How to Introduce Dogs to Each Other: A Step-by-Step Guide

Bringing a new pet into your home is both a joy and a responsibility. The dog needs time to adapt to your routine and habits. But what if you already have another pet? 

You can often see a household with more than two dogs. They live and play together in harmony, and you may even think about getting a second dog yourself. However, sometimes problems arise with several pets living together. How to introduce dogs to each other? Let's figure it out!

Why Proper Introductions Between Dogs Are Important

Unsuccessful relationships between two dogs can lead to defensive aggression, anxiety, and stress for both pets. It is important to pay special attention to the first stage so that further relationships develop well. How to introduce dogs to each other for the first time? 

Firstly, a friendly environment allows pets to better “read” each other, study smells, and establish positive contact. Secondly, each pet has a different character: they need time to get used to each other's peculiarities, and acquaintance will be an excellent foundation for this.

Preparing for the First Meeting: What You Need to Know

Preparation and choosing the right setting will help your pets become friends faster. What steps are up to you? Let's highlight a few essential details that you can influence:

• Bring the scent of the new pet home. This could be their leash or a toy. Let your resident dog study the new smells. At the same time, you can give them a treat and encourage them in every possible way to form positive associations.
• Organize the meeting outside. Your pet considers the apartment their territory so that they may perceive the new dog as a competitor. The best way to introduce dogs is to get acquainted on neutral territory.
• Avoid treats and toys during the introduction. This can create tension due to competition and switch the dogs' attention. Let them be focused on each other.

When preparing for the meeting, do not forget about your emotional state. You must be calm and focused since you play the role of a mediator and “elder in the pack,” and your authority is important to the animals.

How to Introduce Two Dogs on Neutral Ground

So, you have chosen a place to introduce them and are ready to start the process. How can you do this in the most comfortable way for the animals? First, choose a quiet and calm place where no other animals exist: a park or a private yard. Second, start from afar: let the two pets simply walk side by side without interacting with each other.

Give them complete freedom of action: let them get used to each other's smells and movements, interacting more, but without abruptly getting closer. How to introduce a new dog to your dog outside? A practical option is to walk a little together and go home so that the new pet is not perceived as a trespasser by the resident dog. They must understand that this is a new stage that they will go through together.

Introducing a New Dog to Your Home and Resident Dog

So, you have successfully worked out how to properly introduce dogs. What to do next when they come into the house? Basically, nothing: act as if nothing is happening. Your help will be needed if any problems start: games become aggressive, or the dogs cannot get along. If this does not occur, then just watch from the side.

What should you pay special attention to? Watch the dogs' body language: are they tense, wagging their tails, or moving back? Praise them for good behavior, and speak in a calm voice.

Zoning is another important point in the process of how to introduce a new dog. Each dog should have its own bowl for food and water, separate toys, and a place to rest. It's okay if this gets mixed up between them later: the main thing is to set boundaries at the initial stage.

How to Introduce a Puppy to an Older Dog

What is the main difference when introducing “equal” dogs and a puppy and an adult pet? And how to introduce a new puppy to your dog? Puppies are active and unpredictable. They see the older dog as a plaything, while for the resident pet, it can be a shock. In this case, you should control the situation: play with the puppy yourself, carefully luring the older dog into the game.

Usually, the older animal teaches the puppy behavior, which forms a strong bond between them. To help the adult pet show interest while introducing a new dog to your dog, reward it with treats, toys, and praise for positive actions.

Managing a Jealous Dog When Introducing a New Companion

We considered all situations based on the ideal scenario. It is true that dogs typically have no difficulty accepting a new pet into the family, and the acquaintance goes quickly and without incident. However, what to do if the dog is jealous? Here are some tips for introducing a new dog to a jealous dog:

• Maintain a routine. Spend as much time with your pet as before. Adhere to the feeding and walking schedule. At first, walk the pets separately so that they have their time with you.
• Don't encourage jealousy. If the old dog ignores the new one, drawing attention to itself, ignore this behavior. Don't yell or punish, but don't give treats either.
• Monitor their interactions. You don't need to force them to be friends from the first day of bringing a new dog home to another dog, but letting them ignore each other entirely is also a bad idea. Monitor their interactions and play in threes.

Remember that you are the elder, the guide, and the “leader of the pack.” Your job is to gently guide them in the right direction and combat negative reactions. Step-by-step work and special attention to each animal will do the trick.

Signs of Stress or Aggression During Dog Introductions

Negative reactions are not always visible, but they can be felt – if you know, you know. The same goes for dogs: their body language, posture, and non-verbal cues can tell a lot about their mood. This is how to introduce new dogs and recognize stress patterns:

• Freezing: if one dog suddenly stops and stares tensely, this may be a warning sign.
• Snarling and growling: If a dog bares its teeth or growls, it feels threatened and warns the other dog to keep its distance.
• Rugged, high tail: if the tail is raised and motionless, this may indicate tension and possible aggression.
• Lowered, tucked tail: on the contrary, if the tail is tucked, the dog is experiencing fear and stress.
• Tense body and erect ears: if the dog stands rigidly, without relaxing its muscles, this may be a sign of readiness to defend itself or attack.
• Licking lips and yawning are signs of discomfort that indicate that the dog is tense.
• Attempts to escape or hide: if one of the dogs is trying to get away, but the other is chasing it, you need to intervene.

How to introduce dogs to each other at home and how to deal with the pets’ stress? Take matters into your own hands, increase the distance between the pets, and speak slowly and soothingly. Foremost, pay attention to the resident dog, isolate it in a separate room, and only then switch your attention to the new animal.

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FAQ

What is the best way to introduce two dogs for the first time?

The best way how to introduce dogs to other dogs is to let them meet on neutral territory. Pets will not be distracted by smells and a new environment, and they will have time to relax and get to know each other. Monitor their interactions, but do not force them to be friends from the first minute.

How do I bring a new dog home to meet my current dog?

Bring the new one in a carrier if you decide to introduce animals at home. Before letting the dog out, let it get used to the atmosphere. Watch the resident dog's reactions, and be ready to isolate it for a while if one of the animals starts to show aggression.

How can I introduce a new puppy to an adult dog safely?

A puppy requires more attention because they are unpredictable and active. Usually, most adult dogs are friendly to puppies and do not want to hurt them. However, your old dog may not want to get acquainted, and this is normal. Let them get used to each other's company and try again.

What should I do if my dog becomes jealous of a new dog?

Your task is to show that you value your pet. Spend more time with it, go on individual walks, and play more. Try to involve the dog in joint games of three, but at the same time, respect their personal boundaries and right to privacy. 

How can I tell if the introduction between dogs is going well?

If the introduction is going well, the dogs are relaxed: their bodies are not tense, their tails move naturally, and their body language remains soft. They can sniff each other without showing signs of fear or aggression, be playful, and calmly move away when they want to. If both dogs remain comfortable and do not avoid each other, the introduction is going well.