Ask a Vet: Introduce dogs slowly, carefully

[bigdoglover]

The Eagle

By Sarah Thompson


Dear Sara: I am moving soon, and my dog will be sharing a house with another dog that he has not seen for about a year. What is the best way to go about reintroducing them?

A: Essentially, this question is about how to bring a new dog into a household that already has a dog. In this case, though, it may be easier for you because the two dogs have been together in the past.

First of all, don't expect them to be best friends overnight even if they were buddies before they were separated. There will probably be a period of transition and adjustment, and you have to be patient while everyone copes with the new situation.

That said, the absolute worst way to introduce them is to throw them in a room together and let them "sort things out." Sure, it might work for some dogs, but if it goes wrong, it goes very, very wrong with the possibility of serious injuries to one or both dogs. Keep them separated unless directly supervised to avoid any problems.

Ideally, you will introduce the two when they are both calm and not actively playing and wound up. Watch carefully for signs of aggression or anxiety. Make sure they are not nervous about the visit; if they are, stop and go more slowly with the introductions. Let them get used to being in the same house together before you put them in the same room together.

This process may take minutes, hours or even days, but if you go slowly and let the dogs' reactions to each other set the pace, you can prevent future problems and future heartache for you.

When I introduced my new puppy to my adult dog, I set up a crate in a bedroom and put the puppy in the crate. Then I set up a baby gate to block my adult dog from that room. She was curious about the new dog in the crate, and once she demonstrated that she was calm and not nervous, I let her approach the crate.

Gradually we worked up to her sniffing the new puppy while I held him. After a few hours they were contentedly running in the back yard, although they were allowed out together only if supervised for the first few weeks that we had the new puppy.

If the resident dog shows any signs of aggression or demonstrates attention-seeking behavior (barking, pawing, jumping, etc.) you need to slow the introduction because he or she is not ready to meet the new addition. Always use positive rewards such as praise, food or toys to reinforce calm friendly behavior between the pets.

Do not reward fearful or aggressive behavior by reassuring the pet that everything is OK because this will make him or her think the fearful or aggressive behavior is acceptable and the dog may continue the undesirable behavior around the new pet.

Most introductions go very well and do not take more than a few hours to a few days. If you begin to have problems between the animals, however, you should seek the help of a trained veterinary behaviorist.

Hostility or aggression between pets in a household can end with one of the animals finding a new home. By simply taking some time to introduce animals properly, you may ensure that you and your pets live in a harmonious household.

• Sara Thompson is an associate veterinarian at City Veterinary Center Uptown in Dallas

[rmci]

When I introduced my new pup to Baxter I made sure Bax had a long walk prior and that it was in "neutral" territory. Rusty, the pup, was in his crate in a minivan with the car door open. While I was talking to Rusty's foster mom Baxter heard Rusty and peeked into the minivan. I let Bax sniff around a while before taking Rusty out of the crate. Once out of the crate, I let Bax sniff some more, then we went into my backyard and let both of them meet on the ground. They did such a great job