Bringing Home a New Dog? This TikTok Tip Could Save the Day
So, you’ve finally picked out your new dog and are excited to bring them home. The only worry you have? Whether they’ll get along with your current pup. Sure, dogs are social animals who, more often than not, enjoy each other’s company. However, it’s not uncommon for dogs’ personalities to clash at first meet-ups, which is why proper introductions are necessary.
If you’re unsure how to introduce your new furry friend to your existing pack, one dog owner on TikTok has shared a couple of helpful tips that could work for you. As shared on her TikTok account @the good hype, the owner reveals the steps she took to introduce her new Cane Corso foster, Sirius, to her multiple cogs. The first step was crating Sirius away from the other dogs to give him ample time to decompress.
When it was finally time for Sirius to meet the rest of the pack face to face, the owner chose a neutral outdoor place rather than inside the house for this introduction. The next step was to take each pup on a walk with Sirius while paying close attention to the dogs’ body language.
“We introduce them in an area away from our house, and we just focus on having them look at us and not each other. Once they were good with that, we took them on a little walk. We’ll repeat the same process over the next few days….and the whole time, we watch their body language to make sure they each felt comfortable with each other,” she explains.
Watch the entire video below:
@thegoodhype Here's a one-minute version on how we introduce new dogs 🐾 These introductions can significantly impact how well dogs get along in the long run. It's crucial to take it slow and ensure everyone's comfort. Avoid having any high-value items or food around that could trigger resource guarding, and closely observe your dog's behavior. Remember, wagging tails don't always indicate happiness. We highly recommend having a trainer ready to assist before bringing your new dog home. If your dog is a rescue, be patient, allowing them time to decompress and get to know you. Let us know if you have any questions or if there's anything you'd like to see in the next video ☺️
♬ original sound – Goodlin Siblings
Introducing New Dog to Your Current Dog: What You Should Know
If you’ve decided to add another canine family member, the reality is that they may or may not become instant besties with your current pup. Thankfully, with proper introductions, there’s a good chance of things starting off on a good note without World War III erupting in your home.
Here are some crucial tips to keep in mind before you introduce your new pup to your current one, according to professional dog trainer Emily Larlham of Dog Training by Kikopup:
- Keep them In Separate Spaces Before Initial Introduction
Before letting the dogs interact face to face for the first time, give your new pup their own space where they eat and rest separately from the other dog. Being in an unfamiliar environment may feel overwhelming for your new furry friend, and this might cause them to react negatively during the first introduction. So, it’s best if they have their own cozy space where they can decompress without disturbance from the other dog.
You can choose to crate them or create a barrier between them and your other dog using a baby pen. Keeping the dogs in separate spaces during the early days can also help ease any tension between them as they get used to seeing each other.
- Hold First Introduction at a Neutral Territory
It’s advisable to have the very first introduction in a neutral location away from your home to avoid triggering territorial behavior from your current dog.
You see, your current pup views your home as their territory, which may translate to them perceiving the new dog as an intruder. Therefore, choosing a neutral place to hold this initial introduction will help prevent your current dog from becoming territorial toward your new pup.
While at the neutral location, maintain a reasonable distance between both dogs to let them notice each other at a slow, non-forced pace. Reward any calm behavior exhibited by the dogs.
“Begin in a neutral environment. This will be less startling for a dog who has never encountered dogs in his own home and will allow you to create greater distance if needed than when confined to a room. Have both dogs settle on a mat at a distance and give each positive feedback for noticing the other dog, such as verbal praise and treats,” professional dog trainer Emily explains.
- Take the Dogs on a Walk
Taking your new dog and older pup on a walk is a great way to spark a bond between them. Consider having a friend or family member help you walk one of the dogs.
For better outcomes, ensure both dogs are leashed and let them walk parallel to each other while maintaining some distance between them. This distance should be close enough for the two dogs to notice each other but wide enough for them not to start a fight. If they seem comfortable with each other’s presence during the walk, consider reducing the distance and have them walk side by side.
However, if one of the dogs reacts aggressively to the sudden closeness, enforce the initial distance.
“Decrease the distance if the dogs are calm and confident and increase the distance if the dogs start to show signs of stress or unease,” Emily advises.
- Supervise At-Home Interactions
When you take both dogs home, be sure to supervise their interactions. This will allow you to intervene promptly should you notice negative body language from either dog — for instance, excessive lip licking, growling, avoiding eye contact, and prolonged stares.
In this case, you can use baby gates or exercise pens to separate the two dogs so they can catch a break from each other if need be. Continue with these supervised interactions until the dogs start to appear relaxed and comfortable around each other.
“Don’t let the encounter get to the point where one dog feels he has to intimidate or correct the other,” explains Emily.
- Keep Toys, Food Bowls & Beddings Separately
During the initial days, ensure your new dog’s food bowls, water bowls, toys, and bedding are kept separately from where your old dog’s items are to avoid conflict around resource guarding.
- Be Patient
Remember, getting your new dog to become inseparable besties with your current dog may not happen overnight. It’s best to let the dogs interact at their own pace without forcing them to get along.
Introducing a Puppy to an Older Dog
Introducing two adult dogs might be a little less nerve-racking than introducing a new puppy to a senior dog. This is due to the fact that a puppy’s energy and rambunctious behaviors can be too much for an older pup, making the introduction a hectic one. Thankfully, the tips above also apply to puppy-senior dog introductions.
During the early days of bringing your new puppy home, it’s highly important to supervise their interaction with your older dog. In doing so, you’ll be able to correct your new puppy on boundaries they can’t cross while interacting with the senior pup, increasing the chances of a good relationship between the two.
If you’re having trouble introducing your new puppy to your senior pup — especially if your older dog seems persistently aggressive — consider consulting a professional trainer.
How to Introduce Two Dogs FAQs
How to introduce dogs to each other
As explained earlier, it’s best to introduce two dogs to each other in a neutral area and reward them for displaying calm behavior during the introduction.
How to introduce a puppy to an older dog
You should find a neutral territory to introduce your puppy to your older dog. Supervising their interactions inside the house is also important to prevent any tension from escalating into conflict.
How to introduce a puppy to a dominant dog
It’s advisable to first introduce your new puppy to your dominant pup on neutral ground and supervise the subsequent at-home introductions.
How do I introduce a new dog to my dog?
Ensure this initial introduction happens in a neutral place and not inside the house to avoid the possibility of your current dog acting territorial toward your new dog.
How do you introduce dogs to each other?
As noted earlier, this initial introduction should be done in a neutral territory away from the confines of your home.
How to introduce a new puppy to your dog
You should introduce the two in a neutral location so that your dog doesn’t display territorial behavior towards your new puppy.
How to introduce dogs when one is aggressive
It’s best to introduce them on neutral ground and keep a safe distance between them. If this introduction feels challenging, consider consulting a professional dog trainer.
How do you introduce dogs to each other?
Experts recommend first introducing the dogs to each other in a neutral location instead of in the house.
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