So you’re thinking about adopting a second dog? Do you have a vision that both dogs will be best friends, play and run around the backyard together, then snuggle on the dog bed together at the end of the day? We have almost always had two dogs at the same time in our family.
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But wait, how do you know they’ll be best friends? Are you friends with everyone you meet? Most of us have people we are acquaintances with because we have to be, then we have a small group of close friends that we go out and have fun together.
Don’t expect your dog to love every dog just because you do. And don’t be disappointed if your current and a newly adopted dog don’t hit it off right away. It’s okay for them to just coexist, they don’t need to snuggle and be best buds just because you want them to.
Just as a side note, I am going to refer to your current dog has HE or HIM and your new dog as SHE or HER, just to try and make things less confusing.
Prepare for Adopting a Second Dog
Step 1: Start off by selecting the right dog to be his companion
Think about your current dog’s personality. Try to find a new dog to adopt that will compliment or match your current dog’s energy and personality traits.
Is your dog fearful or lack confidence? A perfect companion may be a confident dog to help teach him to become more confident in himself.
Is he a senior or low-energy dog? Then bringing in a puppy or high-energy dog may just annoy him. Puppies like to play, bite, and crawl over and will not leave your adult dog alone. Consider adopting a 3-5-year-old dog or even another senior dog.
If your dog has any behavior issues, please ask yourself, “should I get another dog”? Those bad behaviors are only going to get worse when getting a second dog.
Also, consider gender and size.
Opposite sex may get along better than same sex. In general, I recommend adopting opposite sexed dogs. When that is not possible, the second best option is to have two males. Two females are the most likely to have issues.
Some items I highly recommend purchasing before bringing home your new dog are a crate, a second leash (leather is my favorite), his own food and water bowls, and his own dog bed.
Bringing Home Another Dog: Day 1
Step 2: Keep the dogs separate
here are certain steps to take when introducing a new dog to your pack. These steps are very important to keep the balance in your house.
I learned about this process when we first started fostering. The rescue insists that we keep our foster dogs and resident dogs separate for a minimum of 24 hours. I’ll be honest, when I first heard this I thought they were crazy. How was I going to possibly keep our dogs separate for an entire day! But they are right; it really works and creates a much smoother transition.
I’ve personally gone through these steps many times. Not only with my own dogs, but every single time we bring in a foster dog. It works, as hard as it may seem, these steps help create a calm and balanced transition.
Even the easiest, happy dogs can get stressed when another dog enters his home. It’s only 24 hours… one day of separation that can change the relationship of your dogs forever.
Step 3: Bringing the new dog inside the house.
Do not allow the new dog to run loose in the house yet. Keep her on a leash, in fact, I recommend keeping her on a leash for several days until you get to know her behavior inside the house.
Use a bedroom or a baby gate to separate an area in your home for the new dog to relax and adjust to his new surroundings.
Keep this separation for 24-48 hours, depending on the dogs. If they seem to be calm and both dogs are easy going, then 24 hours is more than enough.
Remember, your newly adopted dog is undergoing a lot of new things and can be easily stressed out. If your resident dog won’t give her space, then consider a bigger separation.
Read the Bringing Your New Dog Home and the 3-3-3 Rule for more details.
Day 2 or 3 with Your Dogs
Step 4: The first meeting
After the 24-48 hour separation period and both dogs are calm you can start the introduction stage. You need someone to help you with this step.
Never introduce your new dog inside your house.
If you have more than two dogs, introduce one dog at a time. Starting with the calmest and easy-going dog first.
Take both dogs for a long walk. The resident dog in front with you, the newly adopted dog behind with your helper (in a single file, not side-by-side yet).
Walk parallel to each other about 10 feet away, slowly working your way
closer together.
After a good long walk, and both dogs seem calm, allow them to sniff each other’s rears (it’s a dog thing).
