Q&A: How do I introduce a new dog to my pack? Posted on Mar 19 , 2012 by Guest Blogger Print Home > Blog > Training Pets > Q&A: How do I introduce a new dog to my pack? Tags: train furkeeps, training dogs and cats Q: Any suggestions for introducing a new dog to my house? We have a male Bulldog and a female Mastiff, we will be bringing home a new female Bulldog this weekend. They are all around 5 years old and all spayed or neutered. All rescues, too. We want it to go as smoothly as possible. — Sue R. Meet 6-month-old Fiona at Newton, PA-based American Bulldog Rescue. Mychelle Blake, CDBC, pet trainer and CEO of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, writes: Here’s what you can do: Have the dogs meet outside in a neutral space, such as the sidewalk or street in front of your home, or a nearby park. Walk them near each other, side by side, with no frontal meetings (where their eyes are directly looking at each other), and then give lots of praise and rewards if they are calm. Try to remember to keep your leashes loose and tension-free. If all goes well, then go back to your home and have them enter together on leash. Make sure that you monitor the situation for the first few days and keep the new dog separate from the others when you leave the house. Make sure that all the dogs get equal attention, and monitor them during feedings and playtime with toys to make sure there’s no guarding behavior. Learn more about Petfinder’s next Ask the Experts Q&A by “liking” us on Facebook. <Leave a comment><Return to blog home page> You might also like: Tips for the First 30 Days of Dog Adoption Preparing Your Home For a New Dog Changing the Name of Your New Dog Previous Q&As: How do I stop my dog from tearing up my blankets? How do I stop my puppy from biting? How can I get my dog to like strangers? Can cats and houseplants coexist? Why is my cat afraid of me? How can I get my dog to tolerate baths? Help! My dog’s a thief. How do I stop him? Why does my dog freak out when someone leaves the car? How can I stop my dog from biting his leash? Why does my cat splash his water everywhere? Why won’t my dog stop digging? Why does my cat throw up after eating? Why is my cat so mean? Help! My puppy won’t use the pee pads! How can I get my cat to bury his poop in the litter box? How do I stop my dog’s submissive urination? How do I stop my cat from jumping on the table? How do I stop my dog from jumping? How do I stop my kitten from biting? How do I stop my dog from chasing my cat? Share this Article: Print
