INTRODUCING A NEW PET TO YOUR HOME
When you buy a new pup or kitten it is often a much awaited event for the human
members of the family. However, for your other pets, the introduction of a new
pet may be seen as a threat, a new toy or even something to hunt. It pays
therefore to choose your pet with not only our own priorities in mind but also
the likely effect of its presence on the other pets in the household.
Once you have purchased your new puppy or kitten you have to consider two main
factors – ITS HEALTH!
The first consideration must naturally be your pet’s health and well-being and
in spite of the temptation to show your new friend to everybody, the very best
advice is that it should have nothing but peace and quiet in the first 24 hours.
Try to encourage all family members to handle the new arrival quietly and gently
and particularly if it’s quite young, allow adequate periods of rest by itself.
Young animals should be fed small, frequent meals preferably consisting of the
type of food they have been accustomed to eating prior to purchase. If
vaccination and worming have not been carried out, these should be attended to
immediately. Naturally any existing animals in the family should be currently
vaccinated and healthy at this time.
IT’S ACCEPTANCE!
When introducing new pets to old you must consider the older pet’s nature. For
instