Make Your Dog Get Along With Other Dogs

Dogs face a variety of social situations that can be uncomfortable or anxiety-provoking. Often, owners expect their pets to interact with other animals the way that humans socialize, but dogs rely on completely different senses and body language. It’s important to set up encounters with other dogs by approaching the situation from their perspective. You have to see, smell, and think like a dog - whether you’re socializing your puppy, trying to improve behavior on walks and at parks, or are introducing a new dog to your resident dog.

Steps

Socializing Your Dog

1. Start early. Socialization, or introducing your dog to people, other animals, and places, should start during puppyhood. When the process starts early, the results are longer lasting and more deeply engrained. Your dog will also be happier and more comfortable with everything it comes across in the human world.
   • Dogs are most receptive to socialization training at 8 to 12 weeks. During this time, start getting your puppy used to going on nature walks, going downtown, or other places with lots of sights and smells.
   • Carry treats on you, and use them to reinforce good behavior and create positive associations with social situations.
   • Make sure your dog is up to date on vaccinations before letting it interact with other animals, especially at dog parks and places where other dogs go to the bathroom. Don’t bring a puppy less than 6 months old to a dog park.
2. Know your breed. If you don’t know your dog’s breed or mix of breeds, then find out. Do some research on that breed: find out why it was developed and learn about its heritage. Some breeds are more docile by nature, while others are typically less tolerant of being around other dogs.
   • Dogs bred for protection make great guard dogs, but don’t always get along with other dogs and aren’t usually recommended for casual or inexperienced owners. These include mastiffs, Great Danes, Dobermans, German Shepherds, and Rottweilers.
   • Despite their typically small frames, terriers often have difficulty getting along with other pets.
   • Breeds including bulldogs, bull terriers, and pit bulls make great pets when they have strong, firm owners willing to put the time into training them. However, they can be aggressive or even dangerous around other dogs, especially smaller breeds.
3. Know your dog. While you should know the general characteristics associated with your dog’s breed, it’s also essential to get to know your particular dog and its personality. Note how your dog interacts with you, your family, and any others with whom it might interact. Notice if your dog seems at ease with people, if it generally gets stressed out, or if it is typically aggressive with others.
   • Keep in mind your dog’s background, too, noting in particular if you rescued your dog, if it was abused or neglected, or if it was in any other anxiety-provoking situations.
   • Depending on your dog’s breed and personality, you might find that you’ll have to avoid interactions with other dogs. All dogs have unique personalities and histories, and some are just intolerant of being around other dogs.
4. Get to know dog body language. Learn how to distinguish playfulness from anxiety or fear. Observe your dog to see when and why they exhibit particular body language. Look for how it responds to triggers and stimuli like a doorbell or knocking, people entering and leaving the house, and how it plays with toys.
   • Playful body language includes bouncy gestures, open and relaxed mouth, wiggling body motions, and, when playing with other dogs, jumping around or exchanging positions.
   • Signs of anxiety include fast tail wagging, a tense body, whimpering, ears held back or up, and hiding.
   • Red-flag behaviors when it meets other dogs include trying to pin down the other dog, constant following, excessive mounting, or body slamming. Other general signs of aggressiveness include snarling, showing teeth, and staring with a fixed gaze.
   • Observe when and try to understand why your dog exhibits particular body language. Try to see (and hear and smell!) things from your dog’s perspective.
5. Expose your adult dog to another dog in a relaxed, controlled setting. If you’re socializing an adult dog, introduce it to a friend’s dog on neutral territory, like a park or a neighbor’s yard. Both handlers should hold leashes with a relaxed lead, since holding the leash too tightly can indicate that the dog should be anxious or on guard. Take note of how your dog behaves, and if it begins to bark excessively or acts aggressively, get its attention and calmly walk it away from the other dog.
   • While puppies are much more open to social situations, adult dogs need to be exposed to another dog one-on-one at first.
   • The goal for socializing an adult dog should be calm behavior, rather than actively playing.
   • If they interact calmly while on their leashes, consider letting them off their leashes in a confined space to further gauge how your dog gets along with others.
6. Don’t force your dog to socialize. Keep socialization natural, light-hearted, and low pressure. Don’t force your dog into an uncomfortable situation, and keep initial social interactions brief. Try to frame interactions as a positive experience instead of a necessity or chore.
   • Carry lots of dog treats, and give your dog a treat after it meets another dog and they calmly interact.
   • Offer plenty of positive vocal and physical encouragement. Congratulate your dog and give it a pat or rub on its rear to let it know it’s done a good job.
7. Try visiting a pet store. Pet stores can be great places for early socialization. They’re full of stimuli and other animals, including other dogs, but in a controlled, safe space. Further, there are typically employees on site who are familiar with dog training and can offer guidance and assistance with supervision.
   • Consider taking a training class with your dog if your local pet store offers a program.

