Puppy Meets Senior: How to Make It Work (Without Breaking Hearts)
This Week's Pawsome Human: Kathy Callahan & Helen St. Pierre - Old Dog, New Dog: Supporting Your Aging Best Friend and Welcoming a New One
When we brought little Lea home, she was a tiny fluffball with bear-like paws and a bold sparkle in her eye. She trotted in like she owned the place.
Cai, my older boy, was the first to greet her. Curious. Gentle. Hopeful, maybe. But that didn’t last. It only took a couple of playful nips to the backside before he decided that he was not up for sharp puppy teeth and relentless energy.
Hada, on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with the new arrival. For the first few days, she kept her distance, quietly observing from across the room. But then something shifted. Slowly, she stepped in. She took the puppy under her wing, setting boundaries with a growl when needed, but offering incredible patience and care. It was as if she decided, “Okay, I’ve got this one.”
She didn’t just tolerate Lea. She raised her.
As Lea grew, eventually towering over both of my older dogs, she became the heart of the house. She knew how to melt into Cai’s quiet, respected Hada’s rules, and somehow made all of us fall in love with her a hundred times over.
It was one of the most harmonious transitions I could’ve hoped for.
And the thing is… I didn’t really stop to think how rare that might be.
I was reminded of that recently when a dear friend of mine told me, through tears, that she’d made the painful decision to rehome her 10-month-old puppy.
Her life had changed - she no longer worked from home, her mum was now in a care facility, and her older dog was struggling. The puppy had become too much to handle. Her older dog wasn’t happy about losing her place on the bed and - who knows - perhaps worried about her place in her mom’s heart.
The deeper truth? She had gotten the puppy to soften the looming pain of eventually losing her older dog. And when that backfired, it hurt in more ways than one.
There’s no right or wrong here.
These are heart decisions. And they’re never simple.
That’s exactly what we’re diving into in today’s podcast episode with Kathy Callahan and Helen St. Pierre, the authors of Old Dog, New Dog.
If you’ve ever wondered whether your aging dog would benefit from a puppy companion (or feared that it might just be too much) you won’t want to miss this one.
This Week's Pawsome Humans: Kathy Callahan & Helen St. Pierre - Old Dog, New Dog: Supporting Your Aging Best Friend and Welcoming a New One
What happens when you bring a playful puppy into a home shared with an aging dog?
Is it a heartwarming tale of intergenerational friendship or a recipe for resentment and overwhelm?
In this deeply insightful and refreshingly honest conversation, I’m joined by Kathy Callahan and Helen St. Pierre, authors of Old Dog, New Dog: A Guide to Supporting Your Aging Best Friend and Welcoming a New One.
We explore the emotional, practical, and soulful layers of combining puppy energy with senior dog wisdom, and what it really takes to make that transition harmonious for everyone involved.
Helen brings her experience from running a senior animal sanctuary and navigating end-of-life care with grace and compassion. Kathy shares her joyful yet grounded perspective on puppyhood - why it often gets a bad rap, and how to set yourself and your new pup up for success.
This episode is packed with laughter, raw truth, and beautiful reminders that dogs - young and old - have so much to teach us about living fully and letting go gently.
In This Episode, You'll Discover:
Why a peaceful senior-puppy combo takes more than wishful thinking, and what factors to consider before making the leap.
How to assess your older dog’s bandwidth, physically and emotionally, before bringing a new dog into the mix.
The truth about grief, quality of life, and making end-of-life decisions, and why "they'll tell you when it's time" isn’t always true.
Why managing expectations (and having a few good gates and stuffed Toppls!) makes all the difference.
The one crucial mistake even experienced dog lovers make when bringing home a puppy to an aging dog.
Why your puppy will almost always choose your older dog over you, and how to prepare for that dynamic.
🧡 Favorite Quote:
“Regret and guilt are optional. Grief is not. But if you lean into today - fill it with connection, meet their needs - you make peace later that much easier.” — Helen St. Pierre
Grab a cuppa and enjoy!
To find out more and connect with Kathy and Helen:
Kathy Callahan (🐾 https://puppypicks.com) is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) and Family Dog Mediator (LFDM) who specializes in puppies. She’s also the author of Welcoming Your Puppy from Planet Dog and 101 Rescue Puppies. Kathy fosters rescue litters and helps families navigate puppyhood with joy, realism, and a lot of cheerleading.
Helen St. Pierre (🐾 https://nomonkeybusinessdogtraining.com) is the founder of Old Dogs Go To Helen, a senior dog sanctuary, and an experienced trainer with over two decades in the field. She’s certified as a CPDT-KSA, CDBC, and LFDM and offers courses and consults on end-of-life care for pets, including her signature course The Good Death.
Together, Kathy and Helen are the co-authors of Old Dog, New Dog: Supporting Your Aging Best Friend and Welcoming a New One—a practical and heartfelt guide for navigating this transition with compassion and clarity.
Connect with Kathy & Helen:
Kathy Callahan
Website: https://puppypicks.com
Instagram: @puppypicks
Facebook: Kathryn G. Callahan
YouTube: Kathy's Channel
Helen St. Pierre
Website: https://nomonkeybusinessdogtraining.com
Sanctuary: https://olddogsgotohelen.com
Facebook: Old Dogs Go To Helen | No Monkey Business Dog Training | Helen’s Personal
📚 Get the Book:
Old Dog, New Dog: Supporting Your Aging Best Friend and Welcoming a New One
Available here https://a.co/d/j5SuTJP or wherever you buy your books!
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Dogs communicate constantly.
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🎓 Help for reactive, anxious and sensitive dogs (even if positive training hasn't worked)
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