Shannon C: How can I introduce another dog into our home smoothly?
We currently have a 1 year old puggle (pug/beagle) who is very friendly and loves other dogs. A friend of ours bought a dog from the same breeder shortly after we got him, so we are fairly certain their dog is from the same litter/parents as ours. Long story short, the owners can no longer keep him, so we are taking him in to be a companion to our dog. Any tips/stories on what it’s like to bring in a new dog?
Also, for anyone who has two dogs, would you recommend using a double leash?
Answers and Views:
Answer by ze93
When we got our second dog,we brought the second dog home and I had it outside with me when my friend brought out our first dog. The two dogs sniffed each other and then chased each other outside. Everything was cool.
Make sure you give them space from eachother untill they warm up to eachother ~ don’t pay more attention to one dog more than the other, especially towards the new one, or they’ll get jealous. Might as well get 2 food bowls, just to make it where they don’t fight over the same food bowl.
PLUS ~ the double leash thing – I’ve never gotten one, and I don’t know how expensive it is, and plus the double leash with a new dog and another new dog would probably not be a good idea O.o
Answer by sydSlowlyAnswer by kholran
If they aren’t already play buddies, consider this just like introducing two dogs who have never met. All initial meetings should take place on neutral ground- even dogs who are dog-friendly sometimes don’t appreciate a strange animal in their space without warning. Always do first meetings on-leash in the event of a problem, even if neither dog has ever shown signs of aggression before. As they say, there’s a first time for everything, and you don’t want that first time to be with a potential new housemate.
I always recommend walking past each other a few times- let the dogs see each other, maybe sniff VERY briefly, and then keep on moving. If there’s no reaction from either dog and the body language is relaxed and happy, then you can allow them to interact. Some interaction is totally normal- rear end sniffing, non-aggressive barking, play bows, happy wagging tails, jumping on top of each other, nipping at each other’s paws or necks, etc. Some interactions are NOT normal- aggressive barking, bite-hold-shake behavior (where one dog will grab the other by the neck, hold tightly, and shake its head vigorously- less likely since the dogs are probably close to the same size), unprovoked attack, etc.
If all goes well with the initial meet-and-greet, and you decide to bring the second dog home, use caution at first. Once you move onto your original dog’s home territory, things can change. I’d recommend leaving leashes on both dogs for the first couple days so that you can easily break up any fights without having to get in the middle of them. Separate the dogs while you’re not at home- sometimes incidents happen out of your sight even if they seem to be getting along perfectly while you’re there. Pick up any high-value items- rawhides and “special” toys to your original dog, to prevent any guarding behavior (after they’ve successfully lived together for a few weeks, you can start to introduce higher-value toys and treats back into the mix). Be sure to treat both dogs equally- you don’t want to foster any jealousy in your original dogs. Feed them at the same time, give them equal attention, take them both for walks, and so on.
Expect a few squabbles at first. Dogs don’t form rigid hierarchies so forget all that “one’s going to be the alpha” stuff some people preach- a dog that’s the victor 100% of the time is incredibly rare. There may be some vocal warnings and corrections given, but at no time should there be any physical violence- this is a sign of insecurity and should be addressed immediately. At no time should you be stepping in to TELL one dog or the other that they’re in charge, and at no time should YOU enter any physical squabbles to try and prove to them both that you’re “Alpha”…dogs are pretty smart and know you’re not one of them, and so they just don’t relate to us trying to pretend we’re dogs.
While walking, I would start out with two separate leashes (NO retractables!). If they can peacefully coexist on a walk, and don’t start feeding on each other when passing exciting things (other dogs, bikers, joggers, etc), then you can consider a double leash.
Bringing in a new dog is largely management. My dog was 5 when I brought my second dog in (at 6 mos). Yours may go a little more smoothly because they’ll be the same age, likely with similar energy levels and play styles. With mine, I had to monitor their playing, because the puppy ALWAYS wanted to play and the older dog, while still very active, didn’t always want to indulge him. We did have some food competition at first, and the new puppy was very protective and possessive of bones, especially, but with non-confrontational training, it was easy to sort those things out. They’ve lived together for 3 years now, without any problems whatsoever (save a few shared bad habits).
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