# Introducing a puppy to a resident dog



## elisabeth_00117

I have always wondered if people follow the "introduce them on neutral territory first" rule when bringing home puppies for the first time into a house with a resident dog.

Do you bring your resident dog out to the park, someone else bring your new puppy out as well and do a meet up or do you bring puppy right in the door?

I would like to hear how everyone goes about introducing a new puppy and how their method went. Anything you would do differently? Keep the same?


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## elisabeth_00117

Oh, and no. I am not buying a new puppy.


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## Jax's Mom

I just bring them in and sit them on my lap 
I think it's more important for them to be introduced "properly" with guest dogs than resident dogs, I can't imagine how they're introduced can have that much of a long term impact on their relationship if they live together though.


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## Whiteshepherds

We just carried Annie in and let Harley sniff her a few times before we put her down. For the next pup we'll probably do the same thing. 
If we were bringing in an older dog I'd let them meet in a more neutral place.


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## Tbarrios333

I just brought her in. They had met already at the rescue.
However, it took Denali a long time to accept the puppy. Suddenly, I had this idea to take them on an insanely long walk together in a place neither had been before (I had to carry the pup for a lot of it). I read to do that somewhere, but forgot. They got along very well after that.


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## Ruthie

1. Gator was a rescue, so we took Moose to the foster home and they met in her yard.
2. Bison came home in the dead of winter and it was cold and dark. They met in the house. Moose was very excited until he realized that the puppy was not going home.
3. We introduced Grizzly and Bison in the front yard. I left Grizz crated while I went in and got Bison. I wanted him to see ME getting him out of the truck so he wouldn't just happen upon a random dog. On initial meeting, Bison got super excited and Grizzly just looked at him like he was nuts.


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## Rerun

I'm probably not the best to reply, because I have fostered god knows how many dogs and puppies over the past (more than a...) decade, so my dogs just meet foster puppies in the house, if the pups are reasonably healthy in appearances.

Adolescent dogs (6 months to a year, give or take, depending on the dogs behavior) that are bigger but still very "puppish" I typically introduce in our backyard or frontyard, leashed but relaxed. Again, my dogs are really good at intro's because they've done it so much.

With adults it REALLY depends, but as a rule of thumb I do not introduce adult fosters in a leashed, nose to nose, manner. I start with crating, letting mutual sniffing go on, then leashed walks together, etc. and move on from there depending on how long the foster will be here. If they won't be here long, I often don't really introduce them to my pack, or all members of my pack, at all. I only mention the adult - adult intro for others who may be reading and wondering about adult to adult intros vs puppy to adult intros.

IF I had an adult who hadn't spent much if any time around puppies, I would personally introduce them like I do adult - adult. Puppy in crate, let adult sniff. IF all is well and calm, then puppy would probably be in an x-pen and the adult could sniff and see pup bouncing around, etc. Make sure prey drive doesn't kick in here for some adults. I'd progress from there to either the yard with both leashed and different handlers, or if the pup walked ok on a leash I'd take them for short walks together for a few days.


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## monikawilson

I always like to have a puppy dog coming into our family when the adult dog is getting older (but not to old). I have had great experience over the years. The puppy will learn from the adult dog and out of my experience the adult dog will "baby" the puppy. And it does not matter if male or female. To introduce the puppy to the older dog(s) i always bring the puppy into the house, have the puppy on my lap and call the adult dog to me (and the puppy). Then I put the puppy on the floor and watch what happens. Almost instantly (every time), the adult dog starts "cleaning" the puppy and takes over  No night whining puppy since the adult dog is with him/her. And like I said, the adult dog is doing a good portion of the puppy training. -You can just hope the adult dog has all good manors  Puppy will learn the good and the bad


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## Elaine

I always introduce my new dogs to my personal dogs in my backyard. I generally know right away if it's going to work or not.


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## Packen

It really depends on the dogs temperaments. I introduced a dominant pup to a dominant + alpha dog through a barrier for a few days (one was kenneled). Then 30seconds or so face to face, next day a minute or 2 but very highly supervised. Now a couple of weeks later they play for a few minutes but highly supervised and I do step in and separate them verbally of physically then put the pup up in his kennel. The older dog minds very well but the pup is out of control!

