New Furbaby in the House

Hello everyone! Well, I’m glad you stopped by today because I have some huge news. We have a new puppy! His name is Chio and he’s a Rhodesian Ridgeback. I’m not really sure what that means, just that he might grow to be bigger than me. Right now he’s 20 lbs which is big for a puppy, but small enough for me to show him who’s boss.

Having a new puppy is really fun and exciting. Buuuut, he gets on my nerves sometimes. Chio acts wild and bothers me to play when I just want to chill. Dad takes me out on my own for swims to get some peace.

Lucky for me, my dad Jonathan and mom Cortney did their homework before introducing us. They gathered lots of tips and advice before taking Chio home. To help others in the same situation, we put together the best tips to share with you.

Best Tips for Introducing a Puppy to your Dog

1. Before bringing the puppy home, make sure both pets are fully up to date on their vaccinations, and have been treated for worms and parasites. This is really important as puppies, especially those that come from shelters, can carry contagious conditions that may spread to your other pets. Children can also be at risk.
2. Buy the puppy his own bowls, toys and a bed. This is a trying time for your older dog and you can’t expect them to share.
3. Set up the first meeting in a neutral area. A neighbor’s garden or a park is a good place. Neither dog will feel threatened and will have lots to distract them. It’s best to have a person supervising each dog. Let them greet and sniff each other, holding their leashes loosely. Don’t hold the puppy in your arms for this meeting as s/he might feel threatened and trapped. The main thing is to act as relaxed as possible. If the puppy acts submissive and the older dog snaps or grows, don’t worry, this is normal behavior. It’s just their way of teaching the puppy some manners! Only remove the older dog if he continues to act aggressively.
4. Walk home from the park together. Keep the puppy on a leash and let them explore every room in the house. If the older dog is acting friendly, you can let the puppy off the leash.
5. Always monitor their interactions, especially for the first two weeks. It’s best not to leave them alone during this time, while they get to know each other.
6. Stick to the regular routines of walking and meals. The puppy needs to fit into the routine of the older dog.
7. Meal times, walk times, visits from guests and playtimes may trigger aggression or jealousy. Give each dog their own time alone with you so the older dog feels that they are getting attention and the new puppy has time to bond with you.
8. It’s best to keep their food bowls apart at meal times and discourage any bullying behavior.
9. It’s natural for the older dog to try to teach the puppy new manners. Let the older dog correct the puppy from time to time. It’s important for the puppy not to continually harass the older dog. Intervene if they are developing aggressive behavior towards each other.
10. The best tip of all - give it time and have patience. Both dogs will learn to accept each other with time. Taking the steps above will ensure your puppy fits into the family routine with as little fuss as possible.

These tips are working really well with us so far. As long as he stays away from my ZenCrate I think we’ll get along just fine. There’s no way I’m sharing that!

If you want to follow the adventures of me and my brother Chio, register for our mailing list right on this page. Until next week.

Charger