Easy steps to introducing a new dog into the family

Easy steps to introducing a new dog into the family

Getting a new dog can be an exciting time but you may have some concerns if you already own other pets or have small children in the house. It goes without saying that generally speaking it is easier to introduce a puppy rather than a dog into your household but with a little bit of time and patience, either can be successfully achieved.

Initially try introducing your dog to the house when any other pets are either put away or out of the house completely. Let your new dog explore the house and get used to the location of things such as the dog bed and food are. Once your new dog seems to be happy then it is time to think about introducing them to other members of the family.

Babies and Young children

Obviously this is easier to do if the dog is a puppy but adult dogs can be introduced too. If you have a young baby or children in the house you should never leave your pet alone with them. It may even be an idea to introduce the dog on a lead initially. Try introducing the dog away from your home first so both dog and children are used to each other (much as you would with other pets) and once at home give the children some treats so that the dog knows that they are not a threat. Try to encourage your children to be as calm as possible around the dog to start with.

Cats

If you have cats it can be a daunting task to introduce a dog to them. There is a reason for the expression fight like cats and dogs' and sometimes unfortunately an introduction won't work. However, it is far more likely to work if you make the introduction gradually. Ideally you dog will have had some training and will be fairly obedient. Make the initial introduction with the dog on a lead and the cat either free or in their crate. Pet and talk to your dog soothingly and reward both cat and dog with treats if they do not react. After several days of repeating this behaviour then you can try letting the dog off the leash. However if your dog is still lunging on the lead towards the cat then do not try this yet. When off the lead continue talking calmly and rewarding them both. If the dog reacts then firmly chastise him. Make the off-lead sessions longer until they are both comfortable with each other but do not leave them alone until you are 100% confident that they will not fight.

Other dogs

Dogs are usually far happier in households where they have another dog companion. Generally speaking, the introduction will go better and the dogs will get along better the more differences there are between them e.g.: Size, age, sex and personality. It is a good idea to introduce your dogs to each other's smells before making a physical introduction. One of achieving this is by letting them sniff the other dogs' dog bed. Feed both dogs and then introduce them away from the house. This takes away the territorial aspect of the introduction as you will be on neutral ground. If the introduction does not go well then simply seperate them and try again later in another location. If they get along ok then give them both lots of praise and ensure that you give both dogs equal attention and remove everything they might fight over. At feeding times make sure you place the dog food in separate rooms and never leave them alone together for too long initially.

The key to any introduction is time. With patience and a softly softly' approach your dog will gradually integrate into your home and you will soon have another member of your family.

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