Why Does My Dog Drool Around Puppies? 5 Reasons to Know

We usually associate drooling with wanting to eat a tasty treat, so when your adult dog drools around your new puppy, it’s easy for dog owners to get alarmed. Fido doesn’t consider your new addition a squeaky snack, but dogs do get strong feelings about changes in their household. But why does my dog drool around puppies?

Often those emotions can manifest in physical symptoms, one of which is excessive drooling. Not only is it a bit gross when your dog goes into excessive salivation, but it might also indicate a deeper issue going on with them that needs to be resolved.

Puppies must meet other dogs as part of their early socialization, but how you go about it can make or break whether the experience is a good one or a bad one. There are things you can do about it to help, though, and paying attention to your dog’s drool is the way to go.

Take a list of these common reasons why dogs drool around puppies to find the answer you’re looking for. 

Why Does My Dog Drool Around Puppies? 5 Reasons

It may be weird, but here are five of the top reasons for that extra slobber dripping from your dog’s jaws.

1. Your Dog is Stressed

Meeting a new puppy is quite an event for a dog that already lives in your house. It can be confusing and scary for them, and their anxiety might kick in the hyperactivate drooling process. Other indications will help you identify if stress is the cause of the excess saliva, though. 

Typically if your doggo is stressed out, their pupils will also dilate, and they’ll blink rapidly. You’re also more likely to see the whites (sclera) of their eyes because they’ll open them very wide. Ears and tails are also a fantastic means of communication, and in a stressed state dogs tend to pin their ears back against their head and their tail stands straight up and quivers. 

So if drool starts to drip from their mouths, it might be time for some calming hemp oil or a thunder jacket to help alleviate their distress. You can attempt an introduction again later.  

2. Your Dog is Excited

Hey, stress and excitement are almost identical in a physiological sense. The heart beats faster, breathing hastens, and the body is ready for action. Friendly doggos that tend to be affectionate might get excited to meet a new puppy. This isn’t a problem per sé, but it can become one if they get overexcited. 

One of the first signs of over-excitement is drooling, followed by intense tail-wagging, panting, and even pacing around the pupper. If you notice this happening, it’s best to remove your older dog for a while and let them calm down, because an overexcited full-grown dog can pose a threat to a small puppy. 

Not intentionally, of course — but if they want to play with the little one, they may accidentally hurt them with their bigger body and more forceful play. 

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3. They Might Be Jealous

Our canine companions are pretty smart, roughly on par with a 2-year-old human child. And their emotions can be just as sophisticated. Jealousy is a strong emotion similar to stress that your furry friend can experience, and when they do, they might drool much more than usual. 

It’s normal to give a new pup a lot of your attention in the early days (all that potty training and wobbly cuteness is bound to occupy your time). A lot of fluffy beds and new toys like teething chews will be given to them, too. So your other dog might become resentful and feel ignored, leading to a fit of jealousy. 

Be sure to divide your attention between them as best you can, and perhaps treat your established companion to some extra treats or foreign objects to smooth over the process. A new chew toy that you can play fetch with would be a great start. 

4. Their Sex Drive is Being Activated

You wouldn’t think a puppy can kickstart a sex-driven reaction, but pheromones don’t lie. If your pup is old enough to start becoming sexually mature or is already in heat, it’s rare but possible. This happens especially when bringing a female pup into the home where an older male dog already lives. 

Sexual maturity in females typically occurs between seven to ten months of age, though it can vary from breed to breed. If your new girlie is roughly this age, be aware that a pheromone response can be induced by her smell and could cause your good boy to drool. Not only that, but he might become obsessed with the scent if she’s in full heat and try to mate with her. 

Feeling nervous? Don’t stress — just pick up some ultra cute washable doggy diapers to prevent any unwanted pregnancies and keep the mess off of your furniture. 

5. They’re Experiencing Health Issues

However unlikely it is, coincidences can still happen. It may just be that your furry friend begins to display symptoms of an underlying issue around the same time they meet a new puppy. A big clue would be if the drooling doesn’t stop when your older doggo isn’t around the pup. 

Dental issues such as dental disease or tooth decay are the main culprit when it comes to medical-related excessive drooling, but respiratory problems, motion sickness, heat stroke, kidney disease, liver disease, and even rabies are all possibilities. You might even begin to notice other symptoms, such as pacing, panting, bad breath restlessness, or poor appetite. 

NB: Car rides can be a common cause of an upset stomach for your pooch which may result in your dog’s salivary glands acting up.

What Should I Do if My Dog Drools Around My Puppy?

If you notice your dog drooling excessively around a new pup, you should remove them from the situation and allow them some space and time to calm down. As they begin to relax, you can distract them with some new toys or extra playtime so that they feel more secure and begin to associate the pupper with positive things. 

Your dog’s drooling could also be a sign that you moved into the new introductions too fast and it became a stressful situation for your dog. The best way to try and avoid this reaction is to introduce the pup to your dog slowly, letting them first smell the scent on your hands and then see the pup through a barrier. This helps to prevent your doggo from becoming overwhelmed by allowing them to adjust to the presence of a new puppy by small degrees. If you see any signs of stress slow down the process.

It might take some extra time, but it helps prevent any negative associations with each other and lowers the chance of aggressive tendencies in the future. It may take days or even weeks to fully integrate them, but your furry friends will thank you for it when they’re both well-socialized with each other. 

If none of these tips work, take your dog to the vet to rule out any potential medical issues (including dental problems) that could be causing the drooling from your dog’s mouth. 

How Long Do Older Dogs Take to Adjust to Puppies?

This is highly dependent on how well-socialized and friendly your dog already is. Some dog breeds might get along right from the start, but three weeks is a standard period of time for the adjustment to take place. 

Whatever you do, don’t force introductions and meetings with them, as this can make it harder for them to get along. Rather let them approach and accept each other on their own terms. Remember that older dogs might get annoyed by loud, overly-playful, energetic pups with no social decorum. But after some time, your pup will calm down and the tension will ease. 

Final Wrap-Up on Why My Dog Drools Around Puppies

Why is my dog drooling around puppies? At the end of the day, a dog drooling excessively can be a very normal response to a new pup. Our doggos are more emotional than we give them credit for.t Whether it’s excitement or stress causing the mess, there are ways to deal with this slobbery problem. 

The best way is to do your utmost to socialize your dog so that the issue doesn’t arise at all. But if it does, at least now you’re equipped with the best solutions to your dog’s distress. 

Is your doggo panting and restless even when the pup is no longer around? Check out this article and see if there’s another reason for this behavior.

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