Introducing
a New Dog to a Resident Dog
- Introduce the dogs in a neutral location (at the
shelter, at a park, etc). If you have more than one resident dog,
introduce them one at a time.
- 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).
When you get home:
- Introduce the dogs (both on leash) only for brief
amounts of time, but do it repeatedly.
- If one dog acts submissive to the other (rolls over
and shows belly) that’s great - reinforce this behavior (say “good boy”
and give treats) even if it is the resident dog.
- 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.
- 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.
- Watch for dominant body postures (one dog putting his
chin or neck on the shoulders of the other or placing a front foot over
the others shoulders). 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.
- DO NOT hold one dog while the other is loose.
- Until the dogs are comfortable with each other do not
let them together in a small space like a car or hallway.
- Until the dogs are comfortable with each other do not
leave them alone unsupervised.
- Allow a natural dominance hierarchy 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.
- Go slowly, if they don’t do well at first, separate
them except during managed interactions. Make sure all interactions are
positive using happy voice and treats. Only unleash them when you are sure
they are comfortable together.
- DO NOT USE PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT if fighting breaks
out. Try a loud noise or a water gun to interrupt the interaction. Then
call the dogs to you and make them sit.