Encountering Other Dogs Outside Your Home

1. Let dogs meet their own way. Whether you’ve trained your dog for years or have recently become an owner, don’t force dogs to meet the way humans do. Humans meet each other face-to-face, look each other in the eye, and consciously use sight as their main sense. For dogs, face-to-face interaction is usually associated with a challenge, and they rely on smell much more than sight.
   • Let the dogs show each other their profiles instead of meeting head-on. Let them walk around each other, and smell where the other has walked.
2. Don’t be an anxious handler. When you meet another dog when you’re on a walk, don’t pull hard on the leash or make any other gestures that anticipate trouble. Try to remain calm yourself. Your dog will pick up you being nervous, afraid, letting your heart race, and other subtle behavioral cues. If you anticipate a problem, you’ll end up setting your dog up for failure.
   • Let the dogs maintain distance, then cross paths, smell where the other has walked, and slowly approach each other. If they stare each other down, show teeth, snarl, or show any other aggressive behaviors, then give a verbal command to get your dog’s attention on something else and continue on their walk.
3. Practice good dog park etiquette. Dog parks can be a great social activity for your dog. It’s particularly important, however, that you’ve already exposed your adult dog to others in a one-on-one setting before heading to a dog park. Otherwise, the experience might be overwhelming or even traumatic.
   • Supervise your own and other dogs closely. Interrupt any rough or high-arousal play, like non-stop or fast running. Leave if your dog is being a bully, being bullied, or seems like it’s not having any fun.
   • Try to be aware if there are a number of intact males present, and be on your way if there are.
   • Don’t offer treats or toys to your dog at a dog park, and don’t encourage pack-forming or other competitive or domineering behavior.
   • Don’t ever let your dog off its leash in an outdoor setting if it doesn’t respond to your verbal commands.

Introducing Your Old Dog a New Member of the Pack

1. Crate train and use scent articles. If you want your old dog to get along with your new dog, the best strategy is to use scent to introduce them. Don’t immediately introduce it face-to-face to the dog you already have. Instead, place each in separate crates on opposite sides of the house. Introduce them to each other using the sense of smell by placing scent articles, or objects that the other has come into contact with, into their crates.
   • During this sensitive time, don’t let the two dogs make visual contact in order to avoid territorial aggressiveness. Your resident dog will feel the need to defend its territory from your new dog.
   • Keep swapping the scent articles back and forth to deepen the initial bond. Scent needs to be the key facilitator of communication during this early introductory period.
2. Let your new dog explore the house. While keeping your other dog in a crate and out of sight, let your new dog explore its new turf. Give it 15 or 20 minutes to roam around and become accustomed to its new home and new human companions. Do this several times a day, making sure that your other dog is out of sight.
   • When you return your new dog to its crate, make sure to place scent articles that have your other dog’s smell in with your new dog.
   • Let your other dog out after your new dog is secure in its crate, and alternate this pattern several times a day. Your new dog will leave its scent throughout the house, and when you let your old dog out of its crate, it’ll gradually become accustomed to this new scent.
3. Introduce the two dogs on neutral territory. Your dogs will be ready to meet when they show signs of being comfortable with each other’s scent, like not sniffing and chasing furiously around the house after a new smell. When they seem accustomed to each other’s scent presence at home, take them somewhere that they won’t feel the need to be territorial, like a neighbor’s yard, enclosed park, or other confined space.
   • Take them there separately and continue to keep them from making visual contact. First, let the old dog run around the outdoor space while the new dog is out of sight.
   • Then, get the old dog out of sight and let the new dog run around. Just like in your home, you are training your dogs to recognize familiar scents, and thereby “formally” introducing them.
   • Finally, after taking the time to let your dogs’ main sense and natural instincts guide them, you are ready to let them meet face-to-face. When they do meet, they’ll recognize each other’s familiar scents.
4. Have the dogs meet on-leash. Next, with both dogs leashed, bring them both into the confined area so they can make visual contact. Let them keep their distance, and do not use too much pull on the leash or force them face-to-face. Instead, allow them to walk around each other and become acclimated.
   • If, after a couple minutes, they seem to be getting along, drop their leashes and let them freely play around for a few minutes.
   • If they stare, aggressively posture, or bark, then separate the dogs, repeat scent article training, and try having them interact again after a day or two has passed.
5. Have the dogs meet in your yard before coming inside. After they’ve met on neutral turf, bring them back home separately. Have them interact as they did on neutral turf in your yard. If all’s gone well so far, bring both dogs into your yard with their leashes dragging and allow them to interact.
   • If signs of tension arise, then separate the dogs and try letting them interact in your yard later.
   • If they play nicely in the yard, bring them inside separately and give them some time to chill out in their crates a bit. Then, let them both out in the house and allow them to get acclimated to each other’s presence inside.
6. Continue to monitor their interaction at home. Once they’ve met, continue to keep them closely supervised and, use a sturdy baby grate to keep them separated until you are completely confident they are comfortable and safe with each other. Monitor their body language, look for signs of aggression, and use treats to reinforce positive behaviors and associations.
   • Keep the dogs separated while you’re not home using crates or sturdy grates.
   • Make sure there are no treats or toys scattered around that the dogs might fight over.
   • Interrupt any situations where the dogs are barking loudly, staring each other down, running, or engaging in any other high-arousal activities.
7. Consult a professional trainer. If your efforts at crate training, scent training, and gradual introduction aren’t working, you might want to consult a professional trainer. A trainer can also help you if you’ve acquired an adult dog and didn’t have the opportunity to begin socialization early or in a controlled settings as is typically recommended.
   • Ask your dog owner friends, veterinarian, groomer, or local boarding kennel for trainer recommendations. Try to obtain a range of options and look for those that are highly recommended and fit your budget.
   • Ask your prospective trainer about their qualifications, educations, and techniques. Ask them how long they’ve been in business, and ask if they have client recommendations to validate their work (if they haven’t already listed such information on a website or brochure).

Sources and Citations

See also

• Gain a Dog's Trust
• Break Up a Dog Fight
• Make Your Dog Like Your Cat
• Live in a Multi Dog Household
• Walk Two Dogs with One Leash
• Walk Two Dogs at the Same Time on Leashes
• Become Friends with an Unfriendly Dog
• Introduce a Dog and a Rabbit
• Make a Cat and Dog Get Along
• Keep Your Dog from Chasing Cats

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