We have a 10 yr old Jack Russell who "owns the house" and we are getting an 8 wk old Beauceron. What are the best ways to introduce them?
Mrs. B
05-25-2007, 05:57 PM
Personally, I brought home this timid little pup one time on one of my rescue missions. My older dog is very weary of new animals in the house. We first had each my and my hubby hold one by the leash and allow them to sniff each other under a close control. We did this for short periods so as not to overwhelm either one. Make sure to read the body language very carefully. We eventually took their leashes off and just kept ourselves close at hand but you should be VERY comfortable with their encounters before doing this.
Also, to make the transition easier for my older dog I treated them mostly equal except for one thing. He always comes first. he gets his snack first, his food first and if only one of us is home to walk, he gets his walk first. It helps him to not feel like he has been put aside for the younger dog and I think he likes being able to think he is the alpha dog in the house. Even if there is only a small pup below him. :)