Adding to the Pack
 

Bringing home a new dog is an exciting time for everyone involved. The anticipation of a new companion and the thrill of the search for "just the right one" all culminate in the preparations for the final homecoming. In all the excitement it can be easily forgotten that the human family members are not the only ones affected by the addition of a new member to the pack. After all the careful planning and preparations it can be heartbreaking when the first meeting between new dog and old is less than love at first sight.

The first step in deciding to add another dog is to assess the current dog or dogs. Some dogs simply love all other dogs and are happy to get along with anyone. Other dogs are more selective and their preferences should be taken into consideration when adding to the pack. The most difficult dogs act in an aggressive manner towards all other dogs, and in these cases serious thought should be given to the advisability of attempting an addition. Some general rules apply for many situations. Opposite sex pairs often get along better than same sex pairs. Two dominant dogs may conflict, while a dominant dog and a more submissive dog may get along better. Dogs who have never been socialized towards puppies or who have high prey drive towards small moving animals will do better with an adult companion.

Just like their humans, dogs must get to know each other before they can really begin to decide they like each other. We can do a lot to help make this happen by structuring the initial introduction process with an emphasis on it being a positive experience for all involved. This can be accomplished by preventing any aggressive incidents and maintaining total control of the situation until the dogs prove they will get along.

There are any number of ways of introducing dogs. The following system is one recommended by several canine behaviorists and one which has proved successful for many people with a wide range of dogs. It's a longer process than what most people use, but it also has a much higher long term rate of success even with dogs who initially are not thrilled with their new "friend". The key to making things work is to keep the introduction slow and positive.

The first thing to remember is not to assume things are going to work out right from the start. Dogs need to get to know each other before they can be expected to live together. The current dog is likely to view the newcomer as a trespasser on their property, so you want to prevent the dogs from developing a dislike of each other by controlling and shaping their introduction. This means that you set up a system for the dogs to be separated and SLOWLY introduced. But always remember that dogs are pack animals and in this situation you are the alpha dog. You need to set the rules and let them know it is you who decides what behavior is acceptable or not. Fighting and displays of aggression are never allowed.

The dogs first meeting should be on neutral ground. A good way to do this is to enlist the help of a friend and take both dogs for a walk. Don't necessarily let them play and interact, just walk them in the same direction and enjoy a nice long stroll. The idea is to let the dogs see and smell each other during a very positive experience, and to prevent anything negative from happening.

Continue this idea when you get home with the dogs. Unless you obviously have two dogs who just love all other dogs on the planet you will want to come up with a system for temporarily separating the two dogs. You can use an ex-pen, baby gate inside the house, crates, or a kennel if you have one. Initially you want the dogs to be able to see and smell each other but not react in a negative way. This means keeping them separated (one in the house, one outside, or one in a room with a closed door while the other is in the house, or one crated and one loose, or both crated)but able to see and smell each other (through a baby gate or crate)when supervised. If they try fighting through the barrier, add another barrier so that they can not get nose to nose. If they seem happy with each other allow them as much supervised time as possible to "visit" through the barrier but don't force them to interact.

When both dogs seem comfortable with that (give it at least a couple days...sometimes it takes weeks or even months), then get your friend to come back and take both dogs for a walk. When you are on neutral ground allow the dogs to get close and come into contact so long as you see no aggression. Don't hold their leashes tight since this suggests to them that something is wrong, but be ready to separate them if they growl, grumble, or try to fight. The best way to do this is to simply turn and walk away from the other dog holding tight to the leash. Praise for good interaction. Stop ANY less than ideal interaction, end their walk, and go back to square one. If they do not act aggressive allow them to visit and hopefully play. Give lots of praise for playing nicely.

Once this is working on neutral ground you can try the same thing in your own yard. Do it the same way, two people and two dogs with loose leashes. If all goes well you can drop the leashes (keep them attached so that you can separate the dogs if need be). So long as they are playing nicely you can let the two dogs be together while closely supervised. That means only while you are watching, prepared to step in if they get too rough or aggressive, and for short periods of time (like 10 minutes). Separate them otherwise. If you have an aggressive incident, take a step back. If you have no incidents, slowly increase the amount of time the dogs get to spend loose together. As the dogs prove they are going to get along the leashes can be removed.

Sometimes this works smoothly and the dogs are living loose together happily within a month. Other times it takes longer. The key is to never rush it. Taking up to 3 months from first introduction to the new dog living full time with the old is perfectly desirable and it's much better to take it to slow than to rush things. It's a bit of work but it's worth it in the end. One area that you should at least be aware of is when it comes to sharing between dogs. Some dogs give up their toys and biscuits freely while others will fight to the death over a cookie crumb. Do not allow that opportunity to ever take place. Do not place your dogs in the situation of having to share until a great deal of testing of the waters occurs and you are comfortable that bones, treats and food can be placed where they all have access to them. At least initially, you will even want to feed them in separate areas until you are confident that dinnertime is not war time. One option is to feed one dog in their crate. Another is to separate them into different rooms. In this type of situation, prevention is key.

Remember, the first 3 months with any new dog are considered the "honeymoon" period. They will usually be on their best behavior and it takes that long for them to get settled into the pack structure of their new home. It's not unusual for odd behaviors to turn up after the 3 month period, and it often takes that long for both the dogs to get familiar and settled. Flare ups of problems can occur, sometimes as much as 6 or 9 months later. If it happens, it's may be necessary to back up and separate the dogs for a few weeks while going back through the introduction process.

This process is not a quick fix, and it does take a lot more work than just tossing the dogs together and hoping for the best. Sometimes the "toss them together" method works beautifully. Sometimes it doesn't however, and it sets dogs up to develop very unhappy feelings towards each other which can be nearly impossible to overcome. The slow introduction method is far more consistent and far less stressful on the dogs. It has proven to have a much higher success rate, particularly with the more dominant breeds of dogs.
 
 

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