Minnesota Valley Humane Society

In most cases, consistent rules and abundant kindness will win him over. Time is in your favor, so use it! If you expect the dog to adapt in a few days or weeks, change your thinking: It will be six months to a year before he is really yours. All dogs should be kept under physical control, that is, fenced or leashed, for that period of time. Unlimited walks will help the adaptation process, especially if you walk in different directions, covering different territories. This helps you to bond with the dog.

As with a puppy, the following guidelines should help you in conditioning the new adult dog to become socially acceptable.

Please take note of the following exercises to help your new dog acclimate to his or her new environment.

Socialization with Existing Pets

Make initial contact with other dogs outside the home. If you can, take your existing dog (or dogs) for a walk and have your spouse or a friend meet you somewhere with the new dog. After meeting, take a long walk so the dogs can get used to each other. Switch dogs on your walk. As you are doing this, speak in a happy voice and make sure the dogs are rewarded with praise and treats when they are in the presence of each other. You want all dogs to have positive associations toward each other and your praise helps speed that process. Never scold, threaten, or yank hard on the leash when the dogs are meeting. Let them sniff each other only briefly. QUIT WHILE YOU ARE AHEAD. Give basic commands to the dog you are walking to get his or her attention back to you.

Watch dogs’ body postures. Be mindful and keep the dogs at a distance if you see things like a prolonged stare from one dog to another, a lip curl showing the teeth, a low growl, or a stiffening body or gait from any of the dogs. Sometimes the hair on the back of the neck and shoulders stands on end. This is a sign of arousal, not necessarily aggression. Pay close attention. A dog backing up or keeping his tail between his legs shows fear. Let him move away and don’t force him to approach the other dog. A “play-bow” is a good sign. This is when the front end of a dog is bent down but the rear end is up in the air. A play bow expresses an invitation to play.

When you feel that the dogs are tolerating each other and there aren’t any fearful or aggressive displays, the investigative greeting phase should taper off. They are now ready to be taken home. If they are traveling by car from the neutral walking area, it is up to you to judge if they can travel together, based on size, initial greeting reactions, and how well they ride in a car. All dogs should be restrained in some way in a moving vehicle.

Once all the dogs are back at the house, have a tour of your home, with all dogs still leashed. Let your existing house dog loose, but keep the new dog tied to you (you should be doing this for some time for housebreaking purposes anyway).

If the new dog tries to mark the house anywhere, startle him by clapping your hands together loudly and immediately rush him outside. Walk around with him outside which will encourage him to finish eliminating outside. Give him a treat reward if he does. If any of the existing dogs try to mark, interrupt them in the same manner. The marking dog may have to be kenneled and watched more if he attempts to mark in the house. This is a good way to retrain a dog to eliminate and mark only outside.

When you feed the dogs keep them separate during for a while preferably out of sight and out of access of each other before attempting to feed them in the same room side by side.

Socialization with Friends and Visitors

While puppies attract instant positive attention from people, adult dogs do not automatically do so. It is especially important that they make a good impression on your friends, especially if you already have other pets. Set rules for your new dog immediately.

• No jumping on friends. Keep your dog leashed the entire time friends are at home gatherings for the first few weeks to make sure your dog does not try to jump on them.

• No door-dashing is allowed when you open the door for guests. Ask your dog to sit at your side and ask the guests to ignore him until everyone is in the house. Let him approach them for petting if he is calm. If not, wait for the dog to calm down before he is allowed to say hello.

• When he can accept guests, make sure he does so with all four feet on the ground. If you are consistent from the first guest on, you will eliminate obnoxious jumping behavior and will instill acceptable behavior in your dog. The end result: Your friends will welcome your new addition to the family, not resent him.

Socialization with Other People’s Dogs

The same logic applies here as with your other dogs, so use the same type of rules Take walks on which you know you will meet friends doing the same with their dogs.

• Contain and restrain your dog from barking at other animals as they approach. If necessary have him sit at your side.

• Allow dogs to momentarily sniff each other, as this is their way of saying hello.

• If at all possible, invite friends and their dogs back to your home and allow the dogs to play together off-leash. Exercise solves many annoying behavior problems and you will find your dog to be a much more relaxed and enjoyable pet if he is able to play and romp with others of his own kind.

Bringing Home a Puppy

If you bring home a new puppy to introduce to an adult dog, supervise them closely until you know everyone is safe. An adult dog should be able to growl or snarl at the puppy if the dog is being continuously pestered. This is how the adult teaches the puppy manners. Playing and pawing at the new puppy is fine too, but let the adult get away if he needs a break. Biting or vicious displays are not appropriate. A geriatric dog whose senses and faculties are not sharp anymore or an overly aggressive or undersocialized adult dog should be kept separate from the puppy. Puppies need positive experiences with other dogs, especially at home, to grow up to be well socialized.

Some information obtained from Behavior RX by William Campbell

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