If you already have dogs, you want to pay particular attention to how you introduce the new dog into the mix. The tips on this page generally work for both puppies and older dogs.
The first step is to control how you introduce the dogs. Then, no matter how well the initial introduction goes, you need to be in charge of how the new dog fits in with the dogs who already live with you.
The Introduction
A little preparation goes a long way toward successfully introducing a new dog to his new companions.
- Exercise each dog separately before the big meeting. If they’ve already expended their excess energy, the odds will be in their favor.
- If you have more than one dog, introduce them to the new dog one at a time. Save the toughest introduction for last.
- Set up a low-stress environment. An outdoor but enclosed area is best.
- Put both dogs on leashes—or only one of them if you’re pretty sure the meeting will go OK. Keep the leashes loose as much as you can.
- If possible, have an experienced friend or professional (for example, the new dog’s breeder) help you with the introduction. The moral support will probably be as useful as the extra set of hands.
A good ice-breaker is to walk each dog behind the other for a bit so that each one gets accustomed to the other dog’s scent. Walk for a while until they don’t seem to be too worried about each other, then let them closer as long as they’re calm. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to understand how dogs communicate. If you see signs of stress in either dog, you can pull back and use calming signals to help them relax.
Be prepared for the outside possibility of a fight. Know how to deal with fighting dogs, and have a pitcher of water or a garden hose handy as a distraction.
We found Rio and Logan have a lot of common interests.
The Day-to-Day
Over time, your dogs will get used to one another and establish their own routines. In fact, since they speak the same language, the dogs will communicate with each other more than with you. They may become fascinated with the other dog.
Conversely, they may compete for your attention. Schedule some alone time with each dog. In fact, training time should be alone time—dogs, like people, work better when they’re not distracted by others. My rescue dog Rio didn’t start to get the hang of loose-leash walking until I started walking him alone, separate from the other two.
Despite some initial tension, these two have grown to be best friends.
Yes, you should start training your new dog from day one. All dogs appreciate structure, and you need to demonstrate from the outset that you are the pack leader. The older dogs will appreciate the way the newer dog calms down as he learns the ropes. Also, bad behaviors are contagious, so you want to nip as many in the bud as you can. Fortunately, good behaviors are also contagious; once the new dog starts to fit in, he’ll start to follow the other dogs’ lead. Keep the rules and expectations consistent for all dogs.
Because you are the pack leader, you can’t tolerate any attempts on the part of either dog to boss the other. If you see dominating body language, quickly get the bossy dog’s attention and issue a command to elicit an alternative behavior that you can reward.
Be patient with the older dog. He’s probably annoyed that he has to share you with the newcomer. Don’t make him share his toys, too—at least, not all of them and not all at once. Maybe the newbie can have her own new toy.
Understand what stresses your dog, and try to de-escalate stressful situations. For example, my Logan got stressed out when we babysat a pushy dog friend, and later that day he snapped, not at the pushy dog (who he’d grown up with), but at the new guy, Rio. Later when thinking about it, I recalled Logan kept coming to me that day, looking for something from me. If I’d seen how upset Logan was, I could have taken steps to help calm everyone.
The Pack Mentality
The Three Amigos
Since dogs are born to work together in a pack, find some activities your dogs can do together to build camaraderie. Take them for a car ride together or let them hunt together. Until the new dog can be trusted outdoors off leash, hunting could be hide-and-seek with you as the hider and the dogs working together to find you. Even going for a car ride together can help dogs start to feel like family.
For example, our pack hunts together on a regular basis. No, this Dog Momma does not lug a rifle around looking for tonight’s dinner, but my dogs act like I do! They love finding critters such as squirrels and bunnies. One will point until another dog (or I) comes to investigate. They all love sniffing for clues. I believe they communicate extensively while they hunt, true teamwork.
