The Art of Introducing Dogs Read Free Page A

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    Do you have the knowledge, assistance or facilities to do the introduction properly? If you have never done a successful introduction before, talk to someone who has and preferably someone who has done this several times so you get a rounded view. There are many good dog behavioural trainers who can work with you to plan and implement the introduction to get the best outcome. The resources section provides information on where to access qualified trainers.
    It is important to be able to separate all the dogs during different phases of the introduction. Possible structures which can facilitate dog introductions include a house and yard, dog runs or the use of barriers within the home such as crates and baby gates.
    Types of introductions
    There are many types of introductions. The success of each depends upon a whole range of factors that are specific to your situation and are as individual as you and your dog/s. These factors can be attributed to the overall environment that you and your dog/s live in, the individual dogs themselves or external factors.
    Adult to a puppy Can be fairly easily accomplished provided the dog is not too old and intolerant of puppies. Factors affecting success include breed differences (if introducing different breeds or cross breeds together), size differences both now and when pup is an adult, socialisation history of your current dog and the bite inhibition of both puppy and dog.
    Adult to a juvenile Depends on the previous socialisation history of both dogs as either dog may have had some previous good or bad experiences with other dogs and therefore may be carrying some socialisation ‘baggage’. This term refers to all the experiences that the dog in question has had previously which have shaped or affected the way he will interact with any future dogs he meets.
    Adult to an adult As with a juvenile, socialisation history is a factor. Introducing two adult dogs can be a match made in heaven or an absolute disaster, depending on the socialisation histories of both dogs.
    Juvenile to a puppy Usually works well as both are still young and play is highly important in their lives. But beware as the juvenile can bully the pup or lead the pup astray. It is best to wait until juveniles are adults before adding a puppy into the mix. Get your juvenile trained to the level you always wanted before adding a major distraction like a puppy. The best time to introduce a new puppy is when your dog is 2-3 years of age. The 3 year old has a more stable temperament and should have foundation training under her belt so that she can help teach the new puppy the things you want the puppy to learn.
    Male to male Works best if both males were desexed around 6 months of age or prior to the onset of sexual maturity (NB small and toy breeds can have an earlier onset of sexual maturity than the larger breeds). An adult desexed male introduced to a male puppy can work really well. While un-desexed (i.e. intact or entire) males fight more often than un-desexed females, desexed males can co-exist peacefully, especially if they have an age difference of 12 months or more. For some dogs, the closer they are in age and size, the more rivalry they are likely to exhibit.
    Male to female This is generally the best way to introduce and house dogs. Whether desexed or not, this combination nearly always works. Notice I said ‘nearly’ because again, some factors like previous socialisation history can affect one or both dogs.
    Female to female (Warning - two females of 5-6 years can be difficult) There is a reason they are called ‘bitches’. All jokes aside, this can be a difficult combination and is made worse if the females are not desexed and are very close in age and size. Dog trainers have found that the worst fighting cases they are called to ‘fix’ is between two females who are now both 5–6 years of age. Often, one of those females needs rehoming as the fighting is so severe and persistent that the