Read the complete blog post to know how to introduce your current dog to a new pup
My dog is bored. He needs a playmate.
You got a new pup.
A few days later… ”Oh my God! My dog hates the new puppy. He
is so aggressive towards the little guy. I must rehome the little puppy to save
his life.”
However, this is not the case every time. Sometimes, dogs
may get bored being alone or may display high levels of separation anxiety when
alone. Having another playmate can greatly reduce the anxiety levels and keep
your pup mentally and physically engaged, even if you are busy with work. As
long as a few things are kept in mind during the initial days of bringing a new
puppy home, there is no reason why your dog should not get along with the new
member. The first step in bringing home a new puppy to an adult dog is to make
plans of introduction. Most often adult dogs will welcome a new playmate, but
choosing the right pup can make the transition much smoother.
Why is a prior meet and greet important?
Remember, your current dog has stayed in your home for
years. He or she is naturally bound to be territorial and protective in nature.
The puppy you will bring home will feel uncertain in the new surroundings
initially. The new pup may act out and try to be aggressive towards the older
dog. These factors are what makes a
proper introduction compulsory before the pup is brought home.
1. Always arrange the meeting on neutral grounds:
The first meeting between an adult dog and a puppy must take
place in neutral grounds which does not belong to either of them like a
training center, a tennis court or a neighbor’s yard. Since these regions do
not belong to either of the dogs, they will directly go down to the business of
sniffing each other and making friends.
If a neutral place is not available, go to a park which has
variety of dogs ,coming in and out frequently. Your residential pup will not
claim the territory and be more willing to understand and make friends with the
pup.
2. Do not leash them during meet and greet:
Dogs are very perceptive in nature. They can sense fear and
aggression very easily. When they meet a new pup, if they are on a leash, the
elevated levels of excitement along with the constraint of a leash can lead to
development of fearful aggression. Thus first dog meetings must take place between
unleashed dogs or dogs under long leashes.
Having a barrier of some kind like a fence or tennis net may also be helpful. The barrier allows dogs to sniff each other before they come in nose-to-nose contact. This allows the new dog factor to wear off before the real meet. The barrier might be especially important when there is a considerable size difference between the two pups. A friendly adult dog might injure a young pup with his or her over happy greeting.
3. Parallel walking:
Take both pups out for a walk. The dogs must walk parallel
to one another and be handled by different people. Keep the leashes loose to
keep any kind of tension and aggression at bay. During the initial stages, keep
the two dogs out of nose sniffing range. At this point, you must avoid a
staring match between the two pups. For this, use treats or toys to keep them
distracted from one another. Before going in for a head to head meeting, both
dogs should have at least 10-15 mins of walk time under their noses.
4. Offer them opportunities to sniff one another:
Once your dogs show a positive attitude towards one another,
allow them to come together while their leashes are held loosely. For this
interaction, select a region with open spaces. Allow the pups to sniff one
another, from face to the rear ends. This is the proper canine etiquette.
Allow the first greeting to proceed for no longer than 10
mins. This will keep the dogs from getting tired. Call your dogs away every few
minutes and offer them a treat or a toy. This will allow a happy ambience to
exist between the pups and prevent any tension from seeping in.
5. Always check for positive signs
Look for the doggy language which signals towards a good
interaction. If the dogs want to play together, that is a good sign. The
classic canine style invitation to a game is to do a play bow. In the play bow,
the tail end goes up while the head goes down. If the dog yawns, it means he or
she is not a threat to the other dog. Pay careful attention to the body
language of both the dogs. Growls, barks and whines can be used in both play as
well as to threaten the other dog, thus you must watch them carefully.
Licking the face and mouth of another dog and rolling on
their backs signal submission. These are the signs your puppy should display to
your older dog. Such behavior tells the older dog that he or she is just a kid
and the older dog might forgive him or her for a few puppy mistakes. Allow the
initial play to progress for only a few minutes before stopping the meeting on
a positive note.
6. Behavior to watch out for:
If either of the dog/pup start to move away or if their
hackles (fur which runs down their spine) start to raise p or they are growling
with baring of teeth, move the dogs away from one another immediately. These
are signs of over stimulation or tension and must be avoided.
7. Move to home ground eventually
Once your pups are comfortable meeting one another on neutral grounds like tennis courts or dog parks, repeat the introduction on familiar territory like your backyard without a leash (if the backyard is fenced) or on a long leash until they feel comfortable with one another. Call the two dogs away from one another every few minutes so they don’t get too excited. Also, remember to make your pup meet one older dog at a time, not the whole bunch at once.
8. Finally meet in the house:
Once your dogs are comfortable with one another outside the
house and in the backyard, its time to
bring the new pup indoors. This task must be done out of sight of other dogs.
For example, when your pup is brought indoors, the other dogs should be out in
the backyard having playtime. Its best if the residential dogs find the pup
inside the house when they enter.
9. In the home behavior control:
Once they are in the new home, puppies have a lot to learn
from the guardians and the existing dog as well. The first thing puppies do
once they settle into a new home is to look for a playmate. If they do not find
a playmate of their size, they go for the adult dogs. Your adult dog may or may
not be appreciative of this behavior.
As long as the adult dog’s behavior is appropriate when
correcting the pup, its okay for them to growl or grumble at the pup. This
behavior is acceptable as long as the older dog does not injure the pup in any
manner.
If your older dog growls at the puppy, do not reprimand him or her for the same. This is their manner of letting the pup know that he or she is unhappy about their behavior. Growling lets the pup know that the behavior is unacceptable and he or she needs to stop such behavior. It is a part and parcel of how to introduce your dog to a new pup.
10. Separate them if needed:
Puppies are made of boundless energy. Due to this, they may
not lister to the older dog immediately. If your feel that your older dog is
getting overwhelmed by the puppy’s behavior, separate the puppy from your dog
and redirect him or her to another task, treat or toy and give your older dog a
break and a chance to cool off. If you are not able to directly supervise the
interaction, put your puppy in a crate or behind a baby gate.
11. Give them breaks:
It is a must to give your older dog a break from puppy handling several times per day. This can be done by crating either of the dogs. Such periods of separation take the pressure off the older dog and give both the dogs a much-needed break.
12. Provide lots of rewards:
When you are on site and watching the dogs, make sure to
reward positive behavior with lots of praises and treats. Furthermore, make
sure that the new pup is getting ample amount of exercise, both mental and
physical. A great way of making the dogs bond is to take them out on long walks
together.
13. Don’t change the routine of your home dog:
You know things will be a chaos for a few weeks when a new
puppy comes home. However, your home/older dog is not aware of that. Thus, the
things which have been a constant in his or her life so far like the time of
daily walks, the playtime with mom or playdate with his or her friends must not
change on the account of a new puppy entering the home. The older dog must
understand that the new puppy is an addition, not a disruption.
14. Troubleshooting problematic behavior
Most dogs are quick at working out the social hierarchy and
fix on a way to interact with one another in a positive manner. During the
initial days, it is best to keep the puppy segregated in another room with a
baby gate to keep him or her away from the other dogs when you are not able to
directly supervise them.
A final note:
Remember to take things slow and always stay in control of the situation. Common dog guardian mistakes include allowing the dogs to meet too early or allowing them to meet when they are not calm, high strung or feeling aggressive. Always make the meeting between the dogs a positive interaction. Make sure to reward all the parties with enough treats and toys. Allow the dogs get used to one another slowly and steadily. It is very important to allow things to proceed in the right manner to let your home be a comfortable zone for all the pups.
