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Bringing a New Dog into a Home With Existing Pets
Health Issues
Your very first action after officially adopting a new puppy or
dog - before you take him or her home - should be to stop by
your vet's office for a thorough examination. If you have other
pets at home, you don't want to inadvertently expose them to a
communicable illness. If the vet even suspects something
contagious, like parvovirus or distemper, leave the animal there
for treatment - don't take him home yet!
It's even a good idea in such cases to clean your exposed body
parts with a bleach water mix to kill latent viruses and germs
before you enter your home. Try to avoid direct contact with any
pets. Immediately head to the laundry room and put your clothing
in the washer with lots of detergent and hot water. If you ruin
something, that's certainly better than exposing your pets to a
disease!
Vaccinations
Your vet will, of course, know which vaccinations are required
in your city and state. Most vets will administer inoculations
in bundles (known as DHLP-P) to save time and expense. The
injection includes vaccinations against distemper, hepatitis,
leptospirosis, parainfluenza, and parvovirus. Rabies vaccine is
given separately and is mandatory in virtually every locale.
If you have other pets at home, vaccinations are absolutely
critical for any new dogs you add to the domestic mix. Get them
done - and stay on schedule!
Pack Hierarchy Issues
Any time you bring a new pet into your home with existing dogs,
there is potential for fights as the hierarchy of the 'pack' is
thrown into temporary disarray. It's often impossible to tell
whether a new dog will be an alpha or not, especially when it's
a puppy. However, puppies are much easier to condition to a
lesser status within your home's pack, even if their natural
tendency is toward dominance. Remember, even two dogs will often
be driven to attempt to form a pack with a dominant-subordinate
relationship.
Let the dogs work it out, unless open aggression erupts. Then,
you might try bringing in a professional trainer or, if
possible, separate fighting dogs by partitioning them in certain
parts of your home. Caution: never attempt to physically
separate fighting dogs with your hands or feet! Instead, spray
or pour a copious amount of cold water on them. The cold and
wetness will serve to startle them, which usually defuses the
situation without you ending up with stitches.
There is, unfortunately, not much you can do to predict which
animals will be dominant. Some breeds are more likely to have
individuals that will assert themselves in the pack (German
Shepherds, Rottweilers, Pit Bulls), but even there, you get a
wide range of characteristics. So, plan for any contingency,
including returning the new dog or finding a better home if it
causes serious disruptions that are not naturally resolved
within a few days.
Feeding Routines
If you've only had one dog in your home previously, an issue
that can be a source of potential problems when you add a new
one is feeding time. You don't have to think about it with just
one pet, but when you have two or more animals trying to eat in
one space - especially a confined area - watch out! Early on,
make sure you remain close by in case a fight breaks out. Even
dogs that have always been docile and friendly can quickly turn
on companion animals when food is in the mix.
If possible, segregate your pets so they can eat without any
contact with the other(s). Not only will this eliminate the
potential for aggression, but it may prevent other disasters as
well. Dogs that eat in groups tend to gulp without properly
chewing their food. This can lead to choking and a condition
called 'bloat' that can be life threatening.
Don't Ignore Your First Dog!
When you bring in a new pet, it's easy to start ignoring your
existing dog(s). You're not a bad person! It's a natural
tendency. However, you should anticipate it and work hard to
catch yourself doting on the new dog at the other's expense.
Dogs are very tied in to our feelings and actions. More than
most owners ever realize. You will send the wrong "vibe" to your
older pets if you change how much time and attention you give
them. To keep everyone happy, spend quality time with them all
and don't play favorites - even when the new pet is really 'new.'
© John Schwartz http://www.puppies-dogs-supplies.com (all rights
reserved)
About the author:
John Schwartz is a freelance writer and website publisher. He is
the owner of a popular website about safe dog toys and other pet supplies - http://www.puppies-dogs-supplies.com - and
he works to rescue and place stray dogs.
John Schwartz
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