Complete Guide On Introducing A New Pet To Other Pets

The most important thing to remember is to have a timeline that works for you. Some people decide they want to get another dog after a few days or few weeks. For others, it may take months or even years to be ready for another pet.

Some families decide that they don’t want another dog at all, and that is perfectly okay too. There is no right or wrong way to go about this, there is only what is right for you and your family.

If you find resources that help you feel prepared, share those with your family and hold discussions as a group to ensure that everyone is getting the support they need and feeling ready for the next step.

If it’s helpful, consult family and friends who are less involved to get a better perspective. So many families have dealt with your exact situation and the people around you may have helpful guidance or advice.

If you find an organization you connect with, you’ll feel that much more sure of your decision. For instance, there are organizations that rescue dogs from the streets of Tijuana and that may resonate with you, so work with that organization to find the perfect pet!

If you’re buying it can be even more imperative to thoroughly research the breeder or pet store you’re buying from. You want to make sure the parent dogs are treated well, and the breeding is done ethically if that’s important to you.

It’s especially important to sit down with the young kids in your family to talk to them about the loss and how they’re feeling about getting a new dog. Death, in all forms, is very confusing for kids since, more often than not, they haven’t experienced it much. They may have a hard time articulating their feelings about losing their dog and could feel very torn about getting a new dog.

This is perfectly normal and ensuring they have a voice in the matter is a huge part of being successful in adding a new pet to the family. Review this article for more tips on dealing with the death of a pet.

You were able to give a loving and happy life to all your pets in the past, and there are more pets out there that you can give that unconditional love to. Giving a loving home to any living thing is something to be celebrated; don’t be too hard on yourself.

We’re sure that your beloved dog that passed would want you to find another animal to give all that love to.

Animals can be territorial, so bringing in a new animal during a time where emotions are already high could cause issues. More often than not, with time, your dog will adjust to its new pack member but be prepared for a bumpy road.

The best way to combat grief, territorial behavior, and/or negative reactions to the new animal is to show your current pet lots of love. Giving them more attention will help them feel happier, grieve the loss, and move forward from it.

The dog you lost may have loved to lay by your feet at night and your new dog may prefer a dog bed. One may prefer long walks and rambunctious play and the other may be just as happy cuddling on the couch.

These differences don’t mean you won’t love them, or they won’t fit wonderfully in your family, they just mean that things won’t look exactly the same as they once did. This is normal and healthy!

Try taking your dog to places they can socialize, such as the dog park or out on walks around the neighborhood. You can get a feel for how they respond to dogs they aren’t familiar with – are they aggressive or irritable around other dogs? Do they snap at them or growl aggressively?

You can also plan play dates with your friends who have dogs that your dog has socialized with before. This is a good way to ease into situations with other dogs and get a feel for how your dog may react.

On the contrary, your dog could be yearning for that social interaction they once had with their late companion. You may see your dog exhibit extreme curiosity when you meet new dogs or try and play with every dog they see at the dog park.

Your dog could also show signs of being lonely at home. Destructive behaviors such as getting into the trash or destroying toys may indicate they are bored with no companion. Signs like this likely indicate that they are lonely and are ready for a new friend.

There are actually a few ways you can test how your dog will do with sharing. We talked a bit about how if they are territorial it can cause problems when getting another pet, but by setting up a play date and using your dog’s favorite toy to play with the other dog, you can get a sense of how they will react with a new dog in their space.

You can also have feeding time with another dog out of the same bowl and keep an eye out for nipping or frustration from your dog. These are great ways to quickly assess how your pup might be with a new friend!

When the dog is walking into its new home, you might be able to immediately get a sense of how they are feeling. If they seem timid and nervous, bring them into the house without your other dog present, allow them to explore at their own pace, and lower your own energy.

Don’t try to play with them right away, give them some time to settle in and sniff around. If they do walk in with energy and curiosity, meet them in that and play with them and show them around.

The attitudes of both pets are extremely important and they both have to feel comfortable with this transition for it to be successful. If your dog seems territorial or jealous, give them space by putting them outside or in a different room for a bit.

Don’t try and force an introduction; it will come in due time. If they seem curious and friendly toward their new animal sibling, let them explore that and play with the new pet. Basically, follow the lead of each dog and adapt depending on how they’re both acting.

If both dogs have not yet met, try introducing them in a neutral space to avoid territorial behavior. An outdoor introduction usually works well because the dogs can get as much space as they need and aren’t crammed in a small room together.

You could also introduce them at a location away from your house, such as a park or nearby field.

When getting another pet, your dog and the new dog will look to you for indicators as to how they should feel. If they sense tension or nervousness coming from you, they may start to feel that and exhibit behaviors that go along with those emotions.

It is best if you use a calm, happy voice when introducing the dogs to each other. Your current dog will know that tone of voice and generally react accordingly. 

Don’t punish poor behavior right away, that is. At first, there will be a period of time where both dogs are learning each other’s boundaries and mannerisms. While this happens, they may have “miscommunications” or push buttons with each other and that is normal; it’s similar to how children can act sometimes.

If you punish bad behavior during the adjustment period, this could be very confusing for both dogs and they could associate the other dog with punishment, which does not bode well for the future. Now, if the bad behavior continues for a long time, work to address and correct the behavior.

When your two dogs meet each other, it should focus on the two of them. Remove any toys, food bowls, or bones when they are first meeting. Your new dog may get comfortable too quickly and go for the toys that your other dog feels the need to protect.

We also recommend not having too many people around for this first meeting. If you have small kids or a large family, try introducing the dogs without everyone else present. This keeps distractions to a minimum at a time where so much change is happening in their lives.

Uninterrupted time with each other could get overwhelming for both dogs. Try and give them small breaks for one another over the first few days by taking them on separate walks, putting one in the crate, or having them in different areas of the house. This can keep them from getting overstimulated and anxious early on.

Don’t get too worried if there is an altercation within the first few days. It’s important that you stay calm in the situation, separate the dogs from one another and let them calm down, then carefully reintroduce them when they’re ready.

Remember, this is a very possible occurrence in this situation, so don’t be hard on yourself if it does happen. Dogs have to figure out who the alpha dog is and assume their roles within their new “pack”.