If you are fortunate enough to share your home with a second dog, here are a few tips in getting each dog accepting of the other:-
- Introduce the dogs in unfamiliar territory
- Have two handlers
- Introduce them by walking them in the same direction at a distance that would make them feel comfortable
- Share conversation with the other handler, completely ignoring both dogs.
- Continue the walk until the dogs seem comfortable with each other, i.e. not watching each other all the time.
- After a long walk, head home and enter the yard. Immediately take the collars off the dogs and whilst still ignoring them, go inside the house, leaving them to explore the yard and each other.
- In cool weather, you can take both dogs home in the car in separate sections, i.e. making use of a dog crate or a crated off area of a station wagon or van. Park outside a shopping centre and go inside leaving the dogs to do something together, i.e. protecting the car. Get in the car again ignoring the dogs. Drive to another location and again leave the dogs to protect the car. This way, just as walking together through unfamiliar territory, they tend to bond out of necessity.
- When you get home, again let them out together and, ignoring them, walk inside.
- Continue ignoring them when they are together. Only pet and talk to them when they are on their own. Eventually you will be able to pet them in each others company.
- If you see tension starting to build in your presence, start walking away and start giggling. You will find the dogs will follow, notice you are not tense, and will settle down.
- The use of a crate makes feeding, giving bones, and quiet times inside the house so easy.
DO NOT’s
- Do not let the dogs meet face to face when first introduced.
- Do not start petting and fussing over either dog
- Do not feed, give bones or leave food dishes around when both dogs are together.
- Do not play high activity games like ‘Chase the Ball’
- And above all, keep calm. Calm owner, calm dog.
Happy training,
Carmel Hodgins
Delta Certificate IV Dog Behavioural Trainer
