October is Shelter Pet Adoption Month - How to Safely Bring a Dog into Your Home

NAPLES, Fla. - Oct. 1, 2014 - PRLog -- Recent statistics show that over 1.4 million dogs are adopted through Animal Shelters in the US every year.  The sad fact is that over 1.2 million dogs are euthanized in the US every year.  Many of these euthanized dogs were originally rescued from the Animal Shelters and subsequently returned because of issues with current family pets.

While adding a new dog to your family can bring extra fun and companionship, it can sometimes create stress for your resident pets.  Introducing a new dog into your current household of pets can be a challenge if proper measures aren't taken from the outset," said Robin Edwards, Master Dog Trainer and Owner of Home Dog Training of South Florida.

The ASPCA has announced that October is “Adopt-a-Dog Month.  In light of that, Edwards would like to share some tips that will make the adoption process fun and successful:

Dog to Dog

Before you bring the new dog home, bring home his scent so your resident pets can be introduced to his smell first. Rub the new dog with a cloth (or use a blanket he has slept on), then bring it into your home and place it where the dog will be sleeping.

In addition, be sure both your resident dog and the new dog are current on their vaccinations to avoid any risk of cross-infection.

Introduce in a Neutral Location

Introduce the dogs in a neutral place that is unfamiliar to both dogs, such as a park. This prevents your resident dog from feeling his territory is being threatened.

You'll need two handlers, each loosely holding a dog on six-foot leashes. "Stay relaxed and upbeat so the dogs don't pick up on any tension you might be feeling," said Edwards.

Don't force an interaction between the dogs. Just walk near each other for a few minutes. One or both of the dogs may ignore each other, which is fine. Remain positive and give the dogs time to get comfortable with the situation.

General Tips for Next Steps

Proceed slowly and calmly. Slow-paced introductions may help prevent development of any fear-based or aggressive reactions. "If bad behaviors are not reined in from the start," said Edwards, "they can become habit and be very hard to change in the future."

Set reasonable goals for all the dogs. Knowing each dog's background as to how well they were socialized will help you manage what might happen. Remember and respect that your resident dog and/or cat may perceive the new dog to be encroaching on their established territory, which can be very stressful.

If you have more than one resident dog, introduce each dog one at a time to the new dog to prevent them from overwhelming the newcomer.

Stay in control of the introduction. If you are not sure how your pets will react, take the necessary precautions to keep them (and you) safe.

Never leave new pets unattended, even if a pet is caged. "When two pets meet, it is vital that you watch them at all times," said Edwards. "The situation can change suddenly."

Be patient and adaptable. You will need to teach your new dog to trust you while helping your resident pets know that you will continue to keep them safe. Building good relationships takes time.

For more information, please contact Bruce and Robin Edwards via http://www.dogguardsouthflorida.com.