How to Help Dogs Get Along

If you are adopting a second dog, and you want to know how to help your dogs get along, there are some guidelines you need to follow.

A common mistake people make when introducing dogs is tossing them together in one dog’s territory and hoping that they’ll get along.

If you bring your dog into another dog’s space, you run the risk of the other dog becoming aggressive in order to defend his territory. And that means your dog may end up submissive and fearful, or they may fight back.

How to Introduce Dogs

All dogs should meet in a neutral place, and go on a walk together before going into either one’s home. Make sure you enter first, next enters the dog whose home it is, followed by the new dog.

What if it’s too late? 

It’s not the end of the world if the dogs get into a fight. Break up the fight quickly and calmly. Pull the more aggressive dog up, not back. Don’t yell or shriek.

And then? Then forget it ever happened. If you’re relaxed, the dogs will relax, too. The best way to help your dogs get along in the future is by forgetting it ever happened.

Avoid Future Fights

The best way to avoid future fights is by establishing yourself as a strong pack leader. Hold consistent limits and boundaries, so they start seeing each other on the same team, as submissive to you.

Walk your dogs side by side so they can continue to bond. A side by side walk helps them get their energy out, and helps them focus on the same goal.

Avoid isolating the dogs from one another. Keeping them in separate rooms creates separate territories for each one that they feel the need to protect. This will cause fights in the future over space.

Be Chill

If your dogs do get into a fight in the future, the best thing you can do is calmly break it up, and forget it ever happened. Be in charge, maintain your alpha status, and reward them when they are being calm.