How to Introduce a New Pet to Existing Pets

Have you recently gotten a new furry addition to your household and are worried about introducing them to your other pets? Is this your first time having two animals under one roof and are unsure about their first meeting?

 

It is a common problem faced by pet owners when they choose to adopt a new animal. You may worry about your older pet reacting badly to their new brother or sister, or worry about how well they’ll get on in the long term.

 

Luckily there are a few things you can do to ease the transition between one pet to two, or when adding another pet to your family.

 

Firstly, take into account your existing pet’s personality, behaviors, and potentially their past experiences with other animals. It would help if you put their needs first as they were a part of your family first. For example, if you know that your dog is reactive to cats, don’t get a cat. Or if your dog has had a traumatic experience with other dogs, don’t introduce another dog until they have successfully received training to deal with it.

 

Secondly, if you know in advance that you’re adopting a new pet, you could take a blanket with you when visiting them before you bring them home permanently and rub it all over their fur. Once you are home, allow your existing pets to sniff their scent to get used to it. This will help make the change less of a surprise.

 

Next, have your existing pets meet the newest addition before bringing them home. This may involve going to a breeder or rescue center and having them meet in a controlled environment to make sure they’ll get along. If they don’t, the rescue center or breeder may have an alternative animal for you to meet and see if your pet gets along better with them.

 

Finally, when they do come home, keep them separate for the first few days and allow them to get used to each other’s presence. Let them sniff each other through a closed door and make sure you supervise all interactions until you know it is safe to leave them both alone together.

 

All of the above will help you ensure your pets have a positive relationship with each other in the long term. We hope you have found the above tips helpful and wish you luck on your journey with your newest furry friend!