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I'll be getting a 7 year old Poodle/Bichon next month and wondered if you guys had any suggestions on how to handle introducing her to my current 8 year old Poodle. Apparently they were both kennel mates and got on well (I'm getting her from the same breeder I got my Poodle from) and last weekend we drove there to reunite them. It seemed to go well - mutual sniffing and no hostilities at all.
I'm mainly concerned about bringing dog #2 home. How should I handle introducing her to a completely foreign environment? Also, my house is fairly small (1,000 sq.ft.) and I don't have room for a 2nd crate for example. I'm hoping dog #1 won't mind sharing her large bed, her crate or her armchair that she's hijacked.
I wouldn't leave them alone at all until you are positive that there aren't going to be territorial issues. You'll see in time which dog has the seniority. Do NOT put them into the same crate.
They most likely won't share the same sleeping area even if the new dog (or your first dog) has to sleep on the floor. I think it is rare that two dogs would snuggle together right from the start and maybe never will.
Good luck and enjoy! I hope they do great together and become good friends
Take them for a walk on leashes and keep them far apart at first. Then slowly let them come together. After a while they start to get comfortable. If not, then you need to keep trying (I had to do it twice). Good luck.
Take them for a walk on leashes and keep them far apart at first. Then slowly let them come together. After a while they start to get comfortable. If not, then you need to keep trying (I had to do it twice). Good luck.
Agree with this. Be sure to do it off your property, and not somewhere your current dog feels it 'owns'. While on the leash, do not encourage the dogs to make contact. Simply let them become comfortable with each other in their peripheral space. Afterwards, assuming they are not suspiciously aggressive, you can dust both dogs with talc before you let them loose in your fenced yard. Supposedly it makes their scent less of a curiosity so there is not so much up close sniffing going on. Do not have any treats handy. Keep walking around the yard so their attention is on something else.
Thanks everyone for your good advice. Most of my friends think I'm crazy for taking on another dog, but I feel the 1st dog will like a "pal".
I wasn't planning on putting them both in the same crate, but I do have a question about that......dog #1 sleeps in her bed which is in my bedroom. Since dog #2 won't be housetrained initially, I was wondering if I could put her in the crate at night to prevent accidents, or if this is likely to make dog #1 territorial? I know at this point its hard to predict, but since they both shared a kennel at the breeders I was hoping it wouldn't give the signal to dog #1 that she was being ousted (for lack of a better word).
Absolutely DO NOT put them in the same crate. Recipe for disaster, since a) they are trapped together, and b) the first dog "owns" that crate when she is in it. The 1st dog now gets to be crate-free, never going in the crate again during the weeks the puppy is being house-trained. If the 1st dog's bed is in the crate take it out and give the second dog something else in there to curl up on. Make sure the crate door is closed all the time so both do not go in together.
Absolutely DO NOT put them in the same crate. Recipe for disaster, since a) they are trapped together, and b) the first dog "owns" that crate when she is in it. The 1st dog now gets to be crate-free, never going in the crate again during the weeks the puppy is being house-trained. If the 1st dog's bed is in the crate take it out and give the second dog something else in there to curl up on. Make sure the crate door is closed all the time so both do not go in together.
Oh no, I wasn't planning on putting them in together. Dog #1 sleeps in my bedroom in her bed at night, so I was hoping I could use her crate to confine Dog #2 at nighttime only. I will certainly take your advice and remove Dog #1's bedding from the crate first - good idea - thanks
I have always had 2-3 dogs at a time and have added adults as well as puppies. My dogs have all loved the beach so we go to the beach to introduce them. Even my reactive Jazz got along better at the beach with dogs then she would if she met them someplace else.
I have also had friends stay with their dogs or have stayed with them with my dogs and we walk the dogs together so they get comfortable with each other. Chaos had just finished chiropractor treatments on her back when we spent a few days at a vacation home with my good friend from up north and her two dogs. Chaos was being grumpy and growling and lunging at the two dogs one was a young body slamming lab. When we first got there a strong storm had just moved in so walks were out. We used an Expen and put her in the room with us and the other dogs to allow her to feel safe yet be around the other dogs. The Lab kept going over and trying to make friends only to be met with threats and she would look over at us like " why is she such a grump?"
The next day we took them on a walk that ended at an open park that allows dogs off leash anywhere but the coast trail and my friends two dogs and my other dog Dazzle were let of leash. My friends Golden is older and likes people more then dogs so she took off to sniff while Dazzle and the lab started a fun game of chase. Chaos barked and whined so we let her off and soon she was in the game too and her and the lab became fast BFF's. Back at the house they would lay on the dog bed together and play with toys together.They had a great time.
As for crates my late Jazz who was also known as the Queen and owned everything and LOVED her crate had no issues if I put one of the others or even a visiting dog in her crate. ( alone that is) Phoenix was the one dog Jazz had issues with because Phoenix had limited vision and would stare at Jazz which Jazz saw as a challenge being a herding breed so she would attack Phoenix. Not hurt her but it did frighten her. For some reason when Phoenix saw Jazz's empty crate she loved to go sleep in it and Jazz would wander over and look but never got upset.
I could crate Jazz and Dazh together in a larger wire crate when we did agility, Having them together in the crate kept them them quiet while I worked as jump setter of what ever job. They both had plastic crates at home but I never got one for Phoenix as if I needed to crate her I just used one of theirs or if she wanted to feel safe in a crate she picked Jazz's every time!
Since your dogs know each other already ad get along I would allow them to sniff and interact on the walk as keeping them apart is more for dogs that are strangers. Good luck
Dashdog thank you for sharing your experiences with your dogs and also your reassurances are appreciated.
Now that summer is here I can take them both down to the lake front, which would be neutral territory, and go for long walks on the boardwalk. I'll have to train #2 dog to get used to walking on a leash first though
Karma (#1 dog) is very submissive with other dogs and isn't aggressive at all, so her knowing #2 dog already should make the integration easier. Eventually I'm hoping both dogs will share everything and have fun together.
Thanks again to everyone for all your very helpful advice!
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