my new Chihuahua

Question
i have two cocker spaniels a female and a male and i recently got a 2 month old chiwawa female, i have not yet introduced them to each other. How should i go about introducing them to one another??

Answer
Hi Stephanie,

Just having the new puppy in the house is enough for your older dogs to get used to, without having to deal with the puppy jumping all over them and their toys, bed etc. Try to have the puppy's room be one that your adult dogs do not use for sleeping or eating or use a crate for the puppy. Feed, play and train separately, giving equal time to all.

For the first introduction, pick neutral territory, such as a neighbor's yard, or even walking down the block to the corner. Both or your Cocker's should be on leashes, introduce them one at a time to the puppy. Start with the most friendly, submissive of your dogs. You can start by having a friend (not a family member) holding the puppy in their arms and letting your adult dog take a good sniff. Then separate, put the puppy down and allow the dogs to approach one another at their own speed. Stay relaxed! The dogs can sense if you are tense. Verbal encouragement, such as "good dogs!" reinforce any good behavior. If there is any aggression on either side, you will have to take a break and try again. If all goes well, allow the dogs to spend five or ten minutes together, keep the mood light hearted and happy.

Next, allow the dogs supervised access to one another for the first week or so, until the two form a good relationship and can be trusted alone together. Depending on the dogs, these may be five minutes to an hour or longer. Pick the largest play area possible so the dogs have room to move around. End the play session if the older dogs repeatedly exhibits "lay off me" behavior such as trying to avoid the puppy, snarling, growling or snapping. Remove all toys from the mutual play area to avoid possible fights over toys. If the puppy is fully vaccinated, walks together can reinforce positive, fun things happen when the dogs are together.

Puppies usually pester adult dogs unmercifully. Before the age of four months, puppies may not recognize subtle body postures from adult dogs signaling that they've had enough. Well-socialized adult dogs with good temperaments may set limits with puppies with a warning growl or snarl. These behaviors are normal and should be allowed. Adult dogs who aren't well-socialized, or who have a history of fighting with other dogs, may attempt to set limits with more aggressive behaviors, such as biting, which could harm the puppy. For this reason, a puppy shouldn't be left alone with your adult dogs until you're confident the puppy isn't in any danger. Be sure to give your adult dogs some quiet time away from the puppy, and some extra individual attention as well.

For the most part, dogs adjust to puppies easily, but since the consequences of a problem can be severe, it is wise to follow a slow introduction process as outlined above to ensure all goes well with adding a new puppy to your home.

It is important to support the dominant dog in your household, even if that turns out to be the newcomer. This may mean, for example, allowing the dominant dog to claim a favored sleeping spot as his or to have access to a desirable toy. Trying to impose your preference for which dog should be dominant can confuse the dogs and create further problems.

If the introductions don't go smoothly, contact a professional animal behaviorist immediately. The Chihuahua can be severely injured in a fight, and the longer the problem continues, the harder it can be to resolve. Punishment won't work, and could make things worse.

Best of luck,
Patti