Introducing your New Dog to your Other Pets
The way you introduce your new dog to your resident pet(s) is very important. It takes time for everyone to accept one another.
The best way to introduce two dogs is to take them for a walk together in a “neutral” area, making sure they walk parallel to each other. You should walk them together for at least 45 minutes as soon as you arrive home from the shelter. You will have to proceed very slowly and understand that this may be a long process. To ease the transition, put his crate, food and toys in a designated area behind a baby gate. Giving a new dog free access to your whole house can be overwhelming to him. It gives him too many things to get used to at one time and may cause him to act out inappropriately. Also, keeping him confined allows your resident pet(s) time to adjust to having a new friend in the house without having to meet in a confrontational situation. Keep meetings brief and be sure to pick up any toys or bones that may be lying around the house because these are common things for two dogs to fight over.
When introducing a dog to a cat, make sure the resident cat has a place to hide where the new dog cannot go. You can expect barking, growling, hissing, and spitting. If a meeting becomes too intense, separate everyone and try again later. With understanding and patience you will usually see a friendship—or at least tolerance— develop between your animals.