running again.

He's just a super unflappable Husky. So I am probably researching all this for nothing. Haha

Dang, the type in this thread is minuscule! I had to put on my glasses to read it, lol.

Chris, just relax. Grant will cue in on any anxiety you have so start relaxing now so you are gold when Sofia comes home

I can tell you how it went for me, with Kohdi and Mishka, my past huskies were handled similarly with slight variances. Kohdi was 1 year and 2 months when Mishka came home. I left Kohdi at home, with my mom, while I started my day long journey to pick up Mishka. I left early enough that I thought I'd be back well before dark, however it was Memorial Day weekend and one of the cities I had to pass through was L.A. so, it was dark when I got home. And I was VERY tired. I hadn't slept for two days because of the combination of excitement that I'd have a pair of huskies again, and worry that I may have ruined Kohdi's life as he knew it by getting another. When I got home, Kohdi was at the screen door, woo wooing away, like where the heck have you been? How dare you leave me all day then...he saw what I was carrying. My little girl. Kohdi's new sister. And I carried her in. I didn't do the meeting on neutral ground thing, I never did that with my past huskies either. It is MY belief, that such a theory is beneficial to two grown dogs when meeting, and becoming a family member. To me, huskies (dogs in general) know this is a puppy, and respond accordingly. So anyways, I held Mishka and knelt down, let Kohdi sniff her, all the while Mishka looking around like WTH, lol. Then I carried her into the kitchen/dining room area and set her down. Kohdi, with his big bewildered eyes, looks down at her, takes his big paw and swats her like a toy, and Mishka got a little airborne. Then the play bow, and lots of bouncing balls of fur. The kitchen, with its mop able floors, haha, would become Mishka's safe space until she was bigger. It had her crate, plenty of room, her water and food, etc. She was in there anytime I couldn't supervise them together, and at night. Puppies are small anyways, but Mishka was the size of a kitten under all that fluff. First week, I slept on the floor next to the crate, Kohdi next to me, and everything was great. I'd hear her stir once in awhile, and before I could even get up to let her out to pee, Kohdi was pawing me like "hey! Get up! " lol. After that first week, I went to my own bed again, Kohdi would come get me when Mishka needed out,  and I'd wake up in the morning to find Kohdi sleeping next to Mishka with "barrier" between them (a dog gate...which I ended up having to change cuz Mishka figured out she could climb it, haha) I'd leave the crate door open and Kohdi would lay on one side, Mishka on the other, sometimes touching noses as they slept, it was pretty cute. As the weeks went on, and these two became more accustomed to each other, Mishka grew *soooo slowly*,  lol, til eventually the barrier came down and these two became the awesome creatures they are.  

I was hoping you'd share this, Jimmy. Yeah, I'm gonna take the rescue remedy recommended for the dogs myself. Haha

I was really interested in your situation, and it's a lot like mine because I am traveling to fetch Sophia. I read today the suggestion by an expert to visit the puppy at the breeder's kennel with your existing dog several times before the homecoming. Um, it will be 20 hours round-trip in one day.

So your story is perfect. I love the happy ending in which it didn't ruin Kohdi's life. Yes, you nailed my concerns.

Thanks!

I should have known it wouldn't ruin Kohdi's life, and deep down I think I did know, but he has been my first husky that I had, all by himself, for a full year. He also had the burden of helping me cope with the sudden loss of my last two huskies so we were/ARE! pretty tight. I did worry.

I would have loved to bring Kohdi with me to pick up Mishka, but like you, the trip was just too long. His brother, sister, dad and mom were there though, I'd have loved a pic of all together. It worked out though, and atleast Kohdi didn't have to endure that long drive on top of everything else.

How much longer til Sofia comes home?

"chill, mom"

A couple of weeks. The waiting is good, giving me the chance to get mentally ready. Grant will have alone time with me on our evening run until Sophia gets all of her shots. And he just sleeps all day at the office, so it's not going to change the routine for him.

I'm an analytical and scientific thinker (read: researcher), so this is my process, but your story helps so much! Thank you for sharing. Your two are obviously ideally bonded.

It's probably upside down, only I won't know it, lol. But I took this pic right now. I think I did good.

Awww! They're adorable. (Nice composition, too.)

Thank you. They are my pride and joy

Later, I'll look in Mishka's scrapbook, I have videos in there of her first days, they're somewhere in the middle of her scrapbook though so I'll find the page for you, and you can watch them interact a bit

Yes, please!

