Introducing a young dog

Question
We are in the process of adopting a 10 month old Standard Poodle, spayed
female.  We currently have a 3yr old intact, male Samoyed. He is a very sweet
dog, not aggressive, although he does like to let other dogs know who's
boss. On leash he will bark and growl if another dog approaches him rapidly.
We walk him on a regular bases 2 -3 miles per day. We will be getting our
new dog in a month.  Do you have any suggestions for preparing for this
union? We will not have the luxury of bringing her over for little visits.  
According to her owner she is well socialized and use to being around many
dogs and cats.. We also have 2 cats. Thank you.

Answer
Hi, Patti,

Thanks for the question.

I think this poodle will probably be a great companion for your dog. The great thing about most intact males is that they're almost universally very sweet and even deferential with almost all females. From the why you've described your Sammy, I don't think you'll have any problems at all. At least not on his side of the equation. She may feel a little off-balance emotionally at first, but I have a feeling he'll do everything he can to smooth the way for her.

Just make sure they meet outdoors for the first time. And if you can, take them on a long walk together where there's lots of grass and trees, etc. (Like in a nearby park, field, or even in a big back yard.)

By the way, it might be helpful to know that when he barks at other dogs on the leash it isn't about "showing them who's boss." It has more to do with taking a somewhat pre-emptive, defensive posture. If you ask me (and I haven't even met him, but I HAVE met lots of dogs like him), he doesn't have a mean bone in his body. Underneath it all he probably wants to be friends with ALL dogs, even the ones he barks at.

Good luck! And I hope I've been helpful,

LCK