How to introduce a dog to a new dog

You have decided to start second dog, but are not sure that she will get along with a dog that has been living in your house for a long time from the first day. How to introduce a dog to a new dog and avoid conflicts?

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Karen London and Patricia McConnell offer some tips to make introducing your dog to a new dog as painless as possible.

6 rules for introducing a dog to a new dog in the family

When you introduce a new dog to an old resident, everything is important, from the first minutes. And the way the animals meet will largely affect their future relationship. Here are the rules that will increase the chances of a peaceful coexistence of two dogs:

Let them get to know each other, but take your time. Have the dogs meet for the first time on neutral ground. If you immediately bring a new dog home, you risk serious trouble, including unleashing a real war.
Introduce dogs on leashes. Keep both dogs on leashes with at least one person per dog. Walk together, keeping the dogs about 3 meters apart so they can’t reach each other and don’t let them threaten each other (increase the distance if necessary). The point is that they get used to each other’s presence and it doesn’t cause tension in either dog.
Let the dogs get to know each other on loose leashes. Everything must take place on neutral territory for the time being. Avoid narrow passages, doorways, gates, or any tight spaces. The more wiggle room the dogs have, the less stress they will experience. Wait a couple of minutes for them to sniff each other, then calmly call them both off (don’t delay!). If the dogs start to play and everything goes smoothly, let them play for a few minutes and withdraw. Let each dating session end on a good note, do not allow conflict!
Let dogs socialize at home. At first, acquaintance takes place in the yard, and then – indoors. Before introducing the dogs indoors, take the old-timer outside and introduce the new dog into the house. In this way, you will avoid the old-timer’s negative reaction to the newcomer’s intrusion. Every communication dogs have with each other should be brief and pleasant for them. If you notice the slightest sign of tension, separate the dogs immediately and try to bring them together again later. Remember that their further relationship depends on the acquaintance, so it is very important that the acquaintance be successful.
Separate the dogs when you leave. Dogs must be in separate rooms or cages.
Work on conflict prevention. As long as there is even the slightest risk of disagreement between dogs (like growling over a toy or a bowl of food), all possible causes of disagreement should be under your control. For example, if dogs are in conflict over toys, then toys are only given out in your presence and under your supervision. Remember that the hierarchical status of dogs is flexible and may change depending on the situation. For example, if a plush pig is extremely important to a lower-status dog, she will fiercely protect it even from a higher-status dog. Reward polite behavior in both dogs and manage the situation to prevent conflicts before they flare up.