INTRODUCING NEW PETS TO A NEW DOG:
From "the leader of the pack" to "the top dog," plenty of simplistic
metaphors come from the canine world. But relationships between canines
can be pretty complex, beginning with the very first meeting. Like most
animals who live in groups, dogs establish their own social structure,
sometimes called a dominance hierarchy. This dominance hierarchy serves
to maintain order, reduce conflict and promote cooperation among pack
members.
Dogs also establish territories, which they may defend against intruders
or rivals. Obviously, dogs' social and territorial nature affects their
behavior whenever a new dog is introduced to the household.
Introduction Techniques:
Choose A Neutral Location Introduce the dogs in a neutral location so
that your resident dog is less likely to view the newcomer as a
territorial intruder. Each dog should be handled by a separate person.
With both dogs on leashes, begin the introductions in an area unfamiliar
to each, such as a park or a neighbor's yard. If you frequently walk
your resident dog in a nearby park, she may view that area as her
territory, too, so choose a less familiar site. If you are adopting your
dog from an animal shelter, you might even bring your resident dog to
the local shelter and introduce the two there.
Use Positive Reinforcement
From the first meeting, help both dogs experience "good things" when
they're in each other's presence. Let them sniff each other briefly,
which is normal canine greeting behavior. As they do, talk to them in a
happy, friendly tone of voice; never use a threatening tone. (Don't
allow them to investigate and sniff each other for too long, however, as
this may escalate to an aggressive response.) After a short time, get
the attention of both dogs and give each a treat in return for obeying a
simple command, such as "sit" or "stay." Take the dogs for a walk and
let them sniff and investigate each other at intervals. Continue with
the "happy talk," food rewards, and simple commands.
Be Aware of Body Postures One body posture that indicates things are
going well is a "play-bow." One dog will crouch with her front legs on
the ground and her hind end in the air. This is an invitation to play,
and a posture that usually elicits friendly behavior from the other dog.
Watch carefully for body postures that indicate an aggressive response,
including hair standing up on one dog's back, teeth-baring, deep growls,
a stiff-legged gait, or a prolonged stare. If you see such postures,
interrupt the interaction immediately by calmly getting each dog
interested in something else. For example, both handlers can call their
dogs to them, have them sit or lie down, and reward each with a treat.
The dogs' interest in the treats should prevent the situation from
escalating into aggression. Try letting the dogs interact again, but
this time for a shorter time period and/or at a greater distance from
each other.
Taking the Dogs Home When the dogs seem to be tolerating each other's
presence without fearful or aggressive responses, and the investigative
greeting behaviors have tapered off, you can take them home. Whether you
choose to take them in the same vehicle will depend on their size, how
well they ride in the car, how trouble-free the initial introduction has
been, and how many dogs are involved.
If you have more than one resident dog in your household, it may be best
to introduce the resident dogs to the new dog one at a time. Two or more
resident dogs may have a tendency to "gang up" on the newcomer.
It is important to support the dominant dog in your household, even if
that turns out to be the newcomer. This may mean, for example, allowing
the dominant dog to claim a favored sleeping spot as his or to have
access to a desirable toy. Trying to impose your preference for which
dog should be dominant can confuse the dogs and create further problems.
Introducing Puppies to Adult Dogs
Puppies usually pester adult dogs unmercifully. Before the age of four
months, puppies may not recognize subtle body postures from adult dogs
signaling that they've had enough. Well-socialized adult dogs with good
temperaments may set limits with puppies with a warning growl or snarl.
These behaviors are normal and should be allowed. Adult dogs who aren't
well-socialized, or who have a history of fighting with other dogs, may
attempt to set limits with more aggressive behaviors, such as biting,
which could harm the puppy. For this reason, a puppy shouldn't be left
alone with an adult dog until you're confident the puppy isn't in any
danger. Be sure to give the adult dog some quiet time away from the
puppy, and some extra individual attention as well.
When to Get Help
If the introductions don't go smoothly, contact a professional animal
behaviorist immediately. Dogs can be severely injured in fights, and the
longer the problem continues, the harder it can be to resolve.
Punishment won't work, and could make things worse. Fortunately, most
conflicts between dogs in the same family can be resolved with
professional guidance.
Adapted from material originally developed by applied animal
behaviorists at the
Dumb Friends League, Denver, Colorado. All rights reserved.
If you have questions or need our services, please contact the shelter
at
618.346.5213 or contact us today via
e-mail
Copyrights 2009 WARREN BILLHARTZ ANIMAL SHELTER OF
COLLINSVILLE. A KTLLC Communications Solution