Houses filled with pets have a lot of love. However, they also have a lot of responsibilities. When introducing a new addition to your pet household–whether it’s a new dog, cat, or child– you must ensure that everyone is safe in the environment. Ultimately, your pets don’t speak your language, so even though you know them well and can guess how they’ll respond to a situation, you never know.
You want your new addition to feel welcomed in your home, and you want your current pets to get along well with them. So whether you’re bringing home a new baby or a new pet, you must find ways to safely introduce everyone to ensure there will be no negative feelings.
Introducing Pets
Pets typically experience some amount of stress when meeting new people or animals, so it’s best to control their behavior when introducing them to something new. Remember, your pets are part of your family, so there’s no reason to put anyone in an uncomfortable or dangerous situation. Instead, follow these tips for introducing a new addition to your pet household.
Prepare Beforehand
If you’re bringing home a new pet, ensure they have everything they need before they make it to your home, including their own bed, bowls, and toys. You may also want to grab a pet gate to introduce pets to each other easier. For example, if you’re introducing a cat to your dog, you can put a barrier like a gate between them to let them sniff and see each other before physically interacting.
You should also prepare your home to ensure it’s safe for your new pet. For example, if your landlord has a pet policy, you may have to notify them of any new pets before bringing them home. In addition, keeping your new pet on the lease will inform your landlord not to enter your home without notice to ensure you can lock your pets up before they enter.
Let Them Explore
New pets may be afraid when you first bring them home because they’re in a new environment. If possible, put your other pets in another room or put them in the yard to let your new pet experience their surroundings without worrying about other pets. Letting your new pet explore your home can help them feel much safer and start to understand that your home is their new home. When introducing cats to other cats, you should always keep them separate for the first few days and slowly introduce them to one another because some cats can be incredibly territorial.
Introduce Using Scents
Introducing pets to other pets is a process. You should never put two pets together in the same room and hope it goes well. Some dogs and cats may seem calm but get agitated when a new animal enters their space. The safest way to introduce pets to other pets is to introduce their scents to each other first.
Animals use their powerful sense of smell to learn about the world around them, including other animals. So letting your pets get used to each other’s scents can make meeting one another easier and less stressful.
Never Punish Pets
Your new and old pets may growl, hiss, or try to fight with one another when they’re first introduced. You can reduce this risk by putting a pet gate between them. However, pets fight sometimes, so even after your pets have lived together for years, they may still have reason to growl at each other.
These types of behaviors are normal when animals first meet, and punishing them can make them more aggressive. Additionally, punishing your pets when they’re together can make them form negative associations with each other, which is the opposite of what you want.
Supervise Them
Whether you’re introducing your new pet to other pets or people, they should be supervised until you’re sure they will behave themselves. Someone can get hurt when pets fight, so supervision is the best way to ensure your pets will get along with each other. If your pets start fighting, you can separate them with a physical object like a pillow, which might startle or distract them enough to make them stop. If your pets need to be separated, have a pet gate handy and all times to ensure your pets can remain calm in each other’s presence.
Keep Bowls Separate
Both cats and dogs have been known to be territorial and protective of their things. If your new pet drinks water from your other pet’s bowl, your pet might become protective. Instead, keep their bowls separate to reduce the need to compete for resources.
Stick to Your Routine
Pets, especially dogs, respond to a routine and can become anxious when there’s a shift in routine. Since your pets have already experienced something different in their lives, it’s always best to stick to your routine. Therefore, if your dog usually goes out at the same time, continue to take them at that time to reduce anxiety.
Give Your Pets Attention
Your pets need attention, especially when they’re going through a stressful transition period. Your old pet will need attention to reassure them that you still love them, while your new pet will need attention to help them form a bond with you.
Final Thoughts
Never rush your pets into meeting each other. Let your dog meet another dog on neutral ground outside of the home to help them get acquainted with one another. When introducing pets inside your home, keep them separate for the first few days, allowing them to get comfortable with each other’s presence and scents. If your pets exhibit aggression towards each other, never scold them because it could worsen the situation. Instead, separate them to ensure everyone’s safety.
Introducing new pets may be a slow process. If you rush the process, your pets may never get along. However, if you stay mindful of your pet’s body language and behaviors, you can ensure a smooth transition to ensure both pets are safe and happy together.