HOW TO INTRODUCE A NEW DOG TO A RESIDENT DOG

[Maryellen]

INTRODUCING A NEW DOG TO A RESIDENT DOG

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.

[aaron kahn]

good post- i always try to take the dogs for walks together. this lets them close to each other, but NOT interacting. no sniffing, just walking (leashes, of course).

after they calm down, if excited, maybe a sniff or two, then more walking.

[Maryellen]

thank you mods for making this a sticky

[Salival]

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).

I am curious about this though, why the resident dog first? Wouldn't that encourage a superior status in the resident dog rather than them being "equal" in your and their eyes? I am not trying to troll, just curious.

[Maryellen]

the resident dog is the top dog at the meetings, and in the house. its the dogs house and territory. when you are introducing a new dog the thought is to always treat your resident dog first, first to eat, pet, go out, etc as they were there first and its their house. i have always done it this way with the fosters when they come in, (except puppies i do things different) and it works out fine, the resident dogs know that they come first and the newcomers are on the bottom of the pecking order

[ARIZONA REDNOSE]

what is trolling ? or a troll?

[Salival]

Trolling is when people jump into a conversation to start an arguement or to irritate people. I like to point that out so people don't think that is my intention.

[freckles]

good post im glad you posted it because its something i want to do but my partner is abit reluctant but i do understand his anxiety and point of view, i would like another dog but a decision i dont want to make hastily.

[ARIZONA REDNOSE]

Trolling is when people jump into a conversation to start an arguement or to irritate people. I like to point that out so people don't think that is my intention.

thank you now i know

[satanscheerleader]

INTRODUCING A NEW DOG TO A RESIDENT DOG

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.

My girls are fine meeting dogs on either neutral or their own territory. With them it doesn't seem to make a whole lot of difference but with Tank the only way I can introduce him to dogs is on his own territory because when he is off his territory he sees every strange animal as prey. He isn't a very dominant dog so territory doesn't mean much to him unless it was another male then to him the whole world becomes his territory. I think the reason for this may be that my yard was always the dog party yard and visiting dogs are welcomed as FUN FUN FUN! They have always been discouraged about being territorial so maybe that is part of it too. I just thought I would mention this cause I found it strange since alot of other dogs I know do tend to be somewhat territorial about their homes. I guess my dogs are just the canine versions of Martha Stuart. They just generally love the house guests.

[ToneCapone]

That's some good advice to mention.

[madmax04]

good advice,me and my buddy were going to start walking our dogs together but we ahve to get them used to each other.he has a 9 year old boxer.i have 5 yr old apbt.

[BreeIsASNOB]

Everyone says give the two dogs treat to show them thier doing good. But I can't do that. My older pit wont eat her treat until the puppy finishs his, or shell try to steal his than eat hers.. Fights always break out. I have to keep all the treats and all the toys put away.

[useless]

Hey what does this mean, I got 2 labs and just got a APBT puppy. Anyways one dog always tries to play with my pup and the other one just sticks to himself. anyways after my pup goes pee, the labs try to pee on the same exact spot as her. its usually the lab that plays with her that does this.

[3dogslater]

Basic doggy dominance - peeing is marking territory and your older dog is "covering up" the marks made by the pup.

When we bring new dogs in we usually end up with large pee-fests in the yard as the dogs mark on top of each other.

I am also able to introduce new dogs into our resident pack of three while doing it in our yard. When we lived in an apartment, we would introduce in a nearby park due to the confined space we lived in.

We will also use crates, xpens and baby gates to give dogs space.