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Originally Posted by lengel  We're raising our pup with our three adult labradors who are very maternal/paternal. I would say that they are attentive to the point of being supernannies. Zooey follows their lead and imitates them to a fascinating degree. I can't help but think that this is a response to some extent to their constant attention to Zooey's every move, and need.
I read an article about a woman who raised her standard poodles with huskies so that they would learn the appropriate skills to qualify as sled dogs for the Iditarod and it got me thinking - to what extent do the other dogs in our households affect the personality of our puppies? Is my rottie/aussie going to be a lab on some level? |
One must remember that a DOG is a DOG FIRST, and it's BREED SECOND.
Your little one will certainly learn from the elders, and as Gina mentioned, both "good" and "bad" behaviors.
She also mentions spending a lot of one on one time with the pup. I concur wholeheartedly. The innate temperament of your pup (whether she is geared more towards bonding with dogs or people; this is a hardwired tendency) will really determine how much this ultimately affects who your pup truly bonds with, but it's best to put the odds in your favor.
It's especially important during this critical time that your pup be bonding with you. Zooey already knows how to be a dog, and since they already speak the same language, you are handicapped, so to speak. Young pups in my house get minimal socialization with the older dogs.
Please read the sticky entitled: Critical Periods of Canine Development in the Puppy Development Forum here.