06/11/2023
How to Get Dogs to Get Along in 7 Steps?
🐶 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭
- Ideally, the first meeting will be in territory unfamiliar to both dogs with plenty of space. While a dog park may satisfy these requirements, other dogs can be a huge distraction. Instead, an uncrowded outdoor park or a fenced-in backyard is a good choice.
🐶 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐠𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬.
- Initially, keep both dogs on a relaxed leash, with each on the periphery of the enclosed area. Pay attention to the dogs’ body language. They should exhibit some degree of interest in each other but not become overly aroused or agitated. Let them get closer if the dogs exhibit a positive first impression with their body posture and behavior, like a wagging tail and a relaxed gaze and stance. Let the leash go slack. When the dogs are approximately ten feet apart, allow your dog and the new dog to have a closer, face-to-face encounter, enabling them to explore each other’s scents and even begin playing. You’ll be close enough to intervene if necessary.
🐶 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠.
- Resource guarding is when a resident dog exhibits signs of aggression (like snarling, lunging, barking) when a new dog uses their possessions, such as a favorite toy. Prevent resource guarding by having separate possessions for both dogs (including water and food bowls, toys, dog beds, special treats) in separate rooms. Dogs can also be very possessive over certain locations, like a cozy spot on the floor that gets warm sunlight. If you notice location guarding, try temporarily isolating the area with a baby gate.
🐶 𝐁𝐞 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞.
- Whether you’re adopting a second dog or dog-sitting a family member’s pooch for the weekend, it’s vital to give both dogs the same amount of attention to prevent the resident dog from feeling jealous and becoming aggressive toward the new dog. Even if you want to show your new canine companion a little extra love, make sure to divide the belly rubs, and high-value dog treats equitably among all your pups.
🐶 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠𝐬.
- Dog aggression is inherently greater in dogs with their reproductive organs intact. To increase the odds of your pup getting along with other doggies, get them spayed or neutered and check with the owners of any potential playmates to see if they fixed their dogs as well.
🐶 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠.
- If your dog doesn’t know the basic dog training commands—“sit,” “stay,” “down,” “come,” “heel,” “off,” and “no”—they are more likely to experience behavioral issues around other dogs. Regularly work on obedience training with your pooch so that they remain calm and listen to you while interacting with other dogs. For instance, suppose your new dog angers your old dog by lying in their bed. In this case, use the “no” and “come” commands to tell your new dog they’re engaging in unwanted behavior.
🐶 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭.
- Some dogs simply need more work than others, especially if they’ve experienced past trauma. If your dog continues to be the aggressor despite your best efforts, seek out an animal behaviorist. These professionals can help you get to the root cause of your dog’s bad behavior and develop a game plan to correct it.
