How To Get Your Dog Acquainted With The Family's New Pup

Having a new puppy in the house may be quite stressful for you especially if you already have a family dog already. You may need to ask the seller about the new pup's temperament or behavior when he is around other puppies or dogs. If he happened to be the only one in the house, you may need to take extra efforts when you introduce him at home.

When the day finally arrives for you to take him home, you may be worried about how he would get along with the dog in the house. If you give them some time to get to know each other and a few challenges to them both, you may find it to be favorable for them. But in the meantime, you can give them a start by taking them in an unfamiliar place and introducing them.

You can begin by taking both dogs in a common unfamiliar place; somewhere both of them have not been before. This way, territoriality will be eliminated and it will keep both of them from being threatened. Dogs have that sense of being intruded into when someone new comes into their turf, so it would be much better if you could remove that factor. You can take them either to a park that they haven't been to or to a friend's house. You can let them meet at least twice before you take the new puppy home.

Your dogs may not be able to warm up to each other that quickly. Just like people, it might take some time before they become close and friendly to each other. If you have an older dog, however, he may take into "mothering" the new puppy and showing him around the house. They will be playful with the younger puppy if they are mature enough to forego the mistakes and apparent stupidity of puppies.

Keep a close eye on both dogs when you first introduce them to each other. If you sense that they are not quite getting along pretty well, then you can butt in and interfere with the fights. You may give out treats to keep them both busy and stop the fights. If you can see that your old dog doesn't like having the new one around, you can try to persuade him in a calm and soft voice that the new one will not be a threat to his territory and that he is a new pal. If that doesn't change his mind, then you could try that again later on. Some dogs warm up after getting to know who's boss in the house and after that will become friends. If their wars continue on, you may want to stop the procedure.

Dogs, just like us, need to be treated with a bit of care and consideration. When you bring home a new puppy, be sure to treat them with such kindness and care. They are new family members who will share your life and give you good memories to live by. They are mute witnesses to what your life would be, while not asking a lot in return, maybe just a bone to chew on.

Steve Weber's site offers tips for dog owners and how to use Syn-flex for pets for canine arthritis