Watch the dog’s body language, showing of teeth, growling, stiff erect tail, stiff body stance, ears back, or raised hackles. If any of these occur, give a firm NO, and continue walking. Do not allow this to escalate, as soon as you see ANY of those signs, separate the dogs and start to walk again.
Keep these first interactions short and sweet. Don’t overwhelm either dog with too much sniffing. Once they have a minute to check each other out, start walking again. Repeat several times until everyone is calm.
Once this meeting is successful you may go on to the next step of bringing the dogs inside the house. The resident dog should be allowed to enter the home first, then allow him to welcome the new dog inside.
Step 5: Giving the new dog more space
You can take down the baby gate now and give your new dog a little more freedom. I still recommend restricting one area or floor of your home, in fact, I recommend this for up to a week or more.
If you have a fenced backyard, then allow the dogs to run around free outside together. Keep these sessions short, again not to overwhelm either dog. Allow both dogs to come inside and investigate each other.
Never leave the two dogs alone. If you cannot closely supervise, then put them in their crates or separate rooms.
Step 6: Resource Guarding
If your dog has never had another dog in the house, you may not know if he has resource guarding issues.
Resource guarding can be guarding of people, food, toys, dog bed or any object the dog feels it needs to claim. You need to be super-aware of the signs, and if you’ve never witnessed it before it may catch you off guard at first.
Watch for a showing of teeth, growling, stiff erect tail, stiff body stance, ears back, whale eyes or raised hackles. This is a time you really need to learn your dogs body language.
If you have a resource guarder, then you will need to be super vigilant on feeding time, bones, toys, dog beds, or whatever he likes to guard. Even if you don’t think either dog is going to resource guard, I still suggest having separate feeding areas.
Read Why is My Dog Aggressive with Food – Resource Guarding?.
Day 4 and Beyond with Two Dogs in Your Pack
Step 7: Continue taking it slow
Take a lot of long walks together as a pack. Keep both dogs tired by giving them more than enough exercise. A bored dog equals trouble. Continue being super aware for several weeks or even months, depending on the dogs personality and temperament.
Read Top 5 Reasons to Take Your Dog for a Walk.
Watch for any signs of stress in either dog. If either dog gets overwhelmed, reduce the time they have together and slow it down even more.
Why is it so important to slowly introduce the dogs?
A newly adopted dog is under a tremendous amount of stress. The resident dog is wondering who the heck this new dog is, and why she is in his territory.
Mix these feelings together and you will get a dogfight. Not because either dog is aggressive, but because it takes time to unwind and to help both dogs understand the situation.
Is it better to have two dogs?
Having two dogs is better for our family, but maybe not for yours. Consider everything that goes into owning two dogs: including picking up more dog poop, more dog hair, more training, and more expensive vet bills. Is your current dog really wanting a companion or is all about you?
I wish you all the best of luck with the new addition to your family. Having two dogs can be a lot of fun. Leave a comment below and let me know all about your new dog and how the introductions went. Any additional tips to share with the Rescue Dogs 101 Community?
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Fabulous article! I will do everything you say to do! I feel better about greeting the dogs tomorrow
Please help! So I messed up and I didn't separate them! New dog is super sweet and amazing but my resident dog has had a history of being fearful of other dogs. He's lived with other dogs and he makes friends all the time. I tried to introduce them and they got into a fight. Now my resident dog is really scared in the house and isn't acting himself. Im not sure if I should just start over? Separate them for 48 hours or what? They don't have to be the best of friends but coexisting would be the bare minimum
Yes start over. You will likely have some restoration to do to help your dog gain his confidence again. And you may need to go even slower now. But that’s okay… one step at a time.
