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joandoe52 · Feb 3, 2012, 03:33 PM

I am getting a female lab pup this week, and am wondering the best way to introduce the new pup. The two dogs are friendly I just do not want them to get territorial and hurt the puppy. Is there any advice out there? I will be setting her up in a kennel first to let them check her out in the house and reward for positive behavior. Any additional advice would be great thanks.

tickle · Feb 3, 2012, 03:52 PM

I don't think you should introduce the new pup in a kennel. That is sending the wrong message to the other two adult pets.

Best question is: you have two adult dogs, basically adult at 2 or so, what are your intentions in the household to deal with maturity. Are they spayed or neutered? Therein lies the problem if both dogs are not spayed or neutered.

You may have a serious problem here if neither are spayed or neutered; labs are passive pitties are aggressive and you are introducing a female lab into the mix.

So what are your intentions... breeding...

joandoe52 · Feb 3, 2012, 04:05 PM

The dogs are both fixed, these are just companions. And the new pup will be fixed as soon as she is able to be.

tickle · Feb 3, 2012, 04:55 PM

I didn't mean to offend you with so many questions, joan, I am glad you are a responsible pet owner, some aren't who come on this site and we are dubious sometimes,

My input advice still stands I would not, in my own household, introduce a new member into the mix in a kennel. I am the alpha front and foremost. The new pup has to be introduced to them both in a social setting. Of course, new pup will be low on the pecking order as is the normal order and you have to expect that. You, being the alpha of the pack has to remain calm in that first encounter; a lot of smelling, nudging, but basically, all will turn out well.

joandoe52 · Feb 3, 2012, 08:13 PM

You didn't offend me I was just wondering because I was not sure how to introduce the new puppy and I read online that a kennel was the best way to introduce a new puppy into the environment.

Lucky098 · Feb 3, 2012, 09:09 PM

I'm not a fan of having the new puppy off limits.

To introduce a puppy, as soon as you get him home start to introduce him to your home and other family members. Once everyone is comfortable with the puppy and the puppy seems to be OK (shouldnt take more than 15 minutes) start to introduce your dogs. I like to do this in the living room. Its nice and big and typically the place where everyone hangs out. Bring in your more dominante dog. Introduce the puppy first by you holding the puppy and letting the adult dog sniff the puppy. If the other dogs is relaxed with the puppy, no stiff body postures or excessively raised hair, let the puppy walk on the floor and sniff the other dog. This is how dogs introduce themselves. Typically, adults are very accepting of puppies. Once the more dominant dog is good with the puppy, introduce the other dog the same way. Depending on the energy of both dogs, you may want to do the intros separately then once both dogs met the puppy, bring both out.

Any time your older dogs interact with the puppy, be there. Never leave them alone with your puppy. Dogs are dogs and they can hurt your puppy, even if its just play.

The only thing you need a crate/kennel for is for crate training.

shazamataz · Feb 4, 2012, 09:49 PM

When I introduced my new pup to my 2 older dogs I did so with a puppy pen.

The new pup was in the pen in the living room and the other dogs had free run of the house as usual. They were extremely interested in the new pup at first (as was the new pup with them) but I kept them separated until they started to lose interest in each other.

Then I finally took away the puppy pen and let them run together supervised.

It's very overwhelming for a new pup coming to a new home so just be mindful not to let the older dogs be too pushy, that's why I used the pen and basically tried to make them bored with the puppy before they even got to run together.