New Puppy, Old Resident
One question I get a lot is, “How do we introduce our new puppy to existing dogs without causing too much disruption?” Well, there are a few things to keep in mind that can make the transition easy…
ONE: The ideal location for your resident dog and new puppy to meet is on neutral ground. Because the new puppy probably doesn’t have all of his/her vaccines, doing this in the front yard is not an option. If you have a porch, breezeway, deck or something outside that has a raised surface for the puppy to be on, that is best. The first meeting requires TWO people, one person to handle each dog. The resident dog should be on a leash or lead. The puppy should be restrained in the other person’s arms. Allow both animals to become interested in the other. Let them investigate, check out the smells and sights of the newness. Reward BOTH dogs with praise and food treats for behaving normally or calmly.
TWO: When there are no signs of potential aggression, reduce the distance between the two dogs and allow them to investigate each other more. The key here is to watch each dogs body language and respond calmly but swiftly if needed.
THREE: When speaking to BOTH dogs do so in a calm and even manner. Your calm demeanor will help calm a nervous dog. The key thing is to reward good behavior with praise and food treats. I am a big fan of bacon. I want the dogs and puppies to associate good behavior with good treats and who doesn’t love bacon!?!
Lastly, just make sure and go at the DOG’S pace and comfort level, not yours. Meaning, we humans get wrapped up in our daily lives as to how quickly we can achieve XYZ in the most efficient way, and we forget that sometimes getting there is just as important and arriving. Look at from the resident’s dogs point of view….let’s say you have a new human that is going to start living at your house, playing with your toys, sharing your bed, etc. you’d have a few questions about things huh?
Be Patient and Kind and of course…. if nothing else works-BACON.
Previous Post
Next Post
