Older dogs letting puppy know they are annoyed

Dear Cathy: I have three female dogs. Sassy, the oldest, is 11 and acts like an old lady. Star is 5 and very energetic. They are good girls and very loving. A couple of weeks ago, my neighbor gave me Sarina, a 7-week-old puppy who is very energetic and loving.

Sarina is teething, and anything and everything goes in her mouth. She has a teething bone and lots of toys. Sassy growls at her if she comes close and has even snapped at her twice. Star growls and snaps at her. She tries to play with Sarina, but she doesn’t like to be a chew toy.

Sarina thinks I’m a chew toy, too. I tap her nose, tell her no and give her the teething bone or a toy, to no avail.

I don’t want to give Sarina back to my neighbor. Help!

— Jimmie, Arlington, Texas

Dear Jimmie: Sassy and Star are snapping at Sarina to let her know it’s not OK to bite them. If they are snapping when she approaches, they might be annoyed by her puppy energy and are telling her they want to be left alone. Growling and snapping are some of the ways that dogs communicate with each other.

There is no need to interfere unless they start fighting. In fact, if you do interfere, it could lead to jealousy. Let them communicate with each other.

Eventually, Sarina will learn what the two older female dogs are saying, and she will adjust her behavior to accommodate them.

To avoid jealousy issues, don’t stop petting one dog to pet the other. For example, if you’re petting Star and Sarina comes along, continue petting Star. Sarina needs to wait her turn. I have trained my dog with “not now,” to communicate I am not available to him at the moment, and “your turn,” so he knows when I am ready to engage him. You can do that with all your dogs.

When you introduce a dog or puppy into an established dog household, there are some adjustments to be made by everyone as the old dogs teach the rules of the home to the new arrival. Please allow a few weeks for this transition to occur.

Finally, give Sarina lots of toys to chew and play with her several times a day. If she is tired, she will be less likely to annoy Sassy and Star.