Hi! I adopted a 5 year old male dog from the shelter yesterday. I have a 1 year old female Shepherd/corgi mix. She is the sweetest thing but I work all day and thought perhaps she needed a friend. I def didn't want the trouble of a puppy. I know it's only day one but I am super afraid I made a mistake. New doggo is super sweet and isn't aggressive. He's already a bit attached to me which I find strange. Worried my resident doggo is upset. I definitely didn't have your info beforehand or I would have kept them separate and I now I think I fudged the whole thing up. I work from home and just thought why not. My resident dog has been stressed all day and is super wary. I picked a male dog because she has had several encounters with female dogs and she hated it. I thought she didn't like girl dogs but maybe it's just other dogs in general. What's the tie frame for adjusting and when will I know if it hasn't worked?
First, I recommend reading the 3-3-3 rule. Then take a step back and go ahead and separate them now. Start today as the first day and start over. It’s going to take time for them both to decompress from the new situation. Be patient and give them both time and space.
Hi Debbie, I recently…4 days ago to be exact, took in a 10 month old German Shepherd. I didn't choose this option because I was seeking another dog. I already have 3. 2 German Shepherds (7&9yrs old) and a 7 lb mix (5yrs old). I agreed to take the dog because a friend asked me for one of her friends. He belonged to an elderly lady who got him as a puppy. A few months ago she began having Heart problems and can no longer take care of him. When I spoke to her I could hear the desperation in her voice. I was afraid she would be so desperate to get rid of him that he might go to a bad home. I reluctantly agreed. He is a great dog!! I already love him. However, my 2 shepherds are not friendly and is scaring the new dog even though he is bigger than either one of mine. I should also make you aware that they are ALL males. The 7 lb dog is sorta of ok with him. My other 2 shepherds are not. I have 3 teenage boys that all agreed to help out with the chores of having 4 dogs. I am also very sick myself and some days cannot get out of bed. The sun and heat also affect my diseases in severe ways. After only 4 days it is very evident they are not going to be of much help. My mom has said she may be interested but I'm afraid she cannot handle a dog that large and strong at 10 mos old. I am struggling with giving him up. I hate the thought of rehoming a dog especially when he is such an awesome dog already. He is already attached to me and me to him. But I don't want him traumatized because of my other dogs. I know it's only been 4 days but I also physically can't continue like I have had to these last few days. I'm already feeling the affect on my health. With all that said…am I making the right decision for the new dog or should I push through and try to give my dogs more time? When I say I love this dog, I mean we have a closeness like I've had him his whole life. I do not want to do anything that's going to traumatize him. And I feel like the last 2 times we've introduced my older Shepherd to him it traumatizes him . He stands with his tail between his legs and hides behind me. It breaks my heart. I haven't even tried to introduce my youngest shepherd who is much more aggressive than my older one. I'm emotionally and physically drained already. Can you help me work all this out?
I can hear the desperation in your words. It sounds like you already know what is the right thing to do. And I think you need to do what is best for your health and for the health of the new dog.
Hi Debbie,
Thank you for the information!
I have a 2.5 year old male mastiff x who I rescued at 6 months, Fenix, who sleeps most of the day, not doing many zoomies anymore mostly chilled out. However he does bark at the cats next door and recently been grumpy towards puppies. I have really been considering getting another dog, because of many reasons, but I’m also very aware of the issues that may arise and I don’t want to “fail”.
The new dog I’m looking at is a female and she’s 1.5 years old. She needs to be rehomed as she doesn’t get along with the other animals (poultry) in her previous home. She is energetic and apparently she has a bit of separation anxiety (follows her human everywhere).
I live 4 hrs away from where the new dog is. So meeting them for walks would not be an option. I also live in a townhouse with a smaller backyard but I have lots of parks near me and I always take Fenix out.
How do you suggest I introduce them? Should I bring Fenix to meet the new dog, which means they’ll be in the same car on the way home?
How do I know if my dog would enjoy a companion?
What do you mean by keep them separate? I crate train my dogs so I will originally have crates as my place is not the biggest, although Fenix does not use his crate much anymore but he does like it.
