Pet Introductions You want your new pet to bond with your current pet, or else you want them to at least tolerate each other. Proper pet introductions take time and patience. You don’t want to just “throw” the pets together and let them figure it out. If you do it right, it can be a great experience for everyone involved. Dog to Dog: 1.) Choose A Neutral Location: Introduce the dogs in a neutral location so that your resident dog is less likely to view the newcomer as a territorial intruder. Each dog should be handled by a separate person. With both dogs on leashes, begin the introductions in an area unfamiliar to each, such as a park or a neighbor's yard. If you frequently walk your resident dog in a nearby park, she may view that area as her territory, too, so choose a less familiar site. 2.) Use Positive Reinforcement: From the first meeting, help both dogs experience "good things" when they're in each other's presence. Let them sniff each other briefly, which is normal canine greeting behavior. As they do, talk to them in a happy, friendly tone of voice. Don't allow them to investigate and sniff each other for too long, however, as this may escalate to an aggressive response. After a short time, get the attention of both dogs and give each a treat in return for obeying a simple command, such as "sit" or "stay." Take the dogs for a walk and let them sniff and investigate each other at intervals. Continue with the "happy talk," food rewards, and simple commands. 3.) Be Aware of Body Postures: One body posture that indicates things are going well is a "play-bow." One dog will crouch with her front legs on the ground and her hind end in the air. Watch carefully for body postures that indicate an aggressive response, including hair standing up on one dog's back, teeth-baring, deep growls, a stiff-legged gait, or a prolonged stare. If you see such postures, interrupt the interaction immediately by calmly getting each dog interested in something else. For example, both handlers can call their dogs to them, have them sit or lie down, and reward each with a treat. The dogs' interest in the treats should prevent the situation from escalating into aggression. Try letting the dogs interact again, but this time for a shorter time period and/or at a greater distance from each other. 4.) Taking the Dogs Home: When the dogs seem to be tolerating each other's presence without fearful or aggressive responses, and the investigative greeting behaviors have tapered off, you can take them home. 
Dog to Cat & Cat to Dog & Cat to Cat:
1.) Find a small room in your house where the new pet can stay for a short while. A place such as a bathroom or a utility room. Set the new pet up residency in there. Make sure they have a bed, water, litter box if necessary. This is where they should be fed also. The pet should stay there unless you take are taking them out to go potty or brief interactions with the resident pet/s.
2.) Keep the door closed with the new pet inside. Let the pets sniff each other through the door and under the crack of the door. When the resident pets begin to ignore the new pet, it’s time to move onto step 3. 3.) Crack the door. Now the pets can see each other as well as smell each other. Crack the door only 1-2 inches to begin with. Make sure neither pet can get through the opening. 4.) Is a “baby gate” an option? If so, now is the time to implement it. More visual interactions with the new pet. Obviously, this doesn’t work on pets that can get over the gate! Throughout all these steps, it is good practice to do brief, positive interactions (See Step 2 under “Dog to Dog”). With patience, love, and commitment, this can be a positive experience for everyone. |