Introducing a New Pet to the Household

Introducing a New Pet to the Household

Introducing a new pet into the household can cause a lot of anxiety and stress for those that are already established in the home, especially if the initial introduction does not get off on the right foot. This makes it particularly important to make sure that the first meeting between your pets goes as smoothly as you can hope for. Here are our tips for how to go about things in the best way.

Don’t Force The Issue

Not all pets will necessarily get on well, especially in the beginning. It’s therefore important not to force interaction between them. Let them engage with each other at their own pace. This could take weeks or even months in some cases, depending on how receptive they are to one another.

Take Things Slowly

On a similar note, introductions should be done on a gradual basis to reduce the possibility of aggression between your pets.

Introducing Dogs

Initially, your dogs should be introduced to each other via smell, rather than sight. This can be done by making sure that their scent rubs onto things like toys, for example. Many experts recommend that your new dog is crated prior to first being introduced to your dog, and let out several times per day to explore their new home. During this time, they will be leaving their scent on things and you can introduce your dog’s scent to them by introducing toys and other objects into their crate. The first meeting should happen on neutral ground to reduce the likelihood of territorial disputes.

Introducing Cats and Dogs

Firstly, you’ll need to make sure that both pets have a chance to be relaxed with one another. In the beginning, you may therefore want to put your dog on a leash in case they react aggressively or get over excited. Encourage them to have calm and friendly interactions with each other and supervise them throughout until you are confident that they formed some degree of tolerance or affection. While you still suspect that your dog may chase or frighten your cat, it’s best not to let them off the leash during interactions with your cat.

Some dogs and cats will never get on well, despite your best efforts. Sometimes, cats will just ignore your dog or simply tolerate their presence in the home. Over time, they may become more friendly but this will not always be the case. Even if your cat does seem to get on well with your dog, they will benefit from having high perches to escape to for time away from each other.

Introducing Cats

In the early days, both cats should be separated until they are comfortable with each other’s presence. The new arrival should be initially confined to a ‘safe’ room that contains their food and water bowls, litter tray and toys. Both cats can then be fed on either side of the door to this room so that they can get used to each other’s scent while engaging in a pleasurable activity such as eating. Over time, you can build up to opening this door gradually so that they become aware of each other. Once they are happy for the door to be fully open, you can initiate a short face-to-face meeting during mealtimes. If either cat becomes anxious or aggressive during this, cut the introduction short and try again another time. The goal is to gradually increase the time spent in the same room until they become more used to each other.

Do you have any more tips for introducing new pets into the home? Let us know in the comments section below!