Bringing a New Dog Into the House

Bringing a new dog into the home is a joyful time for a family. When a top dog already exists in the house; however, it can cause a great deal of stress. Although dogs are generally social animals, they also have a pack mentality and want to maintain their place in the hierarchy. Knowing the proper way to introduce a new dog to one that already is established in the household not only reduces the stress but makes the transition a whole lot smoother.

Things You'll Need

  • Leashes
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Instructions

    • 1

      Put away all of your dog̵7;s personal items. As a new dog explores its surroundings, it will smell the established dog̵7;s things. This makes the first dog want to defend its territory. Place the food bowl, bones, toys and bedding out of view before you bring the new dog into the house.

    • 2

      Ask a family member or friend to assist you as the dogs are introduced to each other. Keep each dog on a separate leash with collar to keep them under control. This allows you to quickly intervene if one dog becomes aggressive with the other.

    • 3

      Introduce the new dog to your dog in a neutral location that neither dog has visited before. Use a neighbor̵7;s fenced-in backyard or other secure area for the dog̵7;s initial meeting.

    • 4

      Keep each dog̵7;s leash slack as they greet each other. Dogs typically learn about each other by their use of smell and sniffing. If one dog is considerably younger than the other, the younger dog might roll over on its back as an act of submission. Dogs sometimes also circle each other, place a paw on the other, and one or both dogs could urinate.

    • 5

      Allow the dogs to play together while watching for signs of aggression. Remove the leashes from the dogs only if there is no sign of a threat from either dog. You can simply drop each leash but not unsnap the leashes from the collar. This allows you to quickly retrieve each dog if a problem arises.

    • 6

      Bring the dogs to your home and walk them around the yard. The new dog is now in the territory of your established dog. Keep a vigilant eye for signs of aggression, and stay prepared to separate them quickly should the need arise.

    • 7

      Bring the new dog into the house first. Drop the leash, and allow the new dog to explore its surroundings. Bring the first dog in and remove its leash. Do not remove the leash from the new dog until you ascertain that the two are continuing to accept each other.