12/26/2025
This is some of the best information i have seen on how to introduce a new dog to others. It is general in concept and there are specific ways to accomplish some of things suggested.
Introducing new dogs to the pack
This is one of the questions we get a lot……How do we introduce dogs and help them peacefully coexist with other dogs in the household?
Whether you are getting a new puppy/dog, adopting new dog. Fostering one or having a friends or family member dog stay over. This Is a list of what we found worked best and what to watch out for. This is a very broad-brush look and not a step-by-step process. Create an atmosphere of rules, structure, and leadership. This atmosphere will ensure you get the best out of the dogs and discourage, anything less. Meaning If you share rule’s structure and good leadership, dogs will make better choices.
This is where all the good and the bad stuff starts. We all know when a leader is present, we behave and act accordingly. If you understand this concept, you're way ahead of the game and have a better chance to succeed. Don't rush things. The biggest cause of dog fights and scuffles are from owners, trying to move things along too quickly. Time is often your biggest aid. Just allowing the novelty of newness to wear off can make things so much easier and run smoother. Be aware that novelty creates excitement, concern, stress, anxiety. So, move slow.
Don't introduce them. Yes, you heard me right. The best way for dogs to feel comfortable and develop positive, feelings towards each other is simply to exist around each other. Think of the existence as a low stress introduction and think of meeting and interacting as a high stress introduction. The longer you allow them to exist around each other, the better your chances of a no big deal actual meeting. The more they see each other without any interacting the better the less they care about each other. Use crates, stair gates and place commands etc.
Don't create excitement. Understand that excitement play, affection, high pitched, excited talk is often the gateway to elevate state states in dogs. These elevated states are almost always present when dogs get into trouble. When working on introducing dogs, remember that calm, cool and slow are always the best ways to go. Don't create competition. Dogs are happy to fight over all resources. Food, toys, affection., furniture and proximity to you. (Being on you or near you). Are the most common triggers. But there can be loads more.
Make sure your dog or dogs are well behaved. If you're starting with a mess, you've got a good chance of having a bigger mess when you introduce another dog into the mix. If your dogs are pushy, demanding, bullying and possessive. The chances of having problems are extremely high. Make sure your dogs are polite, chilled out, listening to you, and as calm as they can be. Make sure the new dog is well behaved. If you bring a frantic, pushy, demanding, bullying, and processive dog into your home or garden you've got a very high probability of your dog’s disagreeing with a new dog. Fights or scuffles are almost guaranteed.
Be aware and honest with yourself. If you have a problem, dog. A hot head, A resource guarder, an insecure dog, or a bullying your pack? This must be dealt with or managed heavily to avoid any fallout. Don't live in denial or make excuses. If you do, you'll find that the dogs will reveal the truth quickly. Be honest and address it or suffer the consequences. Use crates whenever leaving dogs unattended. Do not leave dogs alone who are new to each other, even for the briefest of moments. Even if they've been fine in your presence. In your absence many things. (Movement, loud noises postie) can trigger competition or over arousal, which could lead to fights.
Do not feed dogs close together. Never feed new dogs out of crates near each other. This is an easy one. (it’s Dog Fight Central] Also, don't feed in crates near each other without something separating or obscuring the view of each other. Even in crates and from across the room, a dog can feel threatened or competitive when eating. Once out that tension could bubble over create a fight. Sort out any crappy behaviour immediately and firmly, whether it's your dog or the new dog. If one of them is being a brat, or demanding, or a bully, or just posturing. Address it straight away. Don't let the dogs feel that they must handle it. it's your job to keep the peace and set the tone. Do it or the dogs will.
Never toss the dogs together and hope that everything will be OK, often it won't. This is a lazy and informed move and should be avoided at all costs.
Learn to read the situation. Learn to trust your gut. This means don't just look at the surface with dogs. How does it feel? Is there tension? Are the nuances of crappiness? Or are things feeling relaxing, comfortable? This means you must read the situation, to do what's best for the dogs.
Set the scene. Understanding that starting off right is 100 times easier than trying to fix a relationship that has gone bad. It is much better taking things slow, being overly cautious in your approach and never needing to see a behaviour specialist, or constantly breaking up fights!
Anytime you bring dogs together who are unfamiliar with each other. You run the very high risk of trouble. This is serious stuff and demands a serious approach don't just wing it.
