Introducing a New Dog to an Existing Pack

Reader Contribution by Bruce Mcelmurray
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Introducing a new dog to your existing dog or pack depending on how many you have is not always as easy as it seems. I am neither a professional dog behaviorist nor a trainer but I do observe our canine members and believe there is a proper way to bring in another furry family member so the chances of success are greatly improved. I have done this over the years on several occasions and found if the new addition is properly introduced that blending new to established pack is easier and more successful. While it is not complicated it is like putting a jigsaw puzzle together one piece at a time.

Bringing a new member home and bringing them into the living quarters can not only diminish the chances for success but also can be hazardous to your fur friends as they seek to find their order within the pack itself. It takes time to put together a jigsaw puzzle and it takes time and effort to introduce a new family member. Some may mistakenly believe that because theirs is a rescue dog that it is just grateful to have a new forever home and will seek the approval of the existing pack members. It can take a great deal of vigilance on the new owners part and requires forethought, careful planning and preparation. Anything less may work one time depending on the dog’s personality, but not consistently in the long haul.

I am not saying my method works any better than other methods but it has consistently worked for us over the years and may be worth considering. Our canine friends understand more than many think they do. Ours are German Shepherd  Dogs and they are highly intelligent and may already suspect there is a new family member coming. We prefer to tell them and it is clear that they fully understand that the pack will soon be increased.

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