Welcome to Pet Peeves, a monthly series that aims to provide pet care solutions and expert advice for challenging scenarios that involve your beloved animal companions.
Introducing a new pet into the home when there are already resident animals is a process that requires patience, the ability to read animal behavior cues, a space that’s set up to ensure safe interactions and some more patience. Just like human beings, every animal has their own distinct personality, fears and confidence levels—which means how they respond to novel situations will always be unique. In other words, there’s no surefire way to predict how a cat or dog will react to another furry face moving into their home. There are, however, steps you can take to help the process go as smoothly as possible.
If you're introducing a new pet into the home, you need a space that's set up to ensure safe ... [+]
This topic kicks off our new monthly series Pet Peeves, where I’ll be answering pet care–related questions with expert advice from veterinarians, animal behaviorists, trainers and other relevant pros. Outside of my day job as managing editor at Forbes Vetted, I’m an active dog companion volunteer at the Animal Care Centers of NYC. I’ve been involved in local animal welfare for two decades, during which I’ve volunteered with dog and cat rescues, worked as an adoptions counselor at the ASPCA, and fostered (and adopted) many dogs, cats and rabbits. Through this, I’ve done my fair share of welcoming new pets into the home in a way that aims to minimize stress and maximize the comfort of all my animal companions.
If you’re introducing new cat or dog to a resident pet (or pets), the most important thing to remember is to take things extremely slowly. “I like to remind people that it's similar to if you were to get a new roommate,” says Juliana DeWillems, a certified dog behavior consultant and owner of JW Dog Training. “It's likely going to take time to get to know each other, understand each other and learn how to communicate with each other.” Below, here’s what you should keep in mind before welcoming a new pet into the home, based on insight and tips from animal behavior experts. And remember: Before any introduction, it’s crucial that all pets are up to date on their vaccines.
How To Introduce Two Dogs
Make sure you have a way to safely house the dogs in separate areas of the home, and do their first introduction in a neutral location. The most important rule: Don’t rush things.
Gather The Necessary Supplies And Prepare Your Home
“Bringing home a new pet into an established pet household can be overwhelming if there is no preparation,” says Darris Cooper, national dog training manager at Petco. “It’s important to prepare the environment for the new arrival and ensure the family is ready.”
For dogs in particular, you want to have a few supplies at the ready. Some essentials include a gate to designate separate spaces, a crate for the new pup, feeding stations and toys for each dog, dog beds and, of course, lots of dog treats for training purposes. It’s important to ensure your home is set up beforehand to avoid conflict over things like sleeping spaces, toys or food.
“Look at where your current dog likes to spend time,” says DeWillems, who stresses that each dog should have its own space at the beginning. “You want to make sure that both the resident dog and current dog don't feel like their space is being infringed upon, and that the new dog coming in has somewhere to settle into. Every dog is going to be different in terms of how much separation they need initially.”
Plan For The First Interaction To Happen Outside Of The Home
“I recommend having their first meeting take place in a neutral location away from home,” says Cooper. “If one or both dogs are very energetic, it’s a good idea to give them some exercise beforehand so that they are calmer for this first interaction.” Begin the interaction with the pups at a distance, like on a parallel walk with space between them, and reward calm behavior with treats, which can also be used to help redirect as needed.
It’s important to realize, however, that some pups will benefit from being off-leash if they exhibit stressful behaviors when on a leash, says DeWillems—so it’s not always as easy as sticking to a blanket guideline. Depending on the dogs, a calm, safe playdate somewhere neutral where they can roam more freely may be a safer option. And it’s always worth enlisting the help of a force-free trainer if you’re unsure of the best route to take.
Some subtle signs of stress that you want to be aware of include yawning, lip licking and shaking off when they’re not wet; these all may indicate that a dog is feeling a little uncomfortable, and you’ll probably want to cut the interaction short. Just keep in mind that rocky starts are common, notes DeWillems, so don’t feel discouraged if your furry companions aren’t best friends right away.
