Introducing A Puppy To An Older Dog: Getting Off On The Right Paw

You will be, of course, too excited to take a new puppy to your home. But what about the older dog in your house? Is your older dog ready to welcome a new puppy? The relationship between your older dog and a new puppy is solely dependent on how you introduce them. So, some planning is essential in building a good relationship between your furballs.

Introducing a puppy to your older dog isn’t as hard as the hype is. You have to be aware of a few things, and a little planning might be required. And you are done. Firstly, and most importantly, make sure you are planning the introduction at the right time and place.

So, we are here presenting a complete guide on how to introduce a puppy to an older dog.

Read the rest of the articles to get some tips on introducing a puppy to an older dog.

When is the Right Time to Introduce A Puppy to Your Older Dog?

There right time to introduce a puppy to your older dog is actually the time you feel everything is right.

However, here are some things to check up on for the right time:

• Make sure both the puppy and older one is up to date with their vaccinations.
• It would be better to plan the introduction when both dogs are in a good state of mind.
• The introduction has to take place when both dogs are healthy.
• Don’t introduce your dogs during their mealtime.

What to Expect While Introducing A Puppy to An Older Dog?

The introduction of a puppy to an older dog may not always go smoothly. You should expect a rivalry anytime.

Don’t ever try to introduce your puppy to an older dog without proper supervision and planning.

You better not get anxious if the introduction was a bit stressful for the first time. It is natural for your older dog to be uncomfortable with the arrival of a puppy to its territory.

Here are some common misbehaviors seen in older dogs with the arrival of a new puppy to its territory:

The older dog might try to attack the puppy.

Some adult dogs might not get along with puppies easily. They might try to attack the puppy. So, you should be watchful and act wisely once you find your dog aggressive.

The common signs that show a tendency in an older dog to attack puppy include growling, unusual body language, and barking. You should step-in to such situations and distract the aggressiveness of your older dog.

Don’t keep your puppy along with the older dogs if they become aggressive. Give them space and try introducing another time or day.

Your older dog might get jealous of the new puppy.

It is quite normal in dogs to show human behaviors such as jealousy. Yes, your older dog might get jealous of the new puppy in the house. When you get protective of the new member, you will notice your older dog growling and behaving weirdly.

Sometimes jealousy over the puppy would make older dogs steal their toys. And at times, your older dog might become violent and aggressive towards you and the new member if you abandon your older dog by the entry of a puppy.

So, give equal importance to both furballs. Try rewarding and appreciating your older dog whenever it approaches the puppy and plays with it nicely. Spend some quality time with both the dogs.

The older dog might get depressed by the arrival of a new puppy.

Sometimes your older dog might get depressed with the arrival of a new puppy. In such situations, you will find your older dog less playful and always moving away from you.

You will always find your dog silent and spending time alone in some corners or under the furniture if they are depressed by the entry of the new member.

When your older dog is more than jealous and depressed by the arrival of a puppy, they will start keeping a distance from you.

The only thing you can do against this behavior of your adult dog is to spend more quality time with them. You should make the old dogs understand that your love for them hasn’t changed by the entry of another dog.

The puppies would also behave strangely with a new adult dog. Here are how puppies would behave during the introduction with an adult dog:

• The puppies would be frightened and anxious at the sight of a strange adult dog.
• The puppy would try to bite the older dog.
• The puppy would annoy the older dog.

In any of the situations, if you find your older dog becoming aggressive at the puppy play, better move your puppy into a crate or different room.

Some Tips to Introduce A Puppy to An Older Dog

It is essential to introduce your dogs properly for getting off on the right paw. So, here are some tips and tricks to make the introduction smooth.

Swap scents

Dogs are great smellers. How about bringing a swap scent of your puppy a few days before you bring the puppy home?

You can seek the help of the breeder to get a piece of clothing rubbed on the puppy. The older dog can become quite familiar with the smell of the new puppy with the swap scent at home, and the introduction would be much easier.

Meet on neutral ground

The first meeting of the puppy and your older dog should take place in a neutral ground, which means in a park, training center, or at a neighbor’s place.

The older dog will not have any fear of threatening or protectiveness of its territory when meeting from a neutral ground. The lack of fear of loss r protectiveness will help the older dog get along well with the puppy.

Make use of howdy crate

Put the puppy in a crate and keep it at the sight of your older dog before introducing them face to face. Your older dog will get familiar with the puppy and its existence in the house when you put the puppy in a crate for a few days.

You can make the introduction a lot easier and stress-free for dogs by making use of howdy crates or fencings before introduction. It will be much easier for you too.

Try parallel walking

Take both the dogs for a walk around a park or ground. It would be better to seek the help of another person to handle the other dog. Both of you should walk parallel with dogs loosely leashed.

The parallel walking is a great strategy to introduce two dogs. It will make both the dog and puppy get along naturally without any fear, aggression, and anxiety.

Cut short the time of the first introduction

The time for the first meeting should not be more than 10 minutes. Let your dogs get along for some time and allow them to sniff each other if the introduction is going quite well. Call each dog and give a treat for behaving well.

That’s it. Don’t allow more than 10 minutes for the first meeting. Cutting down the introduction time short will help you end the meeting on a good note.

Conclusion

You essentially have to plan the introduction of your older dog to a new puppy. It will go worse, and a chance for rivalry is not less if the introduction is not properly planned and executed.

Therefore, we advise you to act according to your older dog’s temperament and create an effective plan for the introduction. We hope our tips would help you make an effective introduction plan.