English Lab Puppy Joins Family And His Senior Sister Acts Young Again
When you introduce a new pet to the family, especially if you previously only had one, you cross your fingers and hope for the best when it comes to the two animals getting along. Well, in this TikTok household, things couldn't have gone any better when a black lab puppy was introduced to his 10-year-old chocolate lab sister, who quickly began acting like a puppy herself when around her new sibling. Watch as she channels her inner youngin' again!
@rubyandgordie Turns out all she needed was a little friend 🥰 #dogsoftiktok #labradorretriever #cute #puppy #bigsister #littlebrother #babyboy #heartwarming #love #blacklab #chocolatelab #dogs #labsoftiktok #adorable #puppies #seniordogs #bestfriends #cutepuppy #brotherandsister #labradorlife #rubyandgordie
Both English Labrador retrievers, Ruby and Gordie are first shown when Gordie is just a little pup, and as the video goes on, Gordie gets a little bigger, and Ruby gets a lot more playful. The dogs are seen fun-lovingly chasing each other, lightly roughhousing, and playing tug-of-war with a toy. "Almost 11 years old and still playing hard," the clip notes, adding, "Turns out all she needed was a little friend 🥰."
When it comes to comments, one person said, "So beautiful. Every dog deserves a friend 💗," as another noted, "Puppies make old dogs young again and also teaches the young dog way more then you will ever. Best thing to do." Meanwhile, several viewers popped into the comments to tell their own tales of how their senior dogs sprang back to life after a younger dog was introduced, with several saying they felt their dogs lived to ripe old ages because of their youthful companion.
How to introduce a new puppy to a senior dog
Like many viewers noted in the comments section of Ruby and Gordie's TikTok video, a puppy can help breathe new life into an older pet when they become a best friend doggy duo, but that doesn't always happen, and sometimes, new pets sharing a household don't exactly get along. To give your furry friends the best chance at being pals, it helps to properly introduce and socialize them, which includes going slow and being patient.
When introducing a new pup to a dog who is already living in your household, keep initial interactions brief and make sure to always supervise their time together, as the older dog could be territorial of its familiar home and occupants. Provide each dog with an area to retreat to, if necessary, such as a separate room or cozy crate, and leave out separate food and water bowls to reduce food stress and stop the dogs from fighting during mealtime. It's also good to maintain consistent and familiar routines to help contribute to a calm environment.
When starting out, outdoor play and walks are important, giving them neutral territory to explore each other, including parallel walking on leashes. It's always best to let things unfold naturally, without force, letting the dogs approach each other and play together at their own pace. You can reward calm behavior and playful interactions with treats to reinforce a positive association with getting along. But the greatest thing you can do for both dogs is to have patience, as it sometimes takes a while for pets to get used to each other!