After that initial introduction, observe the animals’ body language and stress signals to gauge everyone’s comfort levels in order to determine next steps. Some dogs can share space safely right away, while others might need a bit more time to decompress and get acclimated to their new surroundings. (The latter is more common.) Using a gate to separate animals indoors is recommended until you feel they can safely be in the same area without a boundary between them. Most rescues and shelters typically advise at least a two-week separation period when bringing home a pup, but again, every dog-to-dog dynamic is different.
Consider The Age Difference Between Your New Dog And Resident Dog During Early Interactions
“Puppies are going to be easier in some ways and harder in others,” says DeWillems. “[They’re] easier because they're typically more kind of malleable and adaptable, but they can be harder because they might be very eager to play. And if your current dog is much older, they might not be very interested in that.”
And if the older dog growls, don’t panic. That signal “could be a warning for the puppy to learn boundaries,” says Cooper, noting that it’s “not always a sign of overt aggression.” He adds: “If you’re worried your puppy’s high energy levels may bother or cause an accidental injury for your older pup, you can take your puppy for a walk or have separate playtime first.”
Regardless of the dogs’ ages and known history, make sure that all introductory meetings are supervised, and try to end them on a positive note before any stress builds up. For puppies and adolescent or high-energy dogs, having some long-lasting chews on hand to give them while they’re crated or in a separate area of the home may help them expend their energy in a way that isn’t destructive and doesn’t stress out the resident dog. A stuffed Kong is another great option.
Increase Their Time Together, And Commit To Training
As long as your new pet and resident pet don’t show signs of aggression, you can increase their time together for longer durations and eventually allow unrestricted access to one another. To help strengthen their relationship and learn what tools you’ll want to use to approach certain scenarios, you may also want to consider hiring a force-free trainer; your local Petco also offers private and group training sessions.
And again, slow and steady is key. The “3/3/3 rule” is often referenced in the animal-rescue world, and it refers to the approximate adjustment period of a shelter animal in a new home: three days to decompress, three weeks to learn the humans’ routine and three months to feel at home and build trust. While there isn’t scientific data to back up this exact timeline, and adjustment periods vary for each dog, it’s something to consider as your furry companion is settling in. Be prepared to see different behavior around those increments, says DeWillems.
When can you comfortably leave two dogs alone unsupervised? There’s no blanket rule for this of course, but as DeWillems advises, “you want a really solid track record of things going well before doing so—no conflicts, getting along safely and enjoying each other.” And then whenever you do begin leaving them alone, start slowly, stepping out for 15-minute windows here and there. “If you have a camera and can watch them, that's obviously going to help give you data about how they're doing as well together,” she adds.
How To Introduce Two Cats
Keep them separate in the beginning, using scent-swapping to get them used to the other’s presence. Having vertical space and hideout areas also helps once the cats are ready for face-to-face interactions.
Make Sure They’re Set Up In Separate Areas Of The Home, Each With Their Own Set Of Belongings
You want them to each have their own litter box, bedding and toys. “This will help the new cat feel more at ease and not like they are intruding on the resident cat’s space,” says Cooper. “After the cats are settled into their areas, trade a piece of the cats’ bedding so that they can get used to each other’s scents. Wait a few days, then change the bedding back so the cats can layer their scents together into a communal scent. As the cats continue to build a communal scent, they can get used to the idea that another cat lives with them.” (A self-warming cat mat is something that works well for scent-swapping, though you can do this with their bed and toys as well.) Once they get used to the other’s scent, you can let them explore the other’s space by themselves. Then move on to intros.
For the first few introductions, you may also want to try feeding them on either side of a screened door or a gate that isn’t tall enough for them to jump over, so they can associate the other’s presence with something positive like mealtime. As long as there are no signs of stress or aggression (like consistent growling or hissing) you can let them meet without a barrier, and slowly increase the amount of time they are spending together if things continue to go smoothly. Having vertical spaces to escape to and hideout areas like cat trees may also be beneficial and help reduce their stress. And you’ll want to have at least one standard or self-cleaning litter box for every cat in the home to prevent stress-induced accidents.
