General Pet is your source for advice and information for a happy and healthy pet.
Author: Sue Article source: http://www.articlealley.com/. Used with author's permission.
Deciding to add a new puppy to your family is an exciting time, but there's no guarantees that it'll be 'love at first sight' when your resident dog meets the newcomer!
However, there are some steps you can take to ensure that their first encounter goes smoothly, and paves the way for a long, happy relationship.
When you're choosing a new pup, it's important to consider the breed, sex and temperament of your resident dog. For example, if your first dog is a young, adult from a medium/large breed with a high prey drive, adding a fast-moving, teacup-sized terrier is probably not your best move!
When it comes to getting along, you'll generally find that two dogs of the opposite sex (neutered and spayed of course, to avoid those 'Ooops!' litters) will be the most tolerant of each other.
Most puppies will naturally act submissively around older/adult dogs and two males or two females will probably co-habit fairly peacefully while the pup is young. But...come adolescence and adulthood, the situation can change quite dramatically, especially with un-neutered/un-spayed dogs.
The most volatile combination (who may become involved in SERIOUS arguments/fights), are two adult, un-spayed females. Although un-neutered males can also fight and be mutually aggressive, unless there's a female or territory involved, they're more likely to 'posture' than the females, who go straight for the jugular!
As long as your resident dog is generally friendly, and not overly territorial, introducing a new puppy on home turf shouldn't be a problem. Always make the initial introductions under close, adult supervision though. That way, if there is any trouble, you're there to take care of it.
Once the older dog has sniffed and examined the newcomer, it's best to let him adjust to the other's presence in his own time. Don't try to rush it or interfere, unless you're concerned for the safety of either dog. But, don't leave them alone together, unsupervised, until you know that they've accepted each other. This can take days, or even weeks, depending on the individual dogs.
The new puppy will almost always recognize the resident dogs' superiority, and will be submissive towards him. If the puppy does get a little excited or oversteps her boundaries, a warning growl, or occasionally a snap, from the oder dog will usually be enough to make her 'toe-the-line'!
Don't be alarmed by this behavior as it's very natural, and both dogs understand it perfectly. If possible let the two of them work out the 'pecking order' themselves, without interference from their human family.
One thing that is very important to do, is to reinforce the older dogs' importance and position in the family by greeting, feeding and petting him first.
New puppies are so precious, that sometimes it's easy to make a big fuss of them and temporarily forget about the older dog. This can lead to problems between them, such as jealousy and power struggles, and upset the natural order of things. So ALWAYS make a point of treating your first dog as the Number 1 dog, and the new puppy will recognize this and follow your lead.
Buying a new puppy is always a time of excitement and joy! If you follow the guidelines above, her homecoming won't be spoiled by 'sibling rivalry' and you'll soon all be one big, happy family.
You can find tips on dealing with a resident dog who resents the new puppy, and learn how to handle any resulting squabbles here http://www.the-puppy-dog-place.com/introducing-a-new-puppy.html
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