So it really depends on the dogs. In my case I need to protect the pup as much as I need to protect my 2 yr old from the obnoxious pup! It will be a few months before I can let them run together with less supervision. A year later they will have a fight as the pup's testosterone level kicks in and he challenges for top spot. They both have the alpha temperament.

If both are beta or 1 alpha and 1 beta then it is much much easier.


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## FG167

Depends on the adult dog. With my oldest Lab, I fostered/rescued and also had puppies in and out and just brought them into the house. He was always, 100% of the time, fine with them.

When I was going to have a new dog at my house for any reason, I always introduced Madix somewhere NOT at home. It didn't necessarily have to be neutral, but he needed to be doing something during the intro. Ex: I would throw the Chuck It for him and then the "new" dog/puppy could be in the vicinity and eventually run around and he would be fine with them after that. If he didn't have something to occupy his mind, he would freak out and be reactive.

My other Lab DESPISED puppies of all kinds so we always did a short intro somewhere very neutral and then separation until he could pull himself together - and then monitored until we could trust him with the new addition.


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## JakodaCD OA

I have never brought in an adult dog, but when I get a puppy, I first let the puppy check out my outside area, then I usually sit somewhere with them in my lap and bring out the dogs

They are usually sniffing and whiffing the new puppy, no big deal,,then hubby plays with the dogs, while I sit there still with puppy,,if puppy wants down, well I do it, and supervise. So far, (knock on wood) I've never had a problem introducing a puppy into my pack..


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## LaRen616

Although Sinister loves everyone and everything, I play it safe and always introduce him to puppies and dogs in a neutral place.


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## kiya

For Lakota & Kiya I used the shipping crate, set it in the backyard and slowly worked up to opening the gate, leashes on everyone. When I brought Apache home we had Chazzy, she was about 8 and the introduction was a non issue because she was a kind dog and lonely after we lost Cheyenne.


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## Castlemaid

I think you really have to play it by ear and know your dog. 

With Gryffon, I got him when he was six months old - so on the cusp of loosing his puppy licence and being seen as an older dog by other dogs. Keeta HAS growled and snapped at young dogs, some as young as four or five months old - but some dogs she accepts, so wasn't sure how to do the introduction. I really considered the neutral territory idea, but after thinking about it, I felt it was better to do the introductions in the house. The house is not _her_ territory, but mine. If I bring a new dog into the house, she needs to accept it, because I say so. 

So she was boarded for a couple of days when I drove to Vancouver to pick Gryffon up and bring him back. He was in the house in his crate when I brought Keeta back from the boarding kennel. She didn't suspect anything, LOL! But as soon as I opened the door, she froze and started air scenting.

She walked around the room air scenting, and following the scent, suddenly found herself face to face with Gryff's kennel. Her eyes popped open! She looked at Gryff (who was standing and wagging his tail), she looked at me incredulous, as if saying "Mom? Did you know there is a _dog_ in here??" Back at Gryff, back at me, look of total confusion on her face. I acted completly unconcerned and went about my business. Later in the day, I took them both out to play ball, and they were fine. 
Though it did take a few days for Keeta to stop with the confused looks of "When is he going home" and and really relax with him around. 

I really think that in this particular case, introducing a new dog outside in neutral territory would have been a mistake, as Keeta takes a social behavioural clues from me - looks to me for direction in that way. Outside, she probably feels more justified in 'defending' her personal space. In the house, it is my space, live with it!

(Actually, this is a great topic for the weekly discussion and will move your thread there, Elisabeth).


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## Freestep

It really depends on the older dog's temperament and disposition toward other dogs, and you have to know your older dog.

Luka is used to strange dogs coming around, as I have a grooming business and occasionally do boarding for my clients. So I wasn't too worried when I brought Vinca home. I let Vinca out in the backyard to potty and sniff around, then held her when I brought Luka outside. Lots of sniffing, then ignoring. I brought the both of them in the house and let Vinca down, after which she immediately ran up to Luka and started licking her muzzle. Vinca had been around lots of other adult GSDs at the breeder's, so she had no fear. The two of them get along famously. This is a picture on the first day.


