Introduction

Your first dog may not immediately be enthused by the arrival of a new addition to the family. A second dog in the home can sometimes cause the first dog to become more possessive over toys, attention, and territory. This reaction can lead to behavior problems and conflicts between the dogs. To help your dog adjust to a second dog in the home, and enjoy the benefits of a new canine friendship, here are a few guidelines that can smooth out this time of transition.

Tips for a Successful Transition

The key to successfully introducing a second dog into your home is to reduce any feelings of competition over food, toys, and attention. Before you bring a second dog into the home, make sure that you have your home prepared in advance. New blankets, bedding, food dishes, and water dishes should all be purchased before the new dog arrives. Buy extra toys that you can introduce to both of the dogs at the same time; this will give the dogs an opportunity to play with the new toys together without your first dog feeling overly possessive over the toys.

The moment you bring the second dog into the home, try to keep the atmosphere calm and quiet. The dogs will probably become excited over time, but a calm attitude from you may help to keep their excitement from bubbling over into more aggressive emotions. When the second dog comes into the home, the dogs will need plenty of room to get to know each other. Do not force a meeting between them or they could become frightened or aggressive.

Give both of the dogs the same amount of attention. New dogs in the home often hog the spotlight for awhile, and this can lead to dominance issues between the dogs. Try to make sure that you, and other family members, are not unknowingly giving the new dog more attention. Immediately begin activities with both of the dogs together, and the dogs will soon realize that they belong to the same family.