Adding A New Dog To Your Household
by Dr. Janice Willard
Think back for a minute and try to remember the most annoying, irritating, unpleasant neighbor, classmate or fellow employee you ever had to endure. It didn’t matter that others may have liked this person; he or she just managed to rub you the wrong way.
Now imagine finding out that this most annoying person was going to be your roommate for life and you were going to be expected to share everything and everyone you loved with them? Or imagine that your husband, wife (or partner) came home one day with a new wife, extolling her virtues, and expecting you to love her like he does. And those who say they love you best think they are doing you a kindness by this? Get real! We don’t expect to like every person we meet. We become friends with those we like and learn to tolerate, at a distance, those whose personalities, expectations, and needs clash with ours.
Why then would we expect our dogs, just because they are a dog, to like the company of any other dog? And yet we do this all the time when we add an additional dog to our family—we expect them to get along. And we are surprised and hurt when sometimes they don’t.
Many dogs live together in homes and enjoy each other’s company immensely—even going into mourning when their beloved companion is lost. But that is only one side of the coin. Unfortunately, rivalries between dogs in the same home can create tragedies that could put Shakespeare to shame.
While rivalries between household dogs can be treated, it is a lot easier to prevent them.
Here are three things that you can do to help increase the likelihood that your new dog and your old dog will get along together and be friends from the start. First give some careful consideration of the needs of your family, human and canine, before you add an additional dog to your household.
“People often get a second dog based on looks alone—they like a particular breed so that is what they get.” Says Trish King, Director of Behavior & Training at the Marin Humane Society, in Marin County, California. (http://www.marinhumanesociety.org) But if, for example, your resident dog is older and has arthritis, you may not want to get a boisterous, exuberant, large breed puppy which will likely not respect the needs of the older dog. Or if you do, then be a good parent and run interference for the older dog by keeping the younger dog from invading its space, bullying or injuring it.
Second, help your dog to learn good socialization skills. You would be amazed how much doggy communication we humans miss because we aren’t attuned to the subtle language of canine body language. But dogs have complex social behavior and communication, part of which is learned. A puppy that grows up in isolation, or only with humans, doesn’t learn the subtle communication skills necessary to easily get along with its own species. This is where puppy socialization classes are so beneficial. A well run kinderpuppy class can go a long way toward teaching your puppy how to behave while it is in its most impressionable state. This is good for any dog, but particularly if there is ever a chance that you will turn into a two dog household somewhere down the road.
Third, pay careful attention to how you introduce any new dog into your household. First impressions matter. Instead of introducing the dogs in your home or yard, have both dogs meet for the first time on completely neutral territory, preferably a fenced yard where they can eventually go off leash. Don’t let the dogs rush right up and greet each other, instead, keep them apart and allow them to view and smell each other from afar. Walk them past each other without allowing contact.
Don’t be concerned if one or the other dog seems uninterested in the other dog and goes off smelling the bushes –this is appropriate canine behavior. “When a dog investigates unimportant things – like bushes – he’s actually communicating to another dog that he is not a threat. That way, they can greet each other in a leisurely manner, without too much tension,” says King. Other suggestions to help your dogs get along can be found on the Marin Humane Society web site.
Lastly, if your resident dogs begin to have serious problems, especially if they injure each other, it is very important to seek help quickly. Dogs can get severely injured or even killed if unrestrained hostilities break out and there is a potential for human injuries as well. The sooner you can address problems, the better. Ask your veterinarian for recommendations and seek the assistance of a veterinary behaviorist, certified animal behaviorist, a certified trainer from the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT.com) or a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, from the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants.
With the right consideration and preparation, you can greatly increase the chance that your dogs will become best buddies for years to come.
Why Train Your Dog?
| Training your dog is one of the most important aspects of raising a dog. In fact, a well trained dog is by far a happier dog! Why? Because a trained dog requires fewer restrictions. The more reliable the dog, the more freedom he is given. For example, many stores and businesses that normally won’t allow dogs on their premises will make an exception for a puppy or a dog that will walk nicely by his owner’s side, or will do a sit-stay or down-stay without hesitation. And when company arrives in your home, there’s no need to banish a well-behaved dog to another room for fear that he will be a royal nuisance. Moreover, because a well-mannered, trained dog is both appreciated and welcome, he receives more attention and interaction from family members, visitors, and passers-by, than does the ill-mannered dog.
