Welcome a new dog to the Family!

by Mandy Evans

Have you been considering welcoming a new pup into your family? Maybe you are planning on opening your home to a rescue dog from Katrina or your local shelter. If you already have another dog in the house, below are some pointers to help you make the introduction a simple process.

• First Introduction- To avoid any territorial issues with your current dogs it is best to have the introduction somewhere other than your home.
• If you have more than one dog, it is best to introduce them separately so they don't gang up on the new guy.
• Next would be a location where all the dogs can be off leash together to socialize properly.
• Opposite-sex dogs will tend to have a smoother introduction than same sex dogs.
• It is natural for more mature dogs to put a younger dog in his/her place by growling, showing their teeth or snarling. This should be allowed unless there is biting. This is when you should separate the dogs and wait until they calm down.
• The new addition should have his/her own dog bowl and water dish and be fed in a separate area initially until you know more about how your dogs respond to one another.
• When you are accustomed to your trained dogs, it might be hard to remember a new dog can easily bolt from the house, if you do not close the door or yard gates. Be sure your new dog has tags with your phone number.

Your vet or local dog trainer can provide you with additional advice to ease the introduction and bring harmony to your home.