I thought I uploaded more than one puppy video but I guess not on page 22 of "Mishka's (Kohdi's lil sister") scrapbook, there is a video of baby Mishka being taunted by Kohdi. I have others but I'll have to upload them to YouTube . If you click on my name, more videos are there (on YouTube) including the breeders puppy video of Kohdi , it's pretty cute, lol, but he was just a baby so it's got nothing to do with this topic, haha. Mishka pretty much grew up here on iaht, so the beginning of her scrapbook illustrates with pics, her interactions with Kohdi.

I found baby Mishka in the kennel! Aw, so sweet. Wow she was teeny-tiny and floofy, and Kohdi looked younger, too. Thank you for the encouragement and pointing out things to look forward to.

Grant belongs to himself, such a strong personality. I see him trying to be gentle with us "fragile" humans, so I know he can be gentle with a puppy. He is particularly kind to my mom, who is disabled. It's like he knows. He behaves as if he is a wild boy taming himself to live with humans. Haha

Grant sounds A LOT like Kohdi. I think you'll be good

About the only "problem" I experienced, and it does need to be dealt with should you experience it, is Kohdi went from happy go lucky with treats like bones, to guarding them. Even with me. It took a little while, but I conquered it. In one of the last pics I posted in Kohdi's scrapbook, I think (it's that macro pic) they are both laying together, and Kohdi has a new bone in front of him, I have others where Mishka is laying her head practically on top of the bone and Kohdi is fine with it, that wouldn't have happened back around the time Mishka was "new". He guarded with a vengeance! Mishka herself never became a guarder though.

I should add that, when Mishka was a tiny pup, kohdi didn't guard...I believe it was somewhere around Mishka's one year mark

I've observed this with "famous" Huskies on YouTube. The older male will take both toys, thank you very much, and keep them away from the younger female. Why do people think this is cute?

Grant allows my son's Corgi to scavenge his bones off the porch, though.

He is more likely to be jealous of attention, I think. He values attention over any treat. But, as in your anecdote, we shall see. I will watch for any tight-lipped activity. Haha

In Kohdi's case, Chris, it was Mishka taking both and keeping to herself, Kohdi, I think, just got tired of it. While I did correct the situation when I saw Mishka doing it, I guess it still happened enough to Kohdi, for him to "change". Kohdi is also not a food/treat driven dog, to him though, bones were somewhat different.

Mersea Lopez wrote:

Just got some of the snake oil ADAPTIL for the puppy introduction (for both dog and puppy) and have the puppy's crate, playpen, and bed (for the office) set up. Grant woo-woo'ed me about the playpen. We suspect he's figuring out these things he hasn't seen since puppyhood mean something big.

Anyway, I only found one short conversation on ADAPTIL here from 2012, and wondered if anyone had suggestions regarding that or other calming advice for the first weeks of the puppy's life in our home. I'm placing the DAP collar on Grant for the two weeks before the puppy arrives as advised in The Art of Introducing Dogs by Louise Ginman.

ADAPTIL link:
https://www.chewy.com/adaptil-dog-diffuser-refill-48-ml/dp/116891?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=Adaptil&utm_term=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiZ_Ojeyv2AIV2BmBCh2wGwikEAQYASABEgI67vD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

TIA!

I'd be interested to know how the use of the ADAPTIL went if you could provide an update please on your views on it. Its on sale at Amazon.

It's still on its way to me. Grant totally doesn't need it otherwise (he sits on the bluff to watch fireworks and thunderstorms), but I was hoping it would help once his sister arrives, just for a calmer introduction phase. I'll update as I use it.

Jimmy, here is where I think the mix of male and female is a good balance, especially with the male as the older Husky. The relationship of trust built alone and one-on-one with the naturally (ostensibly) more challenging to train male Husky is stable and therefore easier to address when teenager stuff starts with the little sister.

At least this is the theory from my reading.

I want Grant to know I've got his back, and play up the positive playmate qualities of the twosome while minimizing any competition for MY resources. I think we are clear on who owns everything in this world; Grant comes to me for food, as independent as he is, and he prefers anything I have to what's easily accessible (in the dog dish) and he will work for it.

In the beginning, nothing will be lying around or up for grabs, to reinforce this concept and prevent any confusion.

But practice is more important than theory...