Well, look at who decided to become best friends overnight.
The Virgil/Lucy integration hasn’t been smooth sailing all the way through, but it has been progressing in a steadily positive direction. We didn’t ease them into it too gently, though – we pretty much judged that neither of them was a danger to the other (Lucy is wary enough of strange dogs that we figured she wouldn’t be rambunctious enough to put Virgil in any danger, and Virgil had a hurt leg for the first couple of days that kept him quiet and prevented him from freaking out Lucy too much). There’s a minor…”attraction” issue at present, but hey, they’re already snuggled up on the couch snoozing, so we must have done something right.
Now, Lucy’s a relatively easy dog to get along with, though…so what if you’re bringing a new dog into a more potentially problematic situation?
INTRODUCING A NEW DOG: SOME TIPS
– Consider your current dog’s age, breed, gender, and temperament before adding to the family. For example, you might want to get a dog of the opposite gender, as there’s less chance of aggression (although there’s more chance of excessive “friendliness,” as I’ve noticed). Lucy has lots of energy and benefits from having a puppy around to play with, and for us a lapdog-type is best, because it’s vastly easier to convince NYC apartment-dwellers to babysit for a smaller creature when we travel.
– When you get home with your new dog, consider leaving him outside (supervised) and go inside to pet your current dogs, so they smell the new pet on your hands and get a sense of what’s up. We didn’t do this, because…well…Kendrick surprised me.
– Start by letting the new dog explore the house while the current pets are tucked away, and then place the new pet in a crate in a spot where the current pets can see/smell him for awhile before letting them interact. Again, Lucy’s skepticism of the new baby kept her tucked away, but if you have a more aggressive little creature, definitely do this.
– Lots of doggie websites recommend staging the introduction at a neutral site (a local park, for example), to let them suss each other out without any territoriality issues.
– Reward your current dogs for displaying positive behaviors with the new pet, but don’t yell at them for doing something wrong (they may think that it’s the new pet that’s making you angry, and try to protect you). I mean, don’t let them attack, obviously, but remember that they’re likely scared and confused, and should be treated with love and care, too. When Lucy barks too viciously at Virgil, I don’t yell; I just move her gently away, or pick her up and pet her to reassure her that things are just fine.
– Make sure that you are clear about which dog is dominant (probably your current one): she/he should be fed first, given toys first, and allowed to sleep in the best spot. This helps to establish a hierarchy, and will smooth things out for the future. Lucy gets the spot on Mom’s chest; Virgil is still confined to the crate at night. I think that this is part of what’s helping them adjust.
