Why Is My Dog Drooling
Dogs are social creatures, and they can exhibit various behaviors around other dogs, including drooling. Drooling around a new puppy is a common occurrence among dogs, and it can happen for several reasons. As a dog owner, it’s essential to understand why your dog is drooling around the new puppy and what you can do to prevent or manage the behavior.
In this article, we’ll discuss the reasons why dogs drool around new puppies and offer some tips on how to address the behavior.
Reasons why dogs drool around new puppies
- Excitement or anxiety: Dogs can drool excessively when they are feeling excited or anxious. The presence of a new puppy in the household can trigger these feelings in your dog, leading to drooling. Excitement drooling is typically short-lived and should subside once your dog becomes used to the new puppy’s presence.
- Social communication: Dogs communicate through various means, including body language and vocalizations. Drooling can also be a form of social communication. Dogs may drool to signal their submission to a new puppy or to show affection. This behavior is more common in older dogs who may view the new puppy as a younger sibling.
- Food and treat sharing: Dogs drool around new puppies because they want to share food and treats with them. Dogs have a natural instinct to share food with their pack members, and this behavior can extend to new puppies in the household.
- Illness or medical conditions: In some cases, excessive drooling around a new puppy can be a sign of an underlying medical condition. If your dog is drooling excessively and shows other symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, or lethargy, it’s essential to seek veterinary care immediately.
What can you do to address the behavior?
- Monitor the behavior: As a dog owner, it’s essential to keep an eye on your dog’s behavior around the new puppy. If you notice excessive drooling or any other unusual behavior, take note of when and where it happens. This information can help you determine the cause of the behavior and how to address it.
- Provide plenty of exercise and playtime: Dogs need plenty of exercise and playtime to maintain their physical and mental health. Make sure your dog is getting enough exercise and playtime to help reduce their anxiety and excitement around the new puppy. This can also help redirect their attention from drooling to other activities.
- Train your dog: Training your dog can help redirect their behavior and reduce their anxiety around the new puppy. You can teach your dog basic obedience commands, such as “sit” and “stay,” to help them focus on you rather than the new puppy. Positive reinforcement training methods are the most effective and humane way to train your dog.
- Keep food and treats separate: To prevent food and treat sharing, it’s best to keep your dog and the new puppy’s food and treats separate. This can help reduce your dog’s drooling and prevent any potential aggression or competition over resources.
Drooling around a new puppy is a common behavior among dogs, and it can happen for various reasons, including excitement, social communication, food and treat sharing, and underlying medical conditions. As a dog owner, it’s essential to understand why your dog is drooling and address the behavior accordingly. By monitoring your dog’s behavior, providing plenty of exercise and playtime, training your dog, and keeping food and treats separate, you can help reduce your dog’s drooling and promote a healthy relationship between your dog and the new puppy.