How To Introduce A Dog And Cat (Or Another Small Animal)
Start all early intros with your dog on-leash and physical barriers to ensure safety. And don’t expect them to be friends immediately: Successful interspecies relationships may take many, many months to cultivate.
Take Things Especially Slowly
Like with any new pet, you won’t want to go straight to a face-to-face meeting, especially if you don’t know the dog’s history with cats (and vice versa). Let your new pet acclimate to the surroundings before any introductions with the resident pet happen. “You can help each pet get used to the other’s scent by placing their towels or beds in the other’s area or letting one pet roam the other’s area of the home when it’s unoccupied,” says Cooper.
And when you’re ready for the first supervised interaction, you want to make sure your dog is on a leash; physical barriers are also critical in this situation, DeWillems notes. “In all scenarios but especially here, you have to put extreme systems in place to keep your resident animal—cat or small animal—safe,” says DeWillems. “And not just physically safe, but emotionally comfortable.” You want to avoid any scenario where they may feel threatened.
“For their first face-to-face meeting, minimize stress by allowing your cat (or other small pet) to roam free,” says Cooper. “They will set the tone.” Keep your dog on leash or secured behind a sturdy gate so that both pets can see and sniff each other. “It’s important to take your time and never force interactions,” he adds. “If your dog is highly aroused or excited while on leash, redirect your dog's behavior and increase the distance between both animals.”
It’s difficult to put an exact timeline on when you can safely have the animals meet without a barrier. Also, it’s entirely possible that it may never be safe—if a dog has a high prey drive, for instance, and is continually fixated on the cat or small animal. But after weeks or months of slow, controlled, positive interactions, you may feel that they are ready to meet without the assistance of a gate. At this point, start by making sure your cat’s food bowls and litter box are somewhere the dog won’t be able to reach, and that your dog is on a leash. Giving your cat a safe place to retreat to, where the dog can’t access them (like a cat tree or a room to themselves), is also important.
Gradually increase the duration and number of these interactions until you feel like they can safely coexist. And as always, enlisting the help of a trainer is recommended so they can troubleshoot your unique scenario.
Meet The Experts
Juliana DeWillems, KPA CTP, CDBC, is a certified dog behavior consultant with over a decade of training experience based in the Washington, D.C. area. She’s the owner of and head trainer at JW Dog Training, and works with behaviors of all kinds, from basic manners to fear, anxiety, reactivity and aggression, with a focus on positive reinforcement. DeWillems is also faculty for the Karen Pryor Academy, where she teaches the Dog Trainer Professional program, and previously worked on the behavior team at the Humane Rescue Alliance (formerly the Washington Humane Society) from 2015 to 2017.
Darris Cooper, CPDT-KA, FFCP, is national dog training manager at Petco. A professional dog trainer for more than a decade, he fosters dogs and volunteers with local dog rescues and adoption partners in both Texas and California. He holds certifications as a Fear-Free Animal Trainer, American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and professional member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT). Cooper has also trained animals at zoological facilities in Southern California and is an on-air contributor to TV and print publications on pet lifestyle and animal behavior.
As for my own expertise, I’ve spent the last seven-plus years professionally testing and reviewing products, including a variety of pet-care items, from pet cameras to dog food delivery services to toys. I’ve worked in a volunteer capacity with both cat and dog rescues and at New York City-based animal shelters for the greater part of the last 15 years, and have cared for dogs, cats and rabbits for most of my life. I’m experienced in introducing pets (including interspecies intros) to one another in the home, particularly animals adopted or fostered directly from shelter environments.
Have a question for us? Email efavilla@forbes.com with the subject line “Pet Peeves.”
