I've been wary about introductions every since. Practice Socialization with Other Dogs and Strangers Regularly . Dogs are “reactive” for a variety of reasons, including being afraid of other dogs, wanting to greet other dogs and being overwhelmed with excitement or frustration about it. If the puppy is under six months old, both the dog and the puppy may need frequent breaks from each other. If you want another dog, you need to get your resident dog’s endorsement first. The other dog (a pit mix) bit our dogs ear and pinned her down. He was extremely reactive as a puppy to all strangers and dogs. These are the basics of introducing your dog to another dog. In addition, some dogs seem to be helped by being first taught an appropriate behavior on cue, others do better if allowed to initiate it on their own. If your dog’s tail tucks or his or her hackles go up on their back, they’re not ready to be introduced. And they wonder if their reactive dog would accept the puppy or whether it would all end in tears. I’d estimate that about one-third of the dogs who come to my Reactive Rover workshops exhibit this frustration reactivity. Many people who have a reactive dog - one who looks ferocious to strange dogs - wonder if they can ever have a puppy again. In an upcoming article we will talk about specific strategies to handle severe aggression between two dogs. If the dog does not like the puppy, do not leave them alone together. If your dog’s tail wags and he or she is excited to sniff and be sniffed, that’s a good sign! PLEASE DO NOT post if you are not going to give advice on introducing a dog to a reactive dog. Is there any hope of successfully introducing a second GSD to my GSD if my GSD is extremely reactive? Some adult dogs will quickly lose patience with puppy energy. This will reinforce the idea that other canine companions mean good things, like treats! Often, these dogs get along beautifully with others off-leash at the dog park, but become extremely aroused – even at a considerable distance – when they are on leash and see another dog that they can’t run up to greet. Before off leash meeting, take your dog for a walk with the other dog(s). Introducing Dogs to Each Other Step 1: Check that your dog is ready and that the dog you plan to meet is friendly. I've read that introducing dogs gradually by taking them on a walk together is a good idea so I'd like to try that this time. Introducing a puppy to an adult dog. As soon as the other dog is gone, so are the treats. They may long to give their anxious dog … Assess If Your Current Dog Would Benefit from Another Dog. To ensure household harmony, this article will give you six steps on how to successfully introduce a new dog into the fold and become best friends with your other pets. To introduce a puppy to a dog, use the same procedure as above. This allows the dogs to smell each other, form a temporary pack, and reduce the perceived threat. If the other dog starts to lunge and bark, keep your pup's attention and reward more often. Whether you already have a dog and are considering getting a cat, or vice versa, it is very important to think about their first introduction. Introducing Dogs to Cats. If your dog has harmed another person or dog, we recommend using a basket muzzle for walks. Continue to use friend’s dogs and dog walks as an opportunity to desensitize your nervous dog to others. My GSD is pretty reactive to other dogs to the point where I have to be actively checking for other dogs when we're on walks. / Introducing Dogs to Cats.