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## Anjulian

I took my boy with me to pick up the pup, he was around 18 months old. We walked in to a group of 4 x 3month old pups, all 4 pups were swarming around the place and my boy jumped up on to an empy table to get out of the way. After we had decided which pup we wanted, the owner took the other pups out of the room, the pair of them went roaming around together. My boy Blade was getting really keen on the pup by then and when we took them both out to the car, he was calm. Because it was a long way to go we stayed at a friend house overnight, by which time Blade thought the pup was his new present.
That was 4 months ago and the pup follows him closely, does what he does, and goes where he goes. Never had a single problem with them. Will be watching now to ensure that this 7 month old pup does not try to take over ;-0, He is nearly as tall as Blade but quite a few kilos lighter as he is a GSD cross Husky. They play together all day long, except when I interfere for walks and games.


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## VomBlack

Odin has always been good with dogs, so I may not be the best to take an example from as with fosters, pet sitting, and friends who sometimes visit with dogs we've just bought the dogs in the house and acted casual. Odin will sniff, wag his tail and go about his business. I've been really lucky, dog introductions have been a fairly stress free event in my house. when it came time to introduce the newest permanent member last month (Shade) I gave her time to explore the house and yard alone and left Odin crated, and then let him out in the house with her and that was that.


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## WendyDsMom

Bailey loves all living/breathing creatures. She welcomes all.

Trigger came in and met Wendy in the kitchen - she was in a piddle mode so we decided that was best. 

I never had a problem introducing new dogs (fosters or additions), some we did introduce in the back yard - letting new explore before bringing the resident out.


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## DanielleOttoMom

Leerburg | Introducing a Dog into a Home with other Dogs

I suggest this article. It helped me with an issue I had. That has sence be resolved (thanks to this great read). Now I understand that I was going about my two GSD intro all wrong. I don't take my dogs to dog parks. I don't trust people I don't know so why should I trust there dogs I don't know?!? We do go on hikes and walks and this I'm ok with. I'm just to weary of people and their dogs unless I know them personally. You never know....


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## Bigdogsolo

Neutral place, especially if any or either have Alpha issues (particularly the one who was in the home first). Seems to work best for me.


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## DJEtzel

I just bring puppies into the yard or house and plop them down. 

I usually do the same with any other dog I bring home... I know that neither of my two dogs are territorial, so as long as the other dogs aren't dog-aggressive, they meet in the back yard off leash (unless I'm testing a dog whose dog-status was unknown) so that there's a little more space. 

I do 2-5 dog introductions at work on a daily basis, so I'm really desensitized to these at this point.


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## Liesje

I just bring in a puppy and plop it down. I do not subscribe to moving everyone to "neutral territory". Our territory is not neutral, it's mine  I decide to gets to be in it and where and when and for how long. My dogs are cool with this arrangement. They love getting a new toy, I mean puppy.


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## elisabeth_00117

Well, I guess I should update this since I was the OP of this thread.. lol.

Zefra came in, was plopped down next to Stark and the crazy puppy zoomies from BOTH dogs happened within seconds.


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## KentuckyGSDLover

I think it depends on how young the puppy is and knowing the dogs you have now. I'd keep an eye out and give them some time to adjust. My old dog has also gotten along with cats, dogs and people, completely reliable and trustable. But I brought a half-grown pup/dog in and she is showing some stress/anxiety around my old dog, who wouldn't hurt a flea. So slow we go.


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## Desmo

My two already met our new puppy who's coming home Friday. We had to take our two to her foster family's house and we just went ahead and brought them inside. Our new girl was running free in the house and barely cared that two big dogs were coming into the house. They all were fine.

Friday though, we may keep everyone outside and let them get a feel for one another. We did that when our 2 year old came home. The 14 year old is very moody so we did their initial meeting on neutral grounds. I don't think I have to worry so much this time around with the puppy though.


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## Dixiemae

Thanks for all of the great posts here. I will be introducing a new pup this upcoming spring to my resident 4 year old female GSD and 2 older felines that are very dog savvy. There's so many different ways to do this but I have a fantastic trainer that has taught me so much about the breed. I'll definitely be following this post and will update my experience when the little guy joins us!


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