Tips for Bringing Another Dog into Your Family

There are many benefits to adding a second pup into your home! It can give your current dog a partner to play with and give your family more friendship and fun! There are also many other things to consider before you bring another furry friend into the mix. Do you have the financial abilities and time to train and take care of another animal? Are you willing to put in the work to keep both dogs happy? If so, here are some tips to bringing another dog home!

The Right Time

Most experts recommend waiting at least one year after you’ve had your current dog to add another. This is because it takes 6 months for your dog to adjust to your home fully and another 6 months to create a strong bond with you. You want your first dog to be happy and comfortable before you bring in a new friend. You should also make sure your dog doesn’t have any behavior problems. If they do, fix them. New dogs will most likely act like and mimic your current dog, and you don’t want to two poorly behaved dogs.

Choosing the Right Friends

There are many different aspects to consider when choosing a new friend for your home.

• Energy Level– If your dog is older and less active, you should probably get a dog with a similar activity level. A very active dog will be annoying to your other dog.
• Dominant vs. Submissive– If your current dog is very dominant, adding another dominant dog could end badly. Your best bet is to probably get a more submissive dog. The same can be said for the opposite. If your dog is shy or submissive, getting an assertive dog can cause your dog to become more confident.
• Gender– If you notice your dog having a preference on gender when they play with other dogs, try to pick that gender.
• Size– It can be dangerous to get a very small dog if you already have a very large dog. Try to get dogs that are similar sizes or at least not dramatically different.

Introduction

There is a lot to think about during the introduction of your two dogs so here are tips to make it successful.

• Go to a neutral area, such as a park.
• Make sure both dogs are on leashes with separate people.
• Let the calmer dog approach the other and observe what is happening. Have them interact, which will most likely be sniffing.
• If one growls or looks angry, say “no” firmly and let them continue.
• If they start to play with each other naturally and happily, the process has gone well.
• Let them play off their leashes while you watch closely.

Bringing them Home

Now that your dogs are accustomed to each other, you can bring them home! Here are some tips on how to make this process go smoothly.

• Monitor the dogs very closely for the first 24 hours of bringing them home.
• Feed them in separate rooms for a little while to avoid them fighting over food.
• Make sure you have enough toys and bones for both dogs.
• Use crates or gates to separate them if you leave them alone.
• Monitor playtime and be aware of body language.
• Give them both their individual attention.

There are so many steps to bringing a new furry friend into your family. Follow these steps and you should have a happy home!