Bring a new puppy Home is exciting for you, but can be stressful for an older dog. Pay attention to your dogs’ interactions. In the past, the general advice was to introduce new puppies immediately to the older dogs in the household. We now know that this is not always the best approach.
How to Introduce a Puppy to an Older Dog: Follow These 5 Steps
Step 1: Create Space
Giving puppies and older dogs their own space before introducing them encourages positive interactions in the future. There is no reason to rush greetings and interactions between dogs; it is often helpful to separate dogs and puppies for a few days or even weeks. Using baby gates, closed doors, crates and other dividers in the house creates space and allows them to get used to the sound, sight and smell of the other dog without having to interact directly. Interactions are then more relaxed and stress-free, which promotes better ongoing relationships between them.
Step 2: Present neutrally
Depending on your dog’s temperament, the introduction may take place as early as your puppy’s first day home, or if you have an older dog or a dog that has other health or behavioral issues, you may want to be waiting days or even weeks before presenting it directly. The goal is to allow them to adjust to the presence of the other dog before interacting. We want these first introductions to take place in neutral spaces outside of your home or yard. This helps reduce the risk of stress or conflict. Start by taking your dog and puppy on side walks where one person has one dog on a leash and someone else has the other dog on a leash to help everyone get used to being close together. Once your dog and puppy have met in a neutral area, and if that meeting has gone well, slowly begin to allow them to spend time together around the house and yard.
Step 3: Watch for signs of stress
Once you’ve introduced your dog and puppy, monitor the interactions. Watch the your dog’s body language and the puppy closely to detect any signs of stress or discomfort.
Tips for reducing stress between dogs:
- Before letting dogs interact, remove high-value items like food, chews, and toys from the area, especially if you know your older dog might have them. trends in resource protection.
- If interactions seem tense or the dogs become agitated, separate the dogs immediately to give them a break.
- Keep your dogs separated for a while to allow them to acclimate to the other dog’s scent.
Step 4: Manage interactions
If you can’t supervise your puppy and dog when they are together, keep them separated. Even if interactions are going well, continue to manage their play time and engagement. Don’t let your puppy bother or harass your older dog. This is especially important when your older dog is sleeping and eating. We never want older dogs to be placed in a position where they feel the need to correct or “scold” the puppy. Intervene on behalf of your older dog and redirect an overenthusiastic puppy; teach the puppy appropriate ways to interact.
Step 5: Go Slow
It’s tempting to rush the introduction process or encourage them to spend lots of time together right away, but a better approach is to allow your dog and puppy to get to know each other slowly and intentionally. This will help build trust. Make sure they have their own private spaces to retreat to, such as a crate, bed, or designated area of the house, such as a dog room, which the other dog cannot access. The goal is neutral engagement and this may take time. Long-term management strategies such as baby gates create a less stressful environment when interactions are tense.
Puppy and older dog: tips for success
If your older dog has health issues, behavioral issues like reactivity, or is a senior with age-related issues like arthritis, be especially careful about how you introduce your puppy and monitor interactions. You may want to keep your puppy separate most of the time. Consult a dog trainer who uses positive reinforcement methods if you have questions. A dog trainer helps you manage introductions and creates a training plan for future problems.