Mikes Dog House, Inc.

How to Introduce a New Dog Into Your Home

 

Step 1
Pick up all toys, bowls, beds before the new dog comes into the resident dog's home, and close the door to the room the resident dog sleeps in.

Step 2
Exercise both dogs before introduction. This will reduce the amount of energy of both dogs, making for a more relaxed meeting

Step 3
Introduce the dogs to one another on neutral territory, even if they have met before. Take them for a walk together. Praise the dogs and pet them for being friendly.

Step 4
Allow the new dog to become familiar with the house on his own. Have someone take the family dog for a long walk and let the new dog sniff and explore his new surroundings. Try to allow him to stay inside long enough to just lay down and relax.

-Watch for erect body postures, stiffening and overt aggression.

When the two dogs are interacting in a friendly manner, speak soothingly and positively to them to reinforce their positive interaction. Your goal should be to make both dogs feel good when they're in each others presence.

Step 5
ALWAYS feed separately
Keep each dog's belongings separate.                                                                                                         
Don't force the new dog to share a feeding bowl, water bowl, bed, or dog house with your original dog. Make sure each dog has his own supplies. Sharing food and water bowls can create unnecessary friction between the two dogs.

Step 6
Reinforce the pack order.
Allow the dogs to determine their own pack order. Once a pack order has been established, reinforce it as much as possible. The dog higher in the pack should be fed first and given treats before the second dog. Support the dominant dog when there is a disagreement. If a young dog is harassing an older dog, and the older dog snaps at the younger one, this is fair and the older dog should not be scolded. Your dog does not have to share his bed or bones with the new dog
Don't adopt a sympathetic demeanor towards the underdog as this can destroy pack unity and potentially cause a dog fight.  Life is not always "fair," and often when we try to make it so, we cause problems to escalate by confusing our dogs and causing them to reassert their dominance.

Step 7
Be prepared for skirmishes -  some initial friction is to be expected

Step 8
Do not leave the dogs alone together. Crate at least one dog when you leave the house