Content

• To step
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Do you have more than one dog, or are you considering adopting a new dog? With a little planning, it is not difficult to establish the hierarchy, to make sure that all dogs are happy and to keep the peace!

To step

1. Think carefully before bringing in more dogs. If you are thinking about getting a new dog, there are a few important things to think about first to make sure you can cope with a lifestyle that involves more than one dog. Each additional dog will take extra time and effort to feed, coat, exercise and play with, as well as cost more money. And, if one dog misbehaves, he can let the other dog participate, leaving you with two Marley's (poorly behaved dogs). Also consider the needs of your existing dog; if your dog is a little older and probably isn't looking forward to the hustle and bustle and frolic of a puppy due to ailments or illness, this may not be a good time to introduce a new dog into your family. On the other hand, it can be just what a healthy but lazy older dog needs!
2. If you've decided you can handle an extra mouth to feed, train, and care for, don't hesitate anymore. One of the great benefits of having two or more dogs is that they bond and keep each other entertained. But you will also need to be clear from the start that each dog means more work to you and more one-to-one connection to make this relationship work with multiple dogs.
3. Introduce your new dog to the existing dog before you bring her home. A good way to introduce your new dog to your existing dogs is to take the dogs out to meet her first. If they seem to get along then you know it has a good chance, but if there are aggression issues right away then this may not be the dog for you.
   • Do not immediately introduce the new dog to existing dogs on the day of arrival. Keep existing dogs out and give the newcomer time to explore and familiarize yourself with your home first.
   • When you finally introduce the newcomer to the pre-existing dogs, choose a neutral spot; basically somewhere where your current dog hasn't spent much time. And take it easy; it may take a while for them to establish themselves.
4. Know what to expect when dogs first meet. Let your dogs run loose so they can get to know each other on dog terms. Expect to sniff each other's backside, nose-to-nose and postures (walking with stiff legs, putting one paw over the other dog's shoulder, hair up, etc.). Sounds they can make include barking, howling, and wailing. This is canine socialize and you better not get involved and just watch as most dogs figure out this part of greeting and acceptance among themselves; they figure out where in the pack each dog has their place while you reassure them all that you and the other humans remain the alpha! Also pay attention to any territorial markings that occur. While seen as a natural form of communication between dogs and a means of determining dominance and social status, it can become a major irritation if it occurs in your home. Dog training techniques or anti-marking products such as sprays, dog diapers, and special dog clothes can help prevent this from becoming a problem.
   • Stay positive. Dogs pick up negative emotions. Be positive about their meeting and assume that they can get along instead of worrying about it. If you are enthusiastic about their meeting, they will pick it up and take it as a sign to respond positively to each other.
   • Watch and take the dogs apart when you see them snarl, run up and growl, both pose and try to jump each other, disinterest in one dog while the other keeps getting an older and younger dog), or if they just stare at each other (a fight for dominance). In these cases, you better step in and take them apart. You will then have to get them used to each other more gradually (and a good start is to walk with them on a leash).
   • Seek professional help if the situation between the dogs does not improve. It happens more often and the advice is well worth it. The kind of professional you can approach is your vet, a professional dog trainer, or an animal behaviorist.
   • Notice the dog hierarchy. The hierarchy will quickly form and you will see which dog will walk first, eat first, spend time with you first, etc. You must affirm this hierarchy with your own behavior (still being the alpha ) and at the same time do not exclude the subordinate dog (s).
5. Keep things running smoothly and bond with each of your dogs. Once you have successfully introduced the dogs, then it is time to run your multi-dog household where you are the boss and not the dogs. It sounds easy but once there is more than one dog, the pack mentality can easily take over and there can be a tendency in the dogs to see you or other family members as lower in the rank (often with your unconscious consent through your own behavior and actions). And worse, many people assume that having two dogs means taking care of each other, revealing the need to have control over each dog and a bond with each dog individually. The reality is that you have to put as much effort into training and spending time with dog number two, three, four, etc. as you have put in dog number one.
6. Avoid changes in dominance that put humans under dogs in the pack. Start training your dogs and also pay attention to your own behavior towards the dogs.Teach both dogs basic obedience; if your first dog has already been trained (which should have been done before you get a second dog), then simply test his willingness to obey and refresh what is needed. And train the new dog to the same level as the existing dog. Have every dog ​​in your multi-dog household treat you as the boss and every other human family member as above them in the pack. If you don't, they will fight each other for the top position and ignore your commands.
   • Make sure you don't put yourself down in the pack. You have to stay in charge, or the alpha leader of the pack. Make sure each of your dogs listens to and responds to your taught commands. If your dogs aren't listening to you, return to basic training. No walk, treats, play, etc. until commands are obeyed! And don't let your dog go through the door before you do; retrain a dog that starts doing that.
   • Training multiple dogs is a complete area of ​​knowledge of itself; research the best approach to this for you, and seek advice from a professional dog trainer if necessary. Proper training is essential for harmony in a multi-dog household.
7. Work towards leaving your dogs alone for a while together. If this works well from the start, then that's nice. But it may take time to get to this point and if so you may want to consider keeping them separate when you are away and gradually leaving them together when you get home, increasing the time until they can be left alone together . The importance of this is that, when left home alone, they are ultimately most comfortable with being able to keep each other company and not miss you or other human company while you are away.
   • Crate training can help initially when you train your dogs to get used to each other. Keep them in the same room so they can see each other.
8. Recognize the signs of aggression. Examine dog body language to be able to see what just game what a real fight is and when a fight starts. This is no different from looking for the signs when greeting in the beginning; it is important to stay alert for possible aggression at any time when they are together. But if your dogs get along well and you've trained them well, then there are probably only a few times when aggression breaks out between them. Moments to watch out for include illness, food possession, pregnancy or motherhood, introducing another new pet, a new baby into the family, and any time when everyone in the family is too busy to spend even a little time with the family. dogs.
   • Be wary of items that a dog is very attached to. This can cause friction if the other dog doesn't realize to stay away from it. Most dogs will get the message when there is a grunt. If it really becomes a problem, remove the object when the possessive dog is not looking and throw it away.
   • Never punish growling. Dogs growl to warn each other when they are upset and want to avoid a fight. It is, in fact, the canine form of diplomacy. If you punish this, you can stop the sound, but it will not end the associated turmoil. Dogs punished in this way can attack without warning.
9. Feed each dog in its own bowl, with plenty of space between them, or even in separate crates or areas / rooms if there are signs of aggression during feeding. Feeding multiple dogs shouldn't become a war zone. Make sure that they are not fed close together, or that they are fed in such a way that a dog may feel that it is lacking compared to another dog. Make sure to give each dog their own food bowl and place, and feed them at the same time. Feeding in a crate or a separate room can lessen any challenges posed by relationships between dominant and submissive dogs, something that people believe the dogs over it should come, but which in terms of dog behavior won't happen, and putting them too close together can just make things worse. And when they have finished eating, remove the food so there is no temptation to stray to the other dog's food bowl and become possessive about it.
   • Feed the alpha dog first to avoid competition in the hierarchy.
   • When giving dogs a bone, at the same time give each dog a decent bone for themselves, and if there are signs of a fight over a bone, move one dog to one side of the yard, and the other dog to another part, to prevent the dominant dog from stealing the submissive dog's bone. Do something to make sure both dogs get their bones, even if you need to create separate bone eating areas with chicken wire or something similar.
   • A water bowl for all dogs may be sufficient if it is large enough for the number of dogs you have, but if in doubt, set up a second water bowl.
10. Pay balanced attention, but keep asserting the hierarchy. Dogs are pack animals and will naturally place themselves in pack order. Usually they don't care where they are in the pack, as long as they are sure of that place. Most people feel a natural tendency to make things fair and equal through to rise for the omega dog, and thereby unwittingly disrupt the hierarchy. If dogs aren't sure which of them should take the role of alpha, fights can break out. Make sure the alpha dog in your household is fed first, gets toys first, goes through doors first, and gets attention first. Don't ignore the omega dog, but don't give it a reward and attention until the alpha gets it. This will reduce the need to fight for dominance.
11. Make sure each dog has its own place to sleep. Like food bowls, beds also need to be custom for each dog. Make it clear which place belongs to which dog, and keep them in fixed places in the sleeping area so that they don't feel too close to each other. Left to themselves, dogs in a multi-dog household will choose their own place to sleep. If you don't like the choices, then you will have to train them to sleep elsewhere. And don't be surprised if they choose to co-sleep; just make sure there is enough space and a cushion or basket for each dog.
12. Have fun with your multi-dog household. If you are constantly on the verge of panic when your dogs interact, a fight is more likely to ensue because they sense their owner's emotions and fears. Instead, enjoy it and have fun!
    • Keep the dogs busy. Provide them with lots of toys and replace toys that fall apart. Have toy bones, pull ropes, balls, etc. available for them. If the dogs differ significantly in size, make sure there are toys for all sizes.
    • Exercise your dog regularly. This will release pent-up energy and will also reduce the tendency to bark a lot, which is something your neighbors don't like about multi-dog households.

