INTRODUCING A NEW DOG TO YOUR HOUSEHOLD

About this time last year, I was a complicated mass of conflicting emotions.  The Hubby and I had decided to take the plunge – we had bought a puppy.  With three donkeys, two dogs, two birds, and a gaggle of Canada geese that don’t know they aren’t domesticated, it seemed like the last thing we needed was another critter.  Yet, the border collie mix had developed back problems and agility for her was no longer an option, an activity in which she had participated and excelled in spite of her psychotic nature.  The titles and ribbons that hang on the wall are a tribute to her desire to be a team player, a partner with her crazy owner whose favorite sport in life is one where the dogs do most of the work.  I was not ready to give up, but I respected that Missy had given me years of fun, even when she was continuously stressed by the throngs of people and dogs at a trial.  She deserved to retire.

This is where the puppy enters the picture.  Even though my teammate has retired, I am far from giving up on what I consider to be one of the best sports ever conceived.  In Tennessee, the main agility organization is AKC, so it looked like we would be buying our first ever purebred puppy.  Our dogs of choice have always been lab mixes – Springer/Lab, Golden/Lab, Border Collie/Lab, Bully/Lab – there really is a pattern here.  Looking at a non-lab mix was strange, but we decided upon a golden retriever (think furry lab and we remain predictable).  I spent months on the computer, looking at goldens, checking out agility titles they earned, looking for a lineage that might produce a loving, confident dog who would think agility was all there is in the world.  We got it.  So why worry?  Why the emotions?  Well, those two dogs I mentioned earlier – neither of them is fond of other dogs, especially dogs who come onto “their” property.  How on Earth would we bring in another dog and avoid a catastrophe?

As we waited for Buzz to reach the appropriate age to come to our home, I spent hours reviewing every piece of literature I could find on introducing a new dog into a home with dogs.  In the years before I learned about dog training, we had always relied on the “throw them in together, they’ll sort it out” method.  With education and experience now, I realize what a bad idea this is and how lucky we are that it worked out it the past with no bloodshed.  I was not going to take any chances introducing a young puppy to two older dogs, each with a full set of canine razors.

When introducing a new dog into a house with other dogs, there are two words that are vital:  management and patience.  Management will consist of separate living areas, at least for a while.  When Buzz arrived, we separated the house into two sections through the use of doors and an old piece of paneling.  Dogs could hear and smell each other, but there was no visual contact right away.  Old dogs took trips outside separate from the puppy.  They were allowed to sniff where Buzz had relieved himself.  During that time Buzz was allowed to roam the house, leaving his puppy smell wherever he walked.  When they came in, they sniffed the floor where he had been, slowly recognizing that there was a new dog in the family.  As the month progressed, we began to work up to visuals outside and inside the house, still maintaining the distance between dogs.  We made sure that treats rained down from heaven for the older dogs whenever the puppy was around, letting the dogs realize that the appearance of the puppy made great things happen (trainers refer to this as desensitization and counter conditioning).  After a while, we began parallel walking on leash, each older dog separately with the puppy, then together.  We progressed to inside on leash exposure until we saw lack of tension in the older dogs.  When we saw initiation of play by Missy and Dodi, we allowed individual, monitored playtime with Buzz.  No altercations, we relaxed a bit.

Every dog is an individual, so I could not tell you how long it might take to integrate a new dog into your household.  If your dog is dog-friendly and never met a dog she didn’t like, this may take a day or two.  If, on the other hand, you have a dog who does not want to share resources – namely you and your home – this could take months.  Sadly, there are times when it will not work out at all as it proves to be too stressful for the current resident dog.  Patience is the key.  To quote a fellow trainer, Jolanta Benal of New York:  “If you think you are going too slowly, slow down.”  There should be no rush.  You simply can’t push dogs past the speed they are willing to go. 

A year later, Buzz is fully integrated into the family with no incidents other than the occasional snarkiness by the older dogs reminding him that they have aged and deserve some respect and sleep.  If you are considering adding a dog to your home – and there are many who are in need – do some reading, make advance preparations.  Introduce the new dog appropriately, then sit back and enjoy the fun of watching dogs at play. 

Jan Casey is a reward-based trainer and owner of Smiles and Wags Training in Cookeville.  Email questions to her at jan@smilesandwags.com.