It takes patience, diligence, and care to introduce a new puppy to a senior dog.Start slowly and have the two dogs meet in a new location.Stay calm and not force the situation.Allow your dogs to get to know each other by scent, and keep their interactions limited for the first week or so until they are comfortable.To make it easier for the two to get along, consider your senior dog's health and limits, and train and exercise your puppy.
Step 1: Pick a new place.
You can arrange to have your senior dog and new puppy meet on neutral ground, like a park or street that is not part of your regular walks or activities.This will prevent your dog from being territorial.If you don't want to travel too far, ask your neighbor if they can use their backyard or balcony.
Step 2: Start slowly.
Ask a family member or friend to hold your puppy, either in their arms or on a leash.On a leash, lead your senior dog towards the puppy and let it sniff it on its own.Don't force your dog to approach the puppy.Before you let the puppy sniff the older dog, make sure you hold it firmly and allow your senior dog to sniff it first.
Step 3: Stay calm.
Dogs are very sensitive to their owner's feelings and can reflect that in their behavior.If you stay calm during the introduction, your dogs won't pick up on your anxiousness.Praise and encouragement during the process will make you feel reassured and positive.
Step 4: The dogs should be walking together.
If your older dog shows aggression or resistance during the introduction, break it up.Give each dog a treat, separate the dogs, and try a different approach.Take a walk around the neighborhood with both dogs, with the puppy walking behind your older dog.Let the dogs interact when the puppy is around.Don't let your puppy touch your senior dog while walking.
Step 5: The dogs should be monitored at all times.
It's important that you keep an eye on your puppy and senior dog when they're together.If there's a big size difference between the dogs, a large senior dog can seriously hurt a small puppy if they're fighting or playing too hard.
Step 6: Hide things.
There are items in the house that your puppy and senior dog could fight over before you bring your new puppy home.Food bowls, toys, dog blankets and beds are some of the objects that could be included.You need to make sure that you have two things.
Step 7: Time your arrival.
When your senior dog is out, bring your puppy home.There is a walk in the yard.The stress could be overwhelming for your senior dog.Allow your puppy to live in the house for a while to get used to it.
Step 8: scent can be used as a guide.
The best way for dogs to get to know each other and feel comfortable with one another is through their sense of smell.If you keep your dogs separated but close, they can get used to each other's scent in their home environment without the risk of them fighting or posturing.Try keeping them in adjoining rooms, separated by a baby gate, or in their crates, close enough to smell one another.If you want your puppy and senior dog to get used to each other, place toys and blankets in the other dog's crate or bed.
Step 9: Meal times should be monitored.
Feed your dogs separately during the first couple of weeks.When you start feeding them together, make sure to watch their meal time for any signs of aggression.Place their food bowls a foot or two away so that neither dog tries to eat the other's food or gets in the way of their eating.
Step 10: Encourage gradual bonding.
During the first week of your puppy's life, take it for walks with your senior dog at least once a day.For this initial period, limit their interaction to this activity because walking encourages bonding.After about a month of supervised play and meals, correction and reward training, and structured walks, your senior dog should feel comfortable and know that the new puppy is not a threat.You should be able to remove separators at this point.Allow the dogs to co-habitate with a baby gate.
Step 11: Get assistance from an expert.
After a month of supervised interactions, look for a trainer to help with the problem if your dogs are not getting along in a peaceful way.You can find a dog trainer near you by visiting the Association of Professional Dog Trainers website.Ask your prospective trainer a number of questions, such as "What is your educational background?"How many years of experience do you have?Do you have experience with relationship-based issues between dogs?What training methods do you use?
Step 12: You should consult your doctor.
Before you introduce a new puppy to a senior dog, consider its health.If it has a chronic health condition.A puppy may be too much for it to handle.If you are unsure about your senior dog's health limitations, consult your vet.
Step 13: Do you want your senior dog to accept a puppy?
Take your senior dog's interactions with other dogs as an indication of how it will deal with a puppy.There is a good chance that your dog will adapt well to a new puppy if it interacts enthusiastically with other dogs and puppies.If your dog shows fear or aggression towards other dogs, or has a tendency to get into fights with them, this is a sign that it might not tolerate a boisterous puppy in its environment.
Step 14: There are signs of distress.
Carefully watch for signals from your senior dog as you watch the initial interactions between your dogs.Things like looking away from the puppy or moving to another part of the room are obvious signs that your dog needs a break from interacting with you.A senior dog licking its lips or nose in an exaggerated manner is a less obvious sign that it is anxious or uncomfortable.
Step 15: Give it basic commands.
While interacting with your senior dog, training your puppy is the best way to manage its behavior.The correction and reward method can be used to teach your puppy the five basic commands.Instructions and videos on how to start dog training can be found on the American Kennel Club website.Correction should only involve speaking firmly and clearly to your puppy.You should be patient with the training process.It can take some time for puppies to learn basic commands.
Step 16: Train your dog with crates.
To help with house training, crate training can be used to condition your puppy's behavior, to keep it from clashing with your senior dog while it adjusts to your home, and to offer it a safe place of its own.You can casually introduce the crate to your puppy by leaving it open and unlocked.Gradually close the door and leave your puppy alone in the crate, rewarding it with praise and treats.When the crate can be kept as a "den" for your dog, keep happy associations with it.Send your puppy to the crate to be punished.Your puppy will dislike being in the crate if you use it as a form of punishment.
Step 17: Make sure your puppy exercises.
To keep your puppy from getting restless around your senior dog, make sure it gets plenty of exercise at other times.Twice a day, your puppy should be doing 5 minutes of low-impact exercise for every month of age.Walks and chasing a ball in the backyard are examples of low impact exercise.