{"id":15154,"date":"2023-02-28T07:15:52","date_gmt":"2023-02-28T12:15:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/companyofanimals.com\/au\/?p=15154"},"modified":"2023-11-23T06:25:27","modified_gmt":"2023-11-23T11:25:27","slug":"introducing-a-puppy-to-an-older-dog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/companyofanimals.com\/au\/introducing-a-puppy-to-an-older-dog\/","title":{"rendered":"Introducing a puppy to an older dog"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introducing a puppy to an older dog can be daunting but it doesn\u2019t need to be, we have all the tips you need right here on how to introduce a new puppy to an older dog in a few simple steps!<\/span> Dog ownership is the BEST. So, getting a second dog should be twice the fun\u2026 right? Of course, our pets enrich our lives but the decision to add another dog to the family is not one to be taken lightly. There are financial considerations, the breeder versus rescue discussion, and of course, the happiness of your current dog to think about.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are some tips and tricks from our Pet Centre experts on how to orchestrate a positive meeting and nurture a lifelong friendship relationship between your dogs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Getting ready to introduce your <\/b>new<\/b> puppy <\/b>to your current dog<\/b>\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n
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  • It is so important to maintain realistic expectations when introducing the two dogs. Your current dog may not be as excited as you and that\u2019s ok, especially if they have been the only dog in our household up until this point.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • If possible, get a blanket or toy with your new dog\u2019s scent on it. Introduce it to your current dog to help them to get used to the scent.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Have separate areas set up for each dog. Each area should have its own water and food bowls and their toys should be kept separate as well. Dogs are naturally territorial animals and may not be happy to share things right away, by giving them their own space you can reduce rivalry and avoid food aggression.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Ensure your current dog is up to date with all their vaccinations, your <\/span>new puppy<\/span> may not have had all their vaccinations yet.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • When you collect your puppy, leave your current dog at home. You will not need the distraction and the car journey home is an unnecessary challenge on the big day!<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    How to introduce a new puppy to an older dog\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n
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    • Ensure the first <\/span>older dog and puppy interaction<\/span> is on neutral ground, this can be anywhere outside of the house like a park. This will help mitigate any territorial behaviours and allow the dogs to engage with each other without your current dog feeling like their territory is being intruded on.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Make sure each dog is on a leash and has their own handler. This will help you to control the situation and remove a dog should you need to.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Take the dogs on a walk together without having them interact so they can get used to being in each other\u2019s space.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Once your dog has met your puppy outside, you can move the introductions inside. Ensuring it is still in a neutral location with all your current dog\u2019s toys and belongings removed. You can also use things like a baby gate or playpen which will help divide the two pups but also allow them to sniff and be in each other\u2019s presence without physically interacting.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Once your dogs are showing signs of calm or excitement in greeting each other, you can bring them closer together. Ensuring to keep a close eye on both dogs and taking note of their body language.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • It\u2019s important that you do not<\/span> tell <\/span>your current dog off for growling or snarling, these behaviours act as warning and if dogs are inhibited from making warnings it could lead to a bite. Dogs do not rationalise like we do so they are just as likely to associate the scolding to the puppy being near to them, rather than the growl and potentially making them dislike your puppy more.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Once your pups are feeling comfortable and secure in each other’s space you can allow them to play off leash together.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Ensure your dogs are always supervised, young puppies don\u2019t always understand boundaries and you may need to step in. <\/span>Your older dog and puppy interaction should be closely observed and done in short time spans with breaks in between.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Ensure you divide your cuddle time fairly. It might be tempting to give more attention to the new puppy but, like children, dogs will quickly feel left out, sad, and even jealous.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Make sure you are spending time with each of your dogs separately so each can enjoy time with you and have your undivided attention. It is also important for your puppy <\/span>to learn<\/span> to be content away from their new sibling and not become solely dependent on your older dog.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      It\u2019s important to be patient when learning how to introduce a puppy to an old dog and remember to show them equal amounts of attention and love throughout the process.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Introducing a puppy to an older dog can be daunting but it doesn\u2019t need to be, we have all the tips you need right here on how to introduce a new puppy to an older dog in a few simple steps! Dog ownership is the BEST. So, getting a second dog should be twice the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":15155,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/companyofanimals.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15154"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/companyofanimals.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/companyofanimals.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/companyofanimals.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/companyofanimals.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15154"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/companyofanimals.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15154\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15904,"href":"https:\/\/companyofanimals.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15154\/revisions\/15904"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/companyofanimals.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/companyofanimals.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}