Dog, Meet Dog

So you’ve decided to adopt an additional canine person into your existing canine family. Congratulations are in order, but please, no surprise party. Life’s events should be kept as calm and predictable as possible in hopes that both dogs will take this earth-shattering development in stride.

Most pet owners realize intuitively that any new dog moving into the house is a guaranteed imposition on your resident canine. The “old” dog will now have to share indoor and outdoor space, as well as quality time with the various humans. What if the interloper tries to take over the best spot on the couch? Who will go first through the doorway? Which is the most desirable toy… or do all of them hold equal status? Most importantly, WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH THE FOOD BOWL? Introducing an obviously inferior dog helps to soothe some of this anxiety, so your greatest likelihood of success will be when the resident dog is fully mature and the newcomer is a baby. Note that small physical size does not imply inferiority! In a household of very small and very large adult dogs, the shortest one is almost always the boss of all the others and very often rules with an iron fist. This proclivity for world domination is hardwired into many small-breed dogs, so it could get a little complicated trying to introduce two adult dogs of very different sizes.

Similarly, a pair of spayed or neutered dogs have excellent chances of interacting peacefully when compared with a household where either or both have not had this surgery. Reproductive hormones add fuel to any competitive flame, tipping the scales heavily toward physical conflict. Thus, putting dogs together that are not “fixed”—unless one of them is still a baby—is probably the most challenging scenario. This situation demands a sophisticated approach and an abundance of caution.

It’s best if the future couple make their initial contact at a public park or some other neutral territory, rather than on property that “belongs” to one or the other. Each animal should have a trustworthy adult handler so they can easily be separated if something starts to go sour. Think meet-cute for canines, and steer clear of the heavy-handed matchmaker role. Let them choose to be near each other rather than forcing them into your own agenda, and observe their body language carefully. It’s always better to move apart if one of them adopts an anxious pose; this will help to minimize the risk of an awkward and regrettable first impression. Training dogs to interact peacefully with each other is just like most other dog training endeavors: the best learning takes place as you approach—but DO NOT ENTER—the discomfort zone. If anyone’s patience wears thin, call it a day and ask your friend to babysit the new dog overnight. Try again tomorrow. Every positive encounter functions as another brick in the foundation of a permanent relationship, and that’s well worth any extra time and effort you might need to invest at the outset.

Dr M.S. Regan