It’s always best to plan and discuss adding a new four legged friend to your family. This is even truer when you already have a pet or two already living in the home. It’s important to look for a pet that will fit well with your current dynamics before you rescue or buy a new dog.
If you aren’t sure what breed of dog you might be interested in, you may want to talk to your veterinarian. Even if you plan to adopt a mixed breed from your local shelter, it’s nice to know the tendencies of a breed. You could narrow your search to a “shepherd mix” or a “husky mix” depending on the type of dog you’re searching for. Some breeds are prone to behavior problems, orthopedic issues, or tend to have allergy problems. Your veterinarian may also be able to recommend a local rescue group if you are interested in a particular pure breed.
Before bringing a new dog into the home, verify that your own dog is up to date on their shots. Usually your veterinarian office will keep you posted if your dog is due for a shot but it’s important to make sure they are protected from any illnesses or diseases you may bring into the household when you bring a new pet into the picture. Not all pets are surrendered with their shots up to date or they may pick something up from another dog in the shelter. It’s a health hazard that can be easily avoided just by keeping up with immunizations.
If you already have a senior dog in the house, think about the annoyance factor if you are thinking of bringing a puppy into the family. If you dog has arthritis and enjoys its peace and quiet time, a rowdy puppy might not be the best idea. Mature dogs are a great option and the shelters are packed with well behaved and house trained adult dogs.
How to Introduce the New Dog – Meet and Greet
Don’t force the two to be friends. It is typical for the two animals to be leary of each other at the beginning. If possible introduce two dogs on neutral territory. The existing pet may show extra aggression if he feels he has to protect his domain and family.
It’s best if the two animals approach each other from the side. This is the polite way for dogs to meet each other. Approaching straight on and staring into the eyes is regarded as being rude and can be viewed as a challenge. Let them get acquainted at their own pace and interfere only if their body language indicates an altercation. It’s best if two people can work together, each with a leashed dog. That way the altercation will be easier to separate.
Bringing the dog into the home is going to be adjustment for everyone. The established dog has to relinquish some of the attention but do your best to keep jealousy down to a minimum. The new dog has to adjust to meeting a new animal, a new family, and a new environment. The dogs will usually work out who is the “top dog”. It is especially important to watch the two at dinner time. If there will be any skirmishes it is most likely to be over food. Some households find it works best to feed dogs in separate rooms or with type of barrier while other dogs have no problem with being in close proximity to another dog chowing down.
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