Introducing Dogs: Everything You Need to Know
Whether it’s introducing a new pet into your home, introducing your established pet to a new home you just moved into or introducing your dog to another dog that you have recently adopted, it’s important to note that your pet is just like a person when it comes to new situations. After all, first are hard for everyone, including our pets. Pets get nervous in new situations, just as we do, so it’s important to take those nerves seriously, whether it’s moving a new pet in or introducing a nervous pet to new dogs or new people for the very first time.
There are many mistakes that pet owners make when introducing their dogs to new things. That is why in this blog, we are going to go into new things that could cause a dog to get nervous and then go into how to correct them as well. Follow us as we delve into our blog on introducing dogs to new things and everything you as a pet parent need to know. Ready? Set? Then, without further ado, let’s go.
Tips for Bringing Your New Canine Pal Home for the First Time
Bringing a new pet home for the first time can be daunting for both of you. Below we will go into a few tips to make it easier.
Before You Bring Home Your New Pet
It’s important to have your home completely ready before you introduce your new pet into it so that you and he both will be comfortable.
Where will he be Spending Most of his Time?
The first thing you need to do is determine where your canine pal will be spending the majority of his time. Often it is best to make that time in the kitchen, at least to begin with. Since your new pet will be coming from the shelter to your home, he could be extremely nervous about the change, and might very well forget any house training he has had. This way, you don’t have to worry about cleaning messes up off of your carpet and they will be contained in one area, should an accident happen.
Bring an ID Tag with You
When you pick up your pet from the shelter, make sure to bring an ID tag with you. This gives him, and you, an extra measure of safety on the way from the shelter to your home, and in the first few days until he gets used to his new surroundings. Having an ID tag will make it easier for him to be found if he should bolt at any point.
Try to Take a Few Days Off of Work
It at all possible try to take a few days off from your job, just until your new pup gets used to his surroundings. The last thing you want to do is leave your new little friend alone in a strange place, as this could cause destructive behavior, that you don’t want to come home too.
After You Bring Home Your Pet
The biggest thing you need to do to make your dog comfortable during the first days in your home is having plenty of patience and love to go around. Never yell or scold your new pup for doing things such as chewing up your favorite pair of pumps or using the bathroom on your oriental rug. Instead, gently start training him to do better and after a while, it will become second nature to him when he realizes you are his new pet parent and he is here in his new home to stay.
Tips for Moving Your Canine Pal to a New Home
Once you have your new pup accustomed to his new surroundings, the last thing you really want to do is move him to another home, but sometimes it happens. You get a new job that requires a move. You finally buy your dream home or any number of things can make it a requirement to move and your pet has to start getting used to a new home all over again. Never fear, we have some tips for introducing your canine pal to his new home with ease listed below.
Give Your Pup the Grand Tour of Your New Home
To avoid, or at least lessen the trauma and adverse effects of moving your pup to a new home, try giving the dog a grand tour of the new house before you make the final move. Take your dog on a walk through each room of the house, with his leash on, and spend a dedicated amount of time in each room. This will help him get used to his new surroundings. Another good tip is to take your dog’s favorite blanket or even his doggie bed down in the room that he will be sleeping in, instruct him to lie in that area, and then give him a small treat for doing so. It also helps to take your pet’s food and water dish with you on that trip and place them in the spot he will be fed. This is a great way to start getting him used to the new house before the actual moving day arrives.
Take Your Pup on a Tour of the Yard
Once you have taken your pup on a tour of his new home, take him on a tour of the yard next. This is the perfect time for him to be able to sniff around the perimeter of the yard and fence and mark his territory. It’s also the best time to look out for plants, chemicals, or anything that could have been left in the yard by previous owners, that might hurt your canine pal.
Figure Out if Your New Neighbors have Dogs
This is also the perfect time to introduce yourself and your dog to the neighbors. Ask them if they have dogs, and if they do, introduce the two dogs through the fence. Ask if it is okay to take your dogs on walks together. This will stop the territorial barking that will happen if the dogs don’t get to know one another beforehand.
