Introducing A New Dog To Your Resident Dog

 

By Austin Wilson

Bringing a new dog into the pack can be both an exciting and nerve wrecking period. While you're in the process of finding a new furry addition to the family, you should plan out how you're going to introduce your new dog to the pack.

Here are a few steps you should take to introduce your dogs to each other:

1. Let the dogs meet in a neutral environment like outside of a pet store or dog park. Owners should relax on the leash so the dogs are not on guard.

2. Let them sniff, circle, and whatever they need to do to establish a relationship. Owners should keep a watchful eye for cues indicating stress/anxiety or aggression.

3. Keep the first few interactions brief. After each meeting, have the dogs perform short activities like performing a short training sequence or a brief walk together.

4. If first meeting go well, plan a playdate at a dog park or a safe environment where the dogs can interact with each other. If this playdate goes well then the dogs can introduced in the home.

Before bringing the new dog home, have separate spaces for each dog for their food bowls, toys, bed, ect that can be sectioned off to avoid resource guarding and potential dog fights for the first few weeks after bringing the dog home.

You can use tools such as baby gates so separate the dog's spaces until they have had time to get used to one another.