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Wrzesień - 25 - 2021 | Anna Nowakiewicz

Introducing a dog into a home with another animal

Bringing a dog into a home with another dog

If you already have a dog living in your home, be sure to check the relationship between the two dogs before deciding to take on another pet. Familiarise your dogs with each other, starting by meeting on a neutral area for both dogs, keeping the dogs on a loose lead. In the next stage, check your dog's reaction to a possible future companion on his territory, i.e. in your yard, garden and home. However, make sure that the dogs meet while walking and enter the resident dog's territory together.  Also observe the dogs' relationship at home.

Prepare separate bowls and bedding for both dogs. Feed the dogs at the same time. If there are conflicts over bowls, place the bowls further apart or even in separate rooms. After adoption, let the dogs establish a hierarchy, as long as they don't threaten each other of course. Even though initial reactions are good, there may be some growling or barking in the house. Remember that this is how dogs communicate and pass on information. This serves to establish each one's place in the enlarged pack.

In time, your pets will most likely be a huge support to each other... Is there anything more beautiful? :)

Introducing a dog into a home with a cat

If you have a cat living in your home, check how the animals react to each other before deciding to get a dog. To do this, a visit with the dog of your choice in your home is necessary.

Lock the cat in a separate room and enter the flat with the dog. Allow the dog to sniff everything and sniff the cat through a crack under the door, then go out with the dog and let the cat out, allowing the cat in turn to experience the scent of the dog. Remember that smell is the primary sense of communication between animals.

The next stage requires two people to work together. Encourage the cat to sit high up on a cupboard or shelf so that the dog is sure not to reach it, and go in with the dog on a lead. Let the other person take care of the cat so it feels comfortable. Give the dog time to become familiar with the cat's scent and try to calm it down through sniffing or obedience training, rewarding it with a good - calm word.

If the dog is unable to calm down, take him out for a short walk and return to the flat. When he calms down in the presence of the cat, reduce the distance between the animals more and more, encouraging the cat to sit lower, for example on a table. Gradually encourage the cat to take a lower seat until it reaches the dog's level. Start with short, quiet, controlled encounters which both dog and cat should associate positively.

Remember also that the key to success is above all patience and observation of relations between your pets. Contrary to appearances - some signals are really worth analysing several times.