The following guidelines will help assist you in welcoming a new dog into your home. While we realize that you are anxious for everyone to get along and start functioning as a pack, you must remember to take things slowly over the course of at least 3 weeks. Rushing things now, will certainly destroy any chances you have of establishing a good relationship between the dogs.
Remember to take the time to bond with the new dog without the other’s interference. He/she needs to establish a relationship with you too, so they can learn to trust and obey commands.
Normal day to day routines of your resident dog and attention given, should be the kept same to avoid jealousy of the new dog.
You can have years of enjoyment with your resident dog and your new dog, if you don’t rush things and follow the advice given. Remember, you cannot backpeddle if you decide to rush things and put the dogs on guard with each other. By doing it right the first time, you will be rewarded in the years to come.
Please review our multiple dog guidelines to help in establishing yourself as the leader of the pack and avoiding potential fight inducers.
1. Introduce the dogs in a neutral location (at the shelter, at a park, down the street, etc). If you have more than one resident dog, introduce them one at a time.
2. When the dogs greet and sniff each other, talk to them in a happy, friendly tone of voice and offer each one treats (give the treat to the resident dog first).
3. Introduce the dogs only for brief amounts of time, but do it repeatedly.
4. If one dog acts submissive to the other (rolls over and shows belly) that’s great - reinforce this behavior (say “good boy/girl” and give treats) even if it is the resident dog.
5. Try to keep the leashes loose at all times. A tight leash transmits your anxiety about the situation to the dogs and increases their tension.
6. Watch for any body postures that tell you that the dogs are getting tense (raised hackles, baring teeth, growls, stiff-legged gait, prolonged stare). If you see these behaviors, interrupt them by calling the dogs away from each other and have them do something else like sit.
7. Watch for dominant body postures (one dog putting his chin or neck on the shoulders of the other dog, or placing a front foot over the others shoulders or back). If the other dog submits to these postures that’s fine, if not, interrupt them by calling them away from each other and having them sit.
8. DO NOT hold one dog while the other is loose.
9.Until the dogs are comfortable with one another, do not let them together in a small space like a car or hallway.
10. Until the dogs are comfortable with each other, do not let them alone unsupervised while you go get a drink or whatever.
11. Allow a natural dominance heirarchy to develop. Whenever the dogs approach each other, speak in a happy, encouraging voice. If they are behaving well together, give treats so they associate good things with each other’s presence.
12. GO SLOWLY - if they do not do well at first, separate them except during managed interactions. Make sure all interactions are positive using happy voices and treats.
13. DO NOT USE PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT if fighting breaks out. Just say “NO” loudly, then call the dogs back to you and make them sit. ↓
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