Dog’s, you can never get enough of them, and that’s why you decided to adopt a new dog. It’s always a fantastic time for everybody in the first few months after getting a new puppy, For everybody, except maybe your other household pets. They might not be so happy about it.
To introduce a new puppy to your elder dog can go both ways, and can, if not careful, have adverse outcomes. So how would you go about introducing your cute little puppy to your cat and dog, without it ending up in scratches, hisses, a lot of barking and growling?
Well, there are a few steps to take both before, during, and after introducing the puppy. Here’s how we would recommend you do it.
Know your pets
Every dog and cat will react in different manners; they all have their personalities. Some might not care too much if they are already used to seeing other dogs and pets frequently. Some might consider your house their territory, and not even the mailman is allowed to approach without his fair share of barking.
Only you know your pet’s personality the best, so what I’m trying to say is that you should trust your intuition.
You might have taken notice when you’re at the dog park how your dog is greeting other dogs. Is it in a playful manner? Does he get scared? Or Worried?
Observe your pet’s reaction when you’re having guests over. Of course, that doesn’t mean your pet would act the same way as with guests, but it can give you a good picture. If you have a feeling that your cat or dog will be aggressive, trust your intuition.
Prepare for the big day.
When you are going to visit the litter, it could be a good idea to bring with you a blanket let the puppy play around in it, sit or sleep in it (hopefully not pee). Once you then get home again, let your elder dog smell the blanket, it will make it easier for him to familiarize himself with the smell of the new puppy.
Before the puppy is coming over, prepare a new dog bed and a new dog bowl for your puppy. You wouldn’t want to add salt to injury, making the situation even worse by having the puppy eating from your already not too happy elder dog’s bowl.
Remove all dog or cat toys around the house (also check under the couch) To avoid additional territorial behaviors.
Prepare for another room in the house; if everything goes wrong, separation might be the only solution.
First contact.
As you now know, your dog considers your house his territory. The best place to do the initial introduction should be somewhere your dog finds neutral. Please have a friend hold your puppy in a leash and you with your dog in another leash. Let them approach each other. You don’t want to appear nervous, stay calm throughout. Your dog could sense the tension and get stressed.
Make the introduction quick, let them sniff each other’s butts, and that’s it.
Please do not hold the puppy in your arms when introducing him to the elder dog.
The new puppy is home.
When the dog and puppy are finally home, be sure always to have them closely monitored, at least for the first week or two. Do not leave the puppy unattended, even for a short amount of time.
Your puppy will do what puppies do; play, your elder dog might not want to play so much and, in return, get irritated when the puppy is jumping all over him when he is merely trying to take a nap.
Look out for signs of aggression, be ready to step in if your dog stars to growl or bark. Do not let them fight.
Please do not force them to share the same dog bed, invest in a new one (we recommend this one).
Dogs do get jealous too, so it’s crucial to keep on spending a lot of quality time with your elder dog. Play with both dogs separately; don’t force them to play together, but let them if they want to.
Bottom line.
It will not be instant, but if you followed these steps, the transition would be much smoother, and it wouldn’t take long before they are both friends with each other. In the long run, dogs do prefer the company of other dogs as opposed to being alone, so even if he doesn’t seem happy about it now, soon you will all be.
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