Here is my article on Acquainting Two Dogs.
-It’s recommended that dogs never initially meet on leashes because (1) being held back can cause leash aggression and (2) unbalanced energy going down the leash from one or both handlers can definitely affect the dog(s) in a negative manner.
-Dogs should never initially meet with a barrier like a fence between them, this can cause aggression as well.
-Never have food or bowls on the ground. Toys, bones, and beds can all be resource guarded too.
-If you have several resident dogs - introduce them one at a time, starting with the most dominant one first and work down to the least dominant dog.
-The new dog should be up to date on all vaccinations, and have a current clean fecal test done before bringing them into the home.
-A solid recall (come when called) and basic obedience skills will make the transition of dogs meeting and entering the new home easier on everyone.
-Having one or both dogs properly conditioned to a quality low level remote electronic collar used along with already learned verbal cues to help them make better choices can really help the process.
THE STRUCTURED WALK
-The initial structured walk should be held on NEUTRAL grounds to both dogs, and preferably end in an area that is enclosed by a secure fence. Watch both dogs body language, they should NOT be allowed to fixate ( stare down) each other.
-It’s important to keep them moving, packs move.
-The structured walk should consist with two handlers, one with each dog. Dogs should both be walking at heel, no pulling, barking, or marking. There should be a release word for them to potty, then right back into a structured walk.
-Allow both dogs to investigate where the other urinated, there is a lot of information about the dog there.
-The structured walk should last between 15 minutes and one hour, the longer the better. Use properly fitted training collars if needed. I have an entire article dedicated to training collars at my site.
-Walk a few feet apart, both dogs facing the same direction at first, then one dog passes the other, then the other dog passes the first.
-Now still a few feet apart coming towards and past each other. Dogs should NOT meet face to face, direct eye contact can be cause for a fight.
-Controlling the situation helps the dogs understand they are part of the same pack, they are safe and advocated for, and the humans are in charge- rules will be enforced.
-If aggression from either of the dogs is known, I highly recommend properly muzzle conditioning the dogs first as a safety protocol. Use basket type muzzles which allow the dogs to pant easily. I have an article on muzzle conditioning at my site.
AFTER THE WALK
-Have one handler stand their dog up squarely, and put one hand under the dogs belly/groin area, and the other hand holding the dogs leash - so they can control the head of the dog.
-Bring the other dog over for a quick two second hindquarter sniff, then immediately take the sniffing dog away from the standing one. Now do the same with the other dog.
-If all goes well drop the leashes of both dogs ( in a safe enclosure) and let them drag the leashes around. In the event any problems arise it will be easier to separate the dogs by just grabbing the leashes.
-Make sure there are no resources such as food, treats, bones, bowls, or toys on the ground that could be cause for resource guarding.
-If there are complications with the two dogs meeting, I highly recommend getting a good balanced trainer to assist 1 on 1 with the introductions. It will be well worth the cost of a session, instead of paying for Veterinary care later for one or both of the dogs because they got into a serious fight.
HEADING HOME
-Once it appears the dogs are doing well together bring them back home. Separate vehicles is ideal.
-I recommend bringing the new dog in first, keep him on leash, walk him around and show him the rooms, and stop him from going into any that are off limits to him. You may want to put up baby gates on off limit rooms until the new dog understands the house rules.
-See my article on Barrier Threshold Training, which includes Boundary Training advice for more details.
-Now bring in the resident dog, since the other dog is already in the house there is less reason for the resident dog to resource guard the house.
-The new dog may not understand common household dangers, so it’s best to treat them like a new pup and puppy proof the house from things like electrical wires, securely store away anything poisonous, and foods on a counter that would be toxic to a dog - especially lower calorie items containing XYLITOL.
-I would leave both dogs leashes on, let them drag the leashes around the house. Before going into a backyard I would take the leash of the new dog and lead them out first, then take the leash of the second dog and lead him out. I would still keep the leads on at this point. Drop the leash of the new dog first, then the resident dog
-Often once the owner leaves is when a fight will break out.
-Make sure there are no resources such as food, treats, bones, or toys or beds on the floor that could be cause for resource guarding, they can be safely used within each dogs crate. I’ve even seen two dogs fight over a bowl of water!
