Preparing your home for your newly adopted dog

Bringing a new dog into your family is often exciting and rewarding, however it can be just as stressful. Our main focus is to aid in a smooth transition for both you and the furry members of your family. Whether your new addition is an adoptee from a shelter, or you are integrating dogs from different households, this article is for you.  

1. Scent swopping.

Scent swopping: This involves the introduction of the dogs’ scents to one another in a safe and positive manner, without them physically coming into contact. We do this by rubbing a blanket or towel on each dog, alternatively, the blanket may be placed where the dogs sleep for their scent to naturally transfer over. The towel is then placed in a plastic bag to preserve the scent and transported to the other dog/s that they are expected to share their living space with. The towel is then placed in an area for the dog to naturally come across. It is important that we do not force the dogs to sniff the towel, the process happens at their own pace – this is especially true for dogs that are rather wary of new things. Gently provide verbal praise when your dog sniffs the towel. Our goal is to create familiarity and provide calm and positive associations with the scent of the new dog, we can also do this by dispensing treats when the towel is around.

2. Introductory walk.

The advice often recommended when introducing dogs for the first time is to take them for a combined walk. Although this is generally a good idea, there are other factors we should first consider. Are the dogs well-adjusted to, or comfortable on lead? If the answer is no, perhaps look at alternative way in which to safely introduce them or otherwise precondition them to a lead. Why? A dog that experiences negative feelings on lead will not be able to comfortably learn about or investigate the other dog. This may negatively influence their feelings and responses to one another. We do not want a negative connotation between the dogs from the get-go, it is better to carefully build their familiarity and relationship with positive associations.

The area where you conduct the introductory walk is also important. A neutral environment that offers many sniffing opportunities and very little human and animal traffic is best. This will help ensure that the dogs are calm and may be distracted or entertained by surrounding scent, thus pulling off focusing all their attention on the other dog. This allows them the space to slowly investigate one another. It is also a nice way for the dogs to enjoy a fun activity (walking and sniffing) in combined company.

Now, for the actual walk. Begin walking one of the dogs on the trail and follow a distance behind with the other dog. We want to avoid head on interactions because this may cause unnecessary tension. As the dogs begin to calm down and enjoy their walk, slowly decrease the distance between the dogs until they are side by side and give them space to allow for small interactions. Use recall and treats as a distraction if any tension between the two is observed.

Try and best keep the walk as calm and neutral as possible. Use words and tones that convey calm energy.

3. Educate yourself and the dogs.

Understanding dog body language allows you to know what behaviours and interactions warrant a positive verbal praise from you. Praise communicates to the dogs that we are happy with their behaviour, and this will increase the frequency of that behaviour. By understanding body language, we are also able to decide when it is time to intervene. Intervention is required when we notice discomfort that may be elicited from the proximity of the one dog to the other. We can then use the dog’s recall, calling them away and increasing the space, thus easing any discomfort and preventing conflict. Understand that both the resident dogs and your new adoptee need the time and space to adjust to their new lives together. This may take up to 3 weeks. You may be lucky, and they all get along immediately, however it is always a better option to take it slow and manage the environment as much as possible.                                                   

4. When bringing your newbie home.

A potential problem you may encounter when bringing your newbie home is resource guarding. Consider providing many resource stations in order to avoid resource guarding (on condition that your resident dog isn’t already a known resource guarder) In this case picking up toys etc to avoid conflict would be best. Resources include places of rest and one water stations. If safe, having treats readily available may be a useful distraction. Giving treats with the other dog present also helps to create a positive association between the dogs.

Give the dogs space. This entails being in a sizeable environment that enables the dogs to move freely and move away from the other dog if they are feeling uneasy. Ensure the dogs do not become stagnant, the more they move, the less likely they are to negatively concentrate on one another. You may do this by walking around and having them follow. Abstain from coddling any of them, rather allow them to explore.  

Arrange for each of the dogs to have their own safe place. This safe place is where they may revert to when feeling overwhelmed or just a place to get uninterrupted rest, here you may consider a bed or crate etc. Sleep is an incredibly important factor for an animal’s well-being. This may be reinforced by calling the other dogs away from the dog that is laying down in their safe place (there is your recall again). The same applies for us humans, when the dogs decide it is their downtime, it is best we respect this and leave them be.

When feeding, keep the dogs at a distance from one another and keep a close eye. We are trying to prevent conflict by ensuring that they do not go near one another’s food.

As humans, we express our love and affection through touch. Your new adoptee still needs to learn and build a relationship with you, they may not welcome being petted as much as we may enjoy petting them. Ask for their consent. Look out for body language cues here again, are they happy with being touched? If not, respect their choice and allow them the time to get adjusted.

Allow the dogs to enjoy a calming activity such a Licki mat in one another’s presence. Ensure their safety by separating them by means of a security/baby gate when doing this. Otherwise keeping them on lead on opposite ends of the room where they are still able to see one another but they are not able to harm each other. We want them to begin making positive associations with one another.

Try and stick to your regular routine as much as possible. A new addition is already a change and may be stressful for you resident dogs, it will be super helpful if everything else in their environment remains constant and familiar.

5. What to expect.

The new adoptee may come with their own baggage such as urinating or defecating in the house, try and best understand this. They are in a new home with new rules and expectations, we are here to teach them these rules with patience and respect.

The animals may first avoid one another, or you may see some growling and body language that communicates discomfort. Please never punish a growl, instead thank them for communicating their discomfort and find ways to respect their needs (by creating space etc). As previously mentioned, the dogs may get along just fine with one another and illicit play. Your observation skills are most important here, look for cues that indicate that both/all dogs are enjoying themselves, if not, use recall and treats to interrupt the play, this can also be done when the play moves to a highly aroused state. When highly aroused, dogs may move from having fun to misunderstanding one another and this may result in a conflict situation, we want to prevent any possibility of fights.

6. The dog’s point of view:

The transition from one environment to the next can be very stressful. Remember this is also a change for your current resident dogs, they need to learn about a new house mate and their lives change too.

We don’t always know our adoptees past, the reason they may flinch when presented with a broom is often thought of as a sign of abuse, this may not be the case. In fact, it may be due to their lack of socialization or exposure to the object. If their background is one of abuse or impoverishment, it is important that we no longer see them as a poor victim, because it is not fair on them to constantly put them in that box. We now have the opportunity to provide them with a safe haven, where they are cared for and live their best enriched lives.

Written by Aungie (DipCABT) C.C.A.B