You As Your Dog’s Leader
Training serves to strengthen the bond between a dog and his owner. It builds communication, understanding, and mutual respect, and subtly but effectively demonstrates to your dog that you’re the leader. And if your dog doesn’t respect you as his leader, you may both be in big trouble, particularly if he’s a bit rowdy or overbearing by nature.
Training May Save Your Dog’s Life Training also gives the dog owner the voice control necessary to prevent numerous potential tragedies. For instance, should a dog slips out of his collar in the middle of a congested traffic intersection, he can be safely walked across the street, then given a sit command to facilitate putting his collar back on. Or should someone accidentally leave the front door open, and you spot your dog leaving, he can be safely called back to you using the come command. Not only will training help your dog to become more responsive, but because it enables you to have immediate control over your dog’s behavior, in an emergency situation training may save your dog’s life. In fact, it can ultimately save the lives of many dogs, because far fewer dogs would end up in animal shelters if their owners would simply take the time to train them. And for those dogs who do need homes, a trained dog is far easier to adopt out to a new home than an untrained one. Statistics also show that puppies which receive early socialization, obedience, and temperament training (aggression prevention training) are far less likely to end up being destroyed by the time they turn three years of age than those that do not receive this early training. The Consequences Of An Untrained Dog
Training Benefits Everyone
|
Visitors to the House
Why bother with visitor training?
Getting into a good routine right away pays dividends down the road. You and your dog will both know what to do, and your guests won’t get jumped on.
How to prepare.
Step 1. Decide the following:
- Where will your dog be when guests knock or ring the doorbell? (In his crate? In his confinement area? On leash?)
- How will you introduce your dog to guests? (Ask for a sit? Keep him on leash? Or keep him in his confinement area and introduce him once everyone is inside and settled?)
- How will you reward your dog for greeting guests politely? (Offer him a treat? Allow him to mingle freely?)
- What behaviors does your dog know that might be helpful? (Sit? Down? Stay?)
Step 2. First, practice without guests. Get out your dog’s mat, treats, etc. Have someone ring the doorbell, and go through whatever plan you have settled on. Practice a sit by the door, for example.
Step 3. Next, invite a friend or family member over and practice your visitor routine. Start small—one person first, then, once that is going well, invite a couple of people.
After the visit.
After your guests leave, assess how the visit went.
- What did your dog do well?
- What needs extra practice?
- Is there anything you want to do differently next time?
Training Tip: If visitors are coming and you don’t have time to train, put your dog in his crate or confinement area with some things to chew on. Don’t give him the opportunity to learn bad habits.
Troubleshooting: If your dog is having trouble with your visitor routine, be ready to reward more frequently and ask for something easier. For example, if you were asking for a sit-stay when the doorbell goes off, instead ask for a quick sit, then release your dog to say hello.
Nothing For Free
What is it?
A training strategy that uses everyday situations to reward good manners and practice obedience without setting aside hours of special practice time.
Applying the principle of Nothing For Free is simple. Whatever your dog wants, he has to work for. From now on, doors are not opened willy-nilly; balls are not simply thrown. For those, and countless other privileges, ask your dog to say please by sitting, doing a down, spinning or performing whatever trick he knows.
With this strategy, you and your dog both win. You get a well-trained, polite dog and he gets what he wants (his belly rubbed, his leash taken off at the park). What’s more, you have laid the foundation for an enjoyable relationship for a lifetime.
How to use it.
Step 1. Make a list of all the things your dog wants and enjoys.
Step 2. Vow to yourself never to give those things away for free again. See them all as training opportunities and ask your dog for an obedience behavior or trick you want strengthened.
Step 3. Give him what he wants as a reward for that behavior.
Step 4. Repeat, every day, everywhere.
When to use it.
Before throwing a ball, Frisbee, rope-toy, etc.
Before giving him a toy.
Before putting the food bowl down.
Before handing over a treat or chewie.
Before opening a door.
Before putting on a leash to go for a walk.
Before taking off a leash at the park or beach.
Before dishing out a belly rub or good ear scratch.
Before hopping into or out of the car.
Before allowing your dog onto the couch with you.
