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INTRODUCING A NEW ANIMAL INTO THE HOUSEHOLD: DOG TO DOG Since dogs are by nature pack animals, it is important to your dog's mental health that he is allowed to interact with other dogs on a regular basis. One way of accomplishing this is to form a dog social group or obedience group in which many familiar dogs are allowed to play with each other. Another way is to have more than one dog in your home. Before you add another dog to your family it is important that your animals have seen a veterinarian in the past year and have a clean bill of health. Animals that have been spayed or neutered get along better than those that have not. Raging hormones can cause dogs of the same gender to fight and those of opposite gender to concentrate on breeding. If all dogs involved are "fixed" (spayed or neutered) breeding will be eliminated and fighting may not be an issue. Unless your dog is very gentle with young pups, the new dog should be at least three or four months old or very close in age to the current dog (s). A puppy any younger could easily be intimidated and bullied by older dogs. Because he is so young it could cause long-term damage to his personality and possibly destroy any chances of friendship. The personality and background of your current dog(s) and the one that you are considering are of the utmost importance. If your dog is active and outgoing, adopt a dog with similar qualities. Try to find out if the adopted dog has been around other dogs before. Some dogs have to "learn" how to get along with each other. If the dog you are considering is poorly socialized to other animals, it might be best to consider another dog with better social skills. The same goes for your own dog, make sure he has had plenty of experience with other animals. Once you have decided which dog to adopt, it is best to introduce them in a neutral setting, i.e. the park, on the street, or in a neighbor's yard. Do not introduce the dogs on the other's territory. Instead of investigating each other, they will protect their territory. The first meeting is very important. It will be a guide to how they get along in the future. Try to make it as peaceable as possible. A normal greeting for dogs is to stand rigidly still while they sniff each other. Dogs carry their I.D. cards under their tails, so do not discourage sniffing or licking in that area. The hair, or hackles, on their backs may go up, the dogs may stand on tip-toe and they may mount each other. Again, this is all perfectly normal and should be allowed. Be careful not to hold your dog close to you. He may interpret this as a signal of danger or that you need protection. This will elicit a defensive posture that the other dog may interpret as aggression and a fight could break out. Give both dogs as much room as they need. Though you will be the leader of the entire group, the dogs will also pick a secondary "leader dog." While it may be contrary to what you want, the dogs will pick their own leader. This is not your job. Dogs have an instinctive form of selection. The more you stay out of things, the better the dogs will get along. Expect some growling, pushing around and minor fights. Some fights may look and sound ferocious, but allow them to continue. It is all normal and natural. This is how dogs settle their differences. Unless you see "blood and guts", do not interfere. The initial meetings should be kept short. Do not push the dogs on each other. Simply follow their lead. When they've had enough they will wander away or show boredom and disinterest. It may take several months for the dogs to work things out satisfactorily, so give them plenty of time. If you feel you need to break up a fight, do not put any part of yourself near the dogs. You could be accidentally bitten. Instead, throw water at them. In the case of a severe fight, try to separate them by pulling each dog off balance by his hind legs. (Please be aware that screaming and shouting may only serve to incite the dogs and make the fight worse. Your quick, silent action is what is needed in this type of situation.) Put each dog in a separate area for the next few hours, or days, and try it again once things have calmed down. There are some cases in which dogs do not get along and never will. These instances are few, and there are usually extenuating circumstances. To regain harmony and keep each dog safe, in some situations you may decide to return to a one-dog family. Before a decision like this is made, it is advisable to get the opinion of a behavior specialist and/or a trainer. Gratefully, most dogs can learn to live with each other happily. If you have any questions or need further advice, do not hesitate to call shelter or your local dog trainer. |