Dear Critter Corner:
We will be having guests over for the holidays and they are bringing their new pup with them. Do you have any suggestions for introducing our pup to our guests’ pup?
There are a few things you can do to help make the introduction and visit successful so that all can enjoy each other’s company.
I would start by making sure that your pup has been exercised about a half hour or so prior to the arrival of the guest pup. This will ensure that your pup is tired and also had a chance to settle back down. Some ideas for good exercise would be a game of fetch, playing tug or using a flirt pole, going for a brisk walk or even a jog.
When the guests arrive, you could let the pups meet in a few different ways. If you are unsure on how they will do, you could start with taking them for a walk and allow them to get to know one another that way before entering the home. You could also do a meeting in the back yard and allow them to have a play session prior to coming in the home so they are more likely to settle down once inside. If your pup has issues with others in their home, you could set up some baby gates and x-pens to do additional introductions once in the home. Keep in mind that sometimes space or lack of can create an issue between dogs.
After you get past the initial introductions, you will want to make sure that there will be no issues during meal time. For this I might suggest having the dogs go to a bed and give them a special long-lasting chew. You may need to put them in separate rooms to prevent any potential food guarding. This will make a nice dinner for all, especially if either pup likes to beg during meal times.
If you would like some extra help, you can call our Behavior Helpline at ext. 183. or schedule a 1:1 Consultation with one of our Behaviorists