Introducing new dogs to each other and keeping the puppy peace
Bringing a new dog into the family can be an amazing yet difficult decision to make, so how how can you keep the puppy peace? We're here to help you keep both dogs happy.
Introducing your waggy baby to a new dog can be a tough time, but there are ways to help both pups feel at home and make the process as smooth as possible. Whether you're bringing a new dog home as a friend for your first pooch, or just to grow your fur family, it's important to keep your dogs needs in mind and stay patient. Before you know it, you'll have firm friends on your hands, making double the trouble!
Read on to find out how to safely and calmly introduce your dogs to each other, and keep your home a pup's paradise.
Introduce outdoors
To kick off the waggy introductions, it's best to start by introducing your puppy pals in neutral space, so they won't feel threatened or possessive over their territory. We recommend going to a local park or quiet outdoor space, so both dogs can say hello without any pressure. Keep both dogs on their leads at first so they can sniff and bark all they like without getting too carried away. We would also recommend giving your pups lots of treats for good behaviour, such as our delicious Lamb Kebab kibble, so they can feel rewarded and associate yummy treats with their new pal. Take your time with this process, and don't force either dog to interact in a way they don't want to. To ensure both dogs will create a comfortable and lasting bond, they need to feel out the situation in their own way.
Now that you've sorted their initial meeting, let's loosen those leads.
Off-lead time
It's time to let these pups off the leads, and run free with each other. Once each dog seems comfortable and ready to move on to the next step, let both pooches loose to explore the space with each other. This will help them feel comfortable in understanding each other fully, and also in playing together. Make sure to still supervise both dogs, and keep a watchful eye from nearby. If one or both of the pups aren't trained well enough to be off their lead, try using a longer lead than usual, so they have more freedom to run and play. Don't be tempted to rush this part of the process, even if everything is going swimmingly, as it's important that the dogs get this time together to bond and become familiar with each other.
Speaking of familiar, let's bring some of that familiarity into your home. Here's what we'd recommend next:
Scent swapping at home
After the initial outdoors meet, help both dogs get used to each other's scent in their home space. Give each pup an item belonging to the other, such as a blanket or toy that smells like them, so they can begin to get used to the idea of another pooch in their home. Dogs use smell as an essential part of navigating their world and sussing out other pups, so allowing them to smell one another in their space helps them to associate each other with their home and social group.
Once they've sniffed and sussed out all they can, it's time for that first home meeting.
Time to meet
It can be tempting to throw both dogs together and get the initial meeting out of the way, but remember it's key to take this process slow. Before you jump in, let both dogs say hi first by introducing them at a safe distance. You can do this by keeping them on their leads, and letting them sniff each other outside your front door. Once they're ready, bring both dogs inside, and give them a room to settle into. It's important at this step to remove all toys and belongings of your first dog, so they aren't tempted to resource guard. Resource guarding is when dogs protect and defend their things from other dogs, in order to establish dominance and defend their territory. By removing their things, it eliminates this possibility during their first meeting and keeps the peace at home.
Congratulations on settling in your new pup! Make sure to keep your home their safe haven and follow their lead.
Now that you've made them both feel at home, take your time with the rest of the process. Allow both dogs to settle in slowly, as rushing them and forcing them to spend time with each other will make them less comfortable in the long-run. If either dog seems aggravated or like they need some alone time, allow them space apart and easy places they can go separately. For the time being, give both dogs separate eating and drinking areas also, so they can warm up to each other and gain familiarity in their new routine. We also recommend to not leave them alone together until you are certain they are happy and comfortable together. Put them in separate spaces if going out, to keep the puppy peace. Remember, every dog is different, so don't be disheartened if your dog needs more time to adjust. Go at their pace, and help them feel comfortable in their home. If they seem to be too fixated on each other, make sure to give them both lots of praise and love for good interactions and progress before distracting them with yummy mouthfuls of our Salmon Traybake kibble.
If your dogs are happily eating near each other, this is always a good sign that they are comfortable enough in each other's presence to keep their guard down. We recommend our Fisherman's Pie or our Turkey Loaf to encourage pups to chow down and cosy up, as the yummy flavour and nutrients are bound to make any dog comfortable.
If you want to find the paw-fect meal to reward your pooches, check out our full range of dog food to find tail-wagging goodness for dogs of every shape and size. From grain-free recipes, to hearty classics, we guarantee your pups will be feeling paw-some and eating like royalty.
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