Pet Information

How to Introduce a Second Dog to Your Family

Choosing a Dog

Once you have decided to add another dog to the family, consider the following questions. Do you want a puppy, a young adult or an older dog? Should the new dog be the same sex as the resident dog? Can the new dog be bigger or smaller than the resident dog?
Age. It’s difficult to resists a cute, fuzzy puppy, but with a puppy comes house training, crate training, crying in the night, chewing, socialization and puppy class. Puppies are a lot of work. A puppy, however is yours to mold and shape; you are the center of its universe, and with the proper training and socialization, it can be a wonderful pet.
A young adult dog (10 months to 2 years) is usually over its chewing and crying stages and may be housetrained. The young adult is in the teen- age stage, though, and may challenge your authority to see if rules will be enforced. If a young male is not neutered, it may lift its leg to mark territory, trying to make the new house its own. The adult dog (2 years or older) is often knowledgeable about household rules and may already be spayed or neutered. It may be slower to bond with you, however, and may take longer to adjust to its new home. Each case is different, though, and some dogs fit right in.
With any adult dog, there is always the question: “Why did the previous owners give up the dog?” It may have been through no fault of the dog’s: The owner may have gone into a nursing home or passed away. Perhaps the owners were transferred overseas. On the other hand, the dog may have had problems the previous owners were unwilling to work out. Perhaps the dog is a barker, digger, or chewer.
Sex. Occasionally, two neutered males or two spayed females will get along just fine, but adding a dog of the same sex as the resident dog is often the cause of a great deal of friction. If the resident dog is male, the new dog- especially if it is an adult- should be female. A dog’s instincts rarely allow it to fight with a female because she is what ensures the continuation of the species. Exceptions abound, of course, but as a rule, a male and female will get along and become good friends, especially if both are altered.
Size. The size of the second also has a bearing on how well the two dogs will get along. If there is a great deal of difference in size- a German Shepherd and a Shih Tzu, for instance- the dogs may become cuddle buddies but will never be able to roughhouse. A small dog may also get snappy with larger dogs, particularly if it has been stepped on or bowled over once too often.

The introduction.

The resident dog already has a relationship with the owner and considers the home and yards its territory. Some dogs will readily accept a newcomer, especially a playful puppy, but the other dogs will view the newcomer as a threat. For this reason, the first introduction should be done away from the house. Plan to bring the new dog or puppy to a nearby park where a family member can meet you with your own dog. Both dogs should be on lead, so just walk up to each other casually and let the dogs sniff. Don’t make fuss over the new dog. If you get too excited, the resident dog may get jealous. You are better off pretending the new dog isn’t there.
As the dogs sniff each other, there may be some posturing: The puppy or younger dog will act submissive, rolling over to bear its belly or licking the older dog’s muzzle. The young dog is paying proper respect to the older, more dominant dog. The young dog may also assume the play posture-its front end on the ground and hindquarters in the air, tail wagging-inviting the older dog to play. If the new dog is an adult, there may be a little more testing to see which dog is more dominant or submissive. One of the dogs may put its head or paw across the other dog’s shoulders, or it may duplicate some of the puppy posturing. It’s not unusual for dogs to growl or bark as they get to know each other.
If the play gets a little rough, or if you believe it may be turning into a fight, yank the dogs away from each other with a “No! That’s enough!” Don’t try to pull them away gently, that will only escalate the aggression. Put the dogs on a down/stay once they are separated. If the new dog doesn’t know the command yet, this is a good time to teach it. When the dogs have calmed down let them walk around a little. If they seem to get along, let them play- with leads still attached, so you can interfere if necessary. When the dogs are tired, take them home. Keep the new dog on lead as you show it around. If you have a doggy door, put the dog through it a couple of times. Take it outside to the area the resident dog relieves itself. Show the new dog where its food and water bowls are.

The first few days

The first week is the most difficult. More than one dog constitutes a pack, and with two dogs egging each other on, things can get out of hand. Start teaching the household rules now: Enforce them and be consistent. Supervise the dogs for the first few days. If there are significant differences, such as size or age, leave leashes on while the dogs play, and don’t hesitate to establish limits. Don’t leave the dogs alone unsupervised until you are sure they are getting along. If there is still some posturing over toys or growling over the water dish, separate them unless you are there to supervise.
Set up a housetraining schedule, make sure everyone knows it, and stick to it. Timing and consistency are important. Don’t assume that an adult dog is housetrained: The change to a new household may upset it. Don’t let the dog have a free run of the house, and praise it when it eliminates in the proper area. Praise the resident dog, too.

Potential Problems

Marking territory. Occasionally, the resident dog may start marking territory. Even though leg lifting isn’t a housetraining problem, treat it as such. Don’t let the dog have free run of the house. If you catch the dog in the act, give it a verbal correction- “No! Shame on you!”- give it a good scruff shake and put it outside. When you find a spot but didn’t catch the dog in the act, clean it up, but don’t rub the dog’s nose in it.
Toys. Toys may be another bone of contention. The resident dog may not want to share. Give each dog a toy; if they switch, that’s fine. There may be some noise and growling as they establish who the boss of the toys is, but that is normal, and it’s something they need to work out. Just don’t allow it to escalate to bloodshed. Once the initial adjustment is over, you can relax and enjoy both your dogs. It’s fun to watch the interaction between two different personalities, their expressions, their body language and their reactions to different things. Two dogs may be twice the work, but they are always double the fun, companionship and love.