Content
- Adapting a dog to other dogs
- Start presenting them on neutral ground
- Prepare your home to receive the new puppy and plan its arrival
- Supervise your first interactions at home
- Dog jealous of the other, what to do?
- What to do if my dog is afraid of the puppy?
Dogs are sociable animals that, in nature, usually form groups that maintain a hierarchical structure, in which members protect each other and collaborate in mutual nutrition to ensure the survival of their species. Therefore, many tutors think about adopting a puppy to keep their dog company and encourage him to be more sociable.
However, this desire of yours, at the same time, coexists with some doubts, such as "what to do if my dog is jealous of the new puppy?" or "how to make two dogs get along?". That's what we're going to help you with in this PeritoAnimal article that explainshow to get a dog to get used to another puppy.
Adapting a dog to other dogs
The first thing you need to know, before introducing your dog to a new puppy, is that the adaptation it's a gradual process, in which each individual can take their own time to get used to a new reality or a change in their daily lives. This means that the adaptation of a dog with other dogs, whether puppies or adults, does not happen "overnight" and requires planning on the part of their tutors.
Each dog will have its own time to adapt to the presence of a new puppy in its territory and you will need to support your furry one so that it goes through this process in the best possible way. In addition to never forcing him to share his territory and objects, you will need to stimulate his curiosity so that he is attracted to interact with the new member of your family.
In this article, we will give you a lot of advice to help you understand how to get a dog to get used to another puppy in a safe and positive way.
Start presenting them on neutral ground
territoriality is present in all species and, without it, they would hardly survive in nature. No matter how friendly and sociable your dog is, the territoriality is part of canine nature and somehow it will show up in your everyday behavior. Precisely for this reason it is so important to socialize puppies from their earliest life, to teach them to relate in a positive way with other animals and strangers.
If you start socializing your dog since he was a puppy, you will find that his adaptation to the new member of the family will be simpler. However, if you have adopted an adult dog or did not have the opportunity to socialize your puppy at the ideal time, you should know that it is also possible to successfully socialize adult dogs, always with great patience, affect and the help of positive reinforcement.
Your dog, of course, understands that his home is his territory and your instinct will lead you to initially reject or distrust the presence of strange individuals which, in his opinion, may pose a threat to the balance of his environment. Therefore, an excellent practice to help your dog adapt to another puppy is to hold his first encounters in a neutral place, like a friend's house, for example. As this is a puppy that has not completed its vaccination schedule, it is recommended to avoid public spaces with unknown dogs.
During first encounters, you will need to be aware of the dogs' body language to verify that they are relating positively and that there are no signs of aggression. If there is no indication of possible aggression, you should not interfere with your interactions., as dogs have their own body language and codes of social conduct. And don't be afraid to let them interact, as the puppy may have contact with another vaccinated dog and with up-to-date worm and parasite treatments.
Prepare your home to receive the new puppy and plan its arrival
Improvisations and lack of planning are often the worst enemies in the dog-to-dog process. Before the puppy arrives at his new home, you will need prepare your home to welcome you cWith the comfort and security he deserves at this very important moment in his life. It is also essential that the environment is designed to encourage the integration of dogs, but without forcing them to share moments and objects against their will.
In that regard, it is essential that each dog has its own accessories, which includes food and drink pots, bed, toys, etc. In addition, initially, the two dogs' rest and play areas should not be so close together, to avoid conflicts over territory.
Supervise your first interactions at home
After your first encounters on neutral ground, it's time to guide your first interactions in your home. Your dog must be the first to enter the house without the collar to be able to move freely, just like when returning from all your daily walks.
Later, you can arrive with the puppy, who will have to keep the leash for the first few minutes inside the house. Upon releasing it, the furry will probably want to explore the house and smell all the aromas of this new environment.
At this point, you should be very attentive to your dog to see how he reacts to the pup's exploitative behavior. If he is uncomfortable or rejects the presence of the other dog, you will need to limit the space where the puppy can be loose and expand it progressively as your dog gets used to the presence of this new family member.
To encourage them in this process, take special time out of your days to play with your dogs, teach them and reward them for their good behavior. But remember that puppies can only be free in the house without supervision when the older dog has accepted and feels comfortable interacting with the puppy.
Dog jealous of the other, what to do?
Some dogs can manifest a feeling very similar to jealousy after the arrival of a new member in their family. Here at PeritoAnimal, we have an article talking specifically about jealous dogs, in which we teach you what to do to improve coexistence and stimulate your adaptation to your new routine.
However, in more serious cases, the dog is so possessive towards its guardians and their belongings that it responds aggressively to any person or animal that tries to get close to its “favorite human”. This is called resource protection and it occurs when a dog realizes that something or someone is such an important resource for its well-being that it even appeals to aggressiveness to avoid losing them. In nature, the protection of resources is essential for the survival of species. But when we talk about pets, this becomes an extremely dangerous behavior problem that requires proper treatment.
Therefore, if you notice that your dog behaves possessively, trying to attack the new puppy, it will be essential seek help from a professional properly trained, such as an educator or a canine ethologist. These professionals will help you understand the causes of this inappropriate best friend behavior and encourage your interaction with other animals and strangers.
What to do if my dog is afraid of the puppy?
Although it is not very common, eventually the older dog runs away from the youngest after your arrival at the house. Interaction problems between dogs are usually related to a poor socialization (or non-existent in some cases). As we mentioned before, socialization is a key aspect of the education of dogs, as it allows them to strengthen their self-confidence and teaches them to relate positively to the individuals and stimuli that make up their environment.
However, if you have just adopted a dog and realize you are afraid of other dogs, it is possible that your new best friend has had traumatic experiences and/or has a history of physical and emotional abuse. Again, your best alternative is to seek help from an ethologist or canine educator to investigate the possible causes of this overly fearful behavior and try to restore the confidence and security your dog needs to enjoy his social life.