Tips

• If you have multiple dogs, feed them the appropriate food for their age and dietary needs. This is also an important reason for feeding them separately; you don't want old Fido to eat the puppy food while having to eat senior food! Of course this is more work for you, but that is part of keeping multiple dogs.
• If your dogs need different grooming, make sure to make up for the time for the dog that needs the least grooming by petting her and giving her a little extra cuddling.
• An older dog can be irritated by an excited puppy; if you are looking for a companion for your dog, consider choosing an adult dog.
• Let your dogs help. This will end dominant behavior and prevent unplanned litters.
• Train your dogs separately, or at least do so until they are advanced enough not to get distracted by each other. Preferably, your existing dog will be trained before you bring in a new dog, unless you are having two or more puppies at the same time.

Warnings

• Just because a dog is calm and reserved does not mean he wants less attention and affection than your noisy pushy dog. Give them both equal attention and love.
• If your dogs start to fight, contact a professional dog trainer. You don't want to try to end aggressive behavior yourself! Learn how to end a dog fight safely; investigate this before you get the new dog. At the very least, throw a blanket over fighting dogs to make them disoriented and allow you to take them apart.
• If you have a dog in heat, consider getting her neutered to avoid aggression and unwanted litters. Bitches in heat can be fickle and aggressive, and anything can happen if you're not careful.
• Overly enthusiastic dogs can become aggressive without initially intending it that way. Feeding time, return after absence and playtime can be sources of a lot of stress for some dogs, so watch carefully when excitement becomes too much.

Necessities

• Separate baskets, food bowls, toys for each dog
• Separate sleeping places or areas for each dog
• Leashes or harnesses for every dog
• Appropriate play areas and training areas, enclosures for dogs to stay in and fences to keep them separate when needed
• Obedience classes