Adding a new dog to a home with a resident dog can be great fun and offers both your family and your dog extra companionship. However, dogs need time to build relationships.
The more quarrel-free you can keep the early stages of the sibling relationship the stronger it will be—and yet quarrels can still easily happen. Go shopping for supplies. Your new dog needs their own water and food bowl, dog bed, and dog toys. Set the stage. When dogs are creating a relationship these items may cause rivalry.
They can be introduced after a couple of weeks. Provide each dog with private space. Give your new dog his own confinement area. Furnish a spare room, crate, or dog-proofed enclosed area with his food, water, toys, and bed. The resident dog is not allowed in this area. First meeting. The first introduction should happen on neutral ground outside your house and yard, for example on a neighborhood street or in a park.
Allow the two dogs to sniff each other briefly—two to three seconds—then call them away and praise them with treats. Next, take a short walk in the neighborhood and let them play off leash if appropriate. Inside the house. The first time the two dogs are inside your house together, keep them both on leash and keep the introduction short, around five minutes.
Until then, follow these guidelines:. Want more content like this in your inbox? Sign up below! Dog-Dog Introductions. Share on Facebook Tweet this. Getting Ready Preparation is half the battle. Before you bring your new dog home, be sure to: Go shopping for supplies.