If you have any wisdom or advice, it would be greatly appreciated. I’d love to hear your thoughts
Thank you
Separate meaning different rooms or areas of the house. They should not be allowed to interact the first day. Have you though about fostering? I could be a great way to see if Fenix would enjoy having a companion… and a great way to find the perfect fit for you and him.
Hi Debbie,
We have an Australian Shepard mix 4 yrs old. We adopted a Golden retriever/Great Pyrenees a month ago. I searched the web and found articles that said introduce them outside on neutral territory first. Then bring them to your back yard and let them play then bring them inside. All in one day. Which we did. Everything went well until about a few hours into being inside when the rescue attacked our dog. We thought It was just a minor scuffle. It was when my daughter was patting our dog our new rescue got jealous. Our dog ran upstairs terrified. He came back down the next morning with our other daughter and our rescue approached our other daughter then saw our dog behind her and immediately attached him but much more vicious this time. Now we have them gated away from each other but they constantly bark if they see each other of if they see us paying attention to one and not the other. Do we have to send the rescue back? Or can this be fixed? We love him already.
Can it be fixed, most likely, but it’s going to take a lot of time to rehabilitate the relationship already scared. So the question to send him back is up to you. How much time and patiences and training are you willing to invest. Obviously you don’t want the dogs to spend the rest of their lives stressed.
I may be bringing a 15yo female beagle home. I already 10yo male beagle and a 5yo female beagle. FYI i work in a senior assisted living facility. The lady who the the dog belongs has had surgery and its a probability she will not be coming back. I will not let this dog go to the shelter. What is the best way to introduce the new dog to the family?
That is great you can take care of the ladies dog for her. Use all the tips in the article and you will have a smooth transition.
Would you recommend doing a short introduction outside the home on day 1 or just separation then introduction on day 2-3?
Hi. So we currently have a 6 yr old rescue that we have had for about a year and half. He obviously has had a rough life. He is sweet and even tempered but does not play, play fetch or play with any toys. I believe it’s bc he was a stray his whole life. When at dog parks at times it looks like he wants to play but he truly never engages with another dog. Do you think adding a second dog is a bad idea? In my head I hope that another dog would maybe help him learn to play and to loosen up. But is this just wishful thinking??
It’s always possible. But not all dogs enjoy playing with other dogs. He is 6, so not a playful puppy anymore. Maybe consider fostering dogs for a while to see if he likes having another dog in the house.
We’re currently looking to introduce a second dog to our home now. Both are rescues so a bit skittish but generally placid and shy (resident dog a bit leash reactive, new dog quite a new rescue so very submissive and shy, nothing much known about his background, but he’s been with his fosters for four months) Neither dog plays with strange dogs ever (resident dog hates pushy dogs) but resident dog loves to play with her friends she knows well (they developed a relationship just by walking the same route every day).
We’ve taken them on two walks together and they’ve been fine (mostly ignored apart from the occasional sniff of each other).
Here’s where I’m worried we went wrong – we brought the prospective new dog inside our house at the end of a walk for a brief visit and our resident dog snapped at him a couple of times – once because he tried to walk in the door before her, and once because I stupidly put their water bowls too close together. The new dog yelped and backed down. Then for the rest of the visit the resident dog ignored new dog entirely (around the corner, sleeping near us) and then slowly went over to watch the new dog from a short distance. New dog was obviously a bit fearful and turned his head away, so they were both stressed. So we decided an hour’s visit was enough and took the new dog home, and as he was leaving our property our current dog barked at him a bit.
We’ve planned to just continue taking it slow – walks together on neutral ground for a couple of weeks, no visits yet. The new dog’s foster has to give him up in a month so we said we’d take him then but now I’m a bit worried that maybe this is a bad idea, and we should just give it up – have we ruined their relationship? Can we still manage a happy integration?
Obviously no guarantees. But I think it can still be successful. The new dog is likely now aware that he needs to give the resident dog more space. I obviously don’t know your dogs, so I’d rely on the foster to get her take on the new dog. Maybe even hire a dog behaviorist to help set you up for success.