- Supervision is recommended for the first week or two.
-Toys outside the crate can be introduced slowly under supervision.
-I don’t allow one dog to steal from another.
-Close the crate gate once the dog exits so the other dog cannot go into it. Dogs can be VERY protective of their crates. If the resident dog usually has a bed out on the floor pick it up for now. Once you are sure the dogs are fine together it can be put back down. A second bed should be provided for the new dog.
-Dogs should never initially meet with a barrier like a fence between them, this can cause aggression as well.
-Never have food or bowls on the ground. Toys, bones, and beds can all be resource guarded too.
-If you have several resident dogs - introduce them one at a time, starting with the most dominant one first and work down to the least dominant dog.
-The new dog should be up to date on all vaccinations, and have a current clean fecal test done before bringing them into the home.
-A solid recall (come when called) and basic obedience skills will make the transition of dogs meeting and entering the new home easier on everyone.
-Having one or both dogs properly conditioned to a quality low level remote electronic collar used along with already learned verbal cues to help them make better choices can really help the process.
THE STRUCTURED WALK
-The initial structured walk should be held on NEUTRAL grounds to both dogs, and preferably end in an area that is enclosed by a secure fence. Watch both dogs body language, they should NOT be allowed to fixate ( stare down) each other.
-It’s important to keep them moving, packs move.
-The structured walk should consist with two handlers, one with each dog. Dogs should both be walking at heel, no pulling, barking, or marking. There should be a release word for them to potty, then right back into a structured walk.
-Allow both dogs to investigate where the other urinated, there is a lot of information about the dog there.
-The structured walk should last between 15 minutes and one hour, the longer the better. Use properly fitted training collars if needed. I have an entire article dedicated to training collars at my site.
-Walk a few feet apart, both dogs facing the same direction at first, then one dog passes the other, then the other dog passes the first.
-Now still a few feet apart coming towards and past each other. Dogs should NOT meet face to face, direct eye contact can be cause for a fight.
-Controlling the situation helps the dogs understand they are part of the same pack, they are safe and advocated for, and the humans are in charge- rules will be enforced.
-If aggression from either of the dogs is known, I highly recommend properly muzzle conditioning the dogs first as a safety protocol. Use basket type muzzles which allow the dogs to pant easily. I have an article on muzzle conditioning at my site.
AFTER THE WALK
-Have one handler stand their dog up squarely, and put one hand under the dogs belly/groin area, and the other hand holding the dogs leash - so they can control the head of the dog.
-Bring the other dog over for a quick two second hindquarter sniff, then immediately take the sniffing dog away from the standing one. Now do the same with the other dog.
-If all goes well drop the leashes of both dogs ( in a safe enclosure) and let them drag the leashes around. In the event any problems arise it will be easier to separate the dogs by just grabbing the leashes.
-Make sure there are no resources such as food, treats, bones, bowls, or toys on the ground that could be cause for resource guarding.
-If there are complications with the two dogs meeting, I highly recommend getting a good balanced trainer to assist 1 on 1 with the introductions. It will be well worth the cost of a session, instead of paying for Veterinary care later for one or both of the dogs because they got into a serious fight.
HEADING HOME
-Once it appears the dogs are doing well together bring them back home. Separate vehicles is ideal.
-I recommend bringing the new dog in first, keep him on leash, walk him around and show him the rooms, and stop him from going into any that are off limits to him. You may want to put up baby gates on off limit rooms until the new dog understands the house rules.
-See my article on Barrier Threshold Training, which includes Boundary Training advice for more details.
-Now bring in the resident dog, since the other dog is already in the house there is less reason for the resident dog to resource guard the house.
-The new dog may not understand common household dangers, so it’s best to treat them like a new pup and puppy proof the house from things like electrical wires, securely store away anything poisonous, and foods on a counter that would be toxic to a dog - especially lower calorie items containing XYLITOL.
-I would leave both dogs leashes on, let them drag the leashes around the house. Before going into a backyard I would take the leash of the new dog and lead them out first, then take the leash of the second dog and lead him out. I would still keep the leads on at this point. Drop the leash of the new dog first, then the resident dog
-Often once the owner leaves is when a fight will break out.
