Pack Mentality

          Canines are pack animals and the pack has a clear hierarchy from the top dog (alpha) to the second, third and so on. The idea is to introduce the puppy while maintaining your current dog's hierarchy in the home and family. Regardless of how loving or well trained your current dog(s) is, surprising an adult dog with a puppy might send it an instinctual pack mode to dominate or submit. It can also cause a puppy to submit or react in fear.

 

          Your goal is for a calm, happy introduction where the curiosity of both animals is peaked without fear. For best results, the puppy should be introduced while still in its crate, sometimes for hours or days until the reaction from both animals is what you are comfortable with. In cases with in-tact or dominant dogs, introductions should be separated by closed doors at first and then to the crate introductions mentioned above. By no means should introductions or the first few times together be unsupervised.

 

          If you don't see the initial response in the introductions that you want, don't panic, and DO NOT reprimand the current dog(s) or the new puppy. Reprimands at this stage will make the dog(s) associate its new family member with a negative response from its owners. Stay calm and think it through. Remember, YOU are the pack leader of all the dogs. Take the time to sort out the best way for all the animals to fit into YOUR PACK.