One year old shih tzu, now introducing a new dog?

[Maria B]

I have a one year old shih tzu (she'll be one in december), she's a female and she has a lovely temperament, she is a big 'excited' but she is yet to be spayed so she will calm down after wards. She will be spayed within the next month or so, my vet advised me to let her have one season before spaying her (just going by the vet's advice).
Anyway, she gets on well with other dogs, so I decided to get a male king charles spaniel (I don't have him just yet), they will both be spayed so i'm not interested in breeding them, i just love them as companions.
What is the best way to introduce a new dog?

 

[Anne]

You should first introduce them in a neutral area for the both of them, so maybe a park or a friend's house. If all goes well, you can then bring the new dog into your house. Even if things go well when they are at your house, keep the new dog in a separate room for a few weeks. Carefully plan and supervise each interaction and give both dogs lots of praise and treats when they show good behaviour towards each other. Barking or growling should be ignored, however if a fight breaks out obviously intervene and separate them.

If your old dog does show aggression towards the new dog or barks and growls a lot at them, make their meetings in neutral areas like a park or a neighbour's house. Reward the old dog a lot for good behaviour and slowly build up on the interaction between the two. If they start to do well with their interactions in the park, start to introduce them again inside the house. You can also try to put a gate up in an area of your house so your dogs can see each other but still be separated. Again, praise them both a lot for any good interaction they have.

The key is to move things very slowly and to try to only give the two dogs pleasant experiences with each other.

 

[bluebonnetgranny]

On neutral territory, like a park, parking lot , at a friends house, just somewhere where neither dogs claims territory. Then ride home together.

 

[Julie]

When you introduce them be sure its on a neutral territory, not in your yard or in the yard of the other dog, maybe a park would be good, and have another person handle the new dog, just let them take their time and they will probably adjust to each other.