-Make sure there are no resources such as food, treats, bones, or toys or beds on the floor that could be cause for resource guarding, they can be safely used within each dogs crate. I’ve even seen two dogs fight over a bowl of water!
- Supervision is recommended for the first week or two.
-Toys outside the crate can be introduced slowly under supervision.
-I don’t allow one dog to steal from another.
-Close the crate gate once the dog exits so the other dog cannot go into it. Dogs can be VERY protective of their crates. If the resident dog usually has a bed out on the floor pick it up for now. Once you are sure the dogs are fine together it can be put back down. A second bed should be provided for the new dog.
- A large dog can easily damage a very small toy breed without even trying, which is something to consider. Age can also be a factor, a very old dog may have aches and pains and be less tolerant of an energetic young dog.
-Watch closely how the dogs react to each other, the emotional state of the dog can often be seen by the direction they wag their tails. A wagging tail does NOT necessarily mean the dog is friendly.
Wagging primarily to the dogs left in direction often means they are worried and insecure, while tail wag primarily to the right usually means the dog is relaxed and more confident . Play bows where the dog lowers their front end to the ground and hind quarters in the air usually means they want to playfully engage the other dog.
-I NEVER allow one dog to mount or bully the other. It’s our job as responsible dog owners to intervene and advocate as needed if one dog appears to not be enjoying themselves in the play- if we don’t, the dog will often take it upon themselves to correct the situation, and this can lead to a serious dog fight.
-It’s normal for the new dog’s behavior to change and they start pushing boundaries once they get accustomed to their new home. Often called the end of the “honeymoon period”, it usually occurs between two and four weeks after entering the home. Adding daily household structure, and having the dog earn his privileges will help correct this.
CRATE AND ROTATE
-For ongoing aggression issues between the dogs I highly recommend doing the crate and rotate procedure. One dog will be crated at all times while the other is out. Never allow the loose dog to harass the crated one.
-Start working on adding a lot of structure to BOTH dogs lives, remember- it takes two to fight.
-PLACE training, earning all their daily meals as rewards for training, structured walks,and proper crate manners all contribute to helping the household structure.
INTRODUCING A NEW PUP
-When bringing a very young pup into a household where there is already an established dog I recommend bringing in a towel or blanket with the pups scent on it in first. Let the resident animals sniff the article.
-I highly recommend starting by crating the pup while in the same room as the resident dog in the house, and allowing the resident dog to continue their daily routing, supervised, for at least a week or two. This will allow the resident dog to investigate the new pup without being jumped on by them, many dogs react negatively when another dog jumps on them, especially one they don’t know.
-Once the resident dog has accepted the pup in the crate well I would allow them together, but keep a leash on the pup so they doesn’t bother the resident dog.
-Be advised that some dogs will wait until the owner is gone before being aggressive with the new arrival. If the resident dogs shows any type of aggression with the crated pup the exercise should be lengthened, and a secure baby gate placed between the two dogs as well until things improve.
-Pick up all food bowls, toys, and bones off the floor. I tether new pups to me, so I can immediately correct and redirect them to making better choices.
-A well socialized adult dog will set boundaries for the new pup. A low growl from the adult dog when the pup is pushing boundaries on them is acceptable, as it will help the pup learn what is allowed. Unfortunately, an adult dog without good social skills may bite without warning and could easily hurt a pup, in which case they should not be left alone together without supervision.
-Adding a lot of structure to the resident dogs life with exercises like PLACE will really help. I have a detailed article on how to train PLACE at my site below.
-Also, be sure the resident dog gets as much attention as the new pup.
-Dogs don’t “need” to meet dogs from other households , many dogs are not comfortable meeting strange dogs.
-Advocate for your dog - “ No, he is in training” or just look at your dog and firmly say “Leave it” and walk away from the person. A good strategy is to put my dog behind me while blocking the other dog /human wih my body. The safety of my own dog MUST come first.
More articles on dog training including Potty Training, Crate Training, Training tools, and Anxious/Nervous/Fearful dogs are on my site below, which is open to the public and free of charge. ❤️🐺❤️
https://www.facebook.com/AllBasicsDogTrainingKimChappell/
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