Moving into a new home and neighborhood can be hard on everyone involved. However, in the mad rush to get everything done and all settled in, many pet owners forget about their pets and how they might feel about and react to the move. The tips above should help your pet adjust quite nicely and save you a ton of time in the long run.
Dog-to-Dog Introductions
So, you have finally decided that you want to adopt a new dog. You have one all picked out, get your home ready for the new addition, bring the puppy inside, and your other dogs have a fit, growling, barking, and even biting at the poor, new, little addition to your happy family. On top of that, your new pet doesn’t like your other dogs and doesn’t hesitate to make it known. It’s important to note, that just like cats, dogs can be a little bit territorial as well, and don’t like to feel that their home is being invaded or their place with their owners is being threatened. Yes, dogs get jealous too. In the next section of our blog, we will go into how to do dog-to-dog introductions of your pets without causing a scene or one of the dogs to get hurt. Ready for our first tip? Okay, then, here it is.
Bond with Your New Dog Away from Your Home
Before you take your new dog to your house to meet your other pets, it’s a good idea to have some bonding time with him alone first. Take him to the local dog park. Place frisbee, run, jump, play ball, and generally spend some time together so that you know one another before he meets the rest of the canine family he is now a part of.
Introduce Your Pets in a Neutral Zone
The best way to introduce your pets for the first time is in a neutral zone, such as the dog park or a walkthrough in your neighborhood. The introduction should take place in a quiet area, with very little distractions. If at all possible have two adults there, in case the dogs don’t get along. It’s important to not have your pets meet for the first time in your home, as your first pet may get aggressive, thinking that her home is being invaded.
Avoid Hovering Over Your Dogs
While you want to stay close to your dogs when they are meeting for the first time, it’s also important to give them their space. Hovering over them could make the tension worse between the two. Instead, give them their space to get to know one another, but stay close enough that if the tension starts to escalate, you can lead them away from one another as well.
Stay Calm
It’s important for you to stay calm during your pets first meeting if you want them to stay calm as well. If they feel the tension in their owner, then they are going to be tense and on the offensive themselves. Stay calm, breathe deeply, and present a calm, relaxed attitude to both of your canine pals.
Never Bring Toys or Food for them to Meet
The last thing you want is to have your two pets fighting over the toys and food you brought along to give them. Meeting a new dog is exciting enough for them, if you add new toys and treats, it may spiral the situation out of control. Besides, your older pet may feel protective and possessive over his toys and treats, which could cause a fight between the two dogs, something you want to avoid, to begin with. So, leave the treats and toys at home, to give out when they are friends and getting along just fine.
Introducing Your Dog to Strangers
There are quite a few dogs out there that don’t do well with strangers. My dogs bark every time anyone comes close to the house and if they come inside, they go crazy, barking and running every which way. Some dogs, however, will attack when a stranger comes into their home, so it’s very important to be careful when you have dogs and people they don’t know come into your house. You may want to keep your dog on his leash when a new person is coming to your house, at least until your dog gets to know them. Make sure that there is no tension between you and this person, as the dog will react to it as well, and his first instinct is going to be to protect his owner, as anything else would.
Using calming commands such as “sit,” “stay,” “off,” and “lie down,” should help to calm the situation when a stranger comes into your home. Try to keep the first meeting between the two short, so that your dog doesn’t get overwhelmed, especially if he is on his leash. Animals do get jealous and you don’t want him thinking that every time this person comes over, he is going to be locked up or unable to roam.
Don’t forget that if your dog is well-behaved while the stranger is there, that he deserves a treat for that. Give him plenty of rewards such as treats, taking him to the dog park, or just getting in the backyard and catching the ball together after the stranger has gone. Next time, make the visit a little longer, and soon your dog and your friend will be firm friends as well.
This concludes our blog on introducing dogs to just about everything and everything you should know about it. Remember, dogs, just like humans have nervous reactions to moving to a new place and meeting new animals and people. Following these tips should help you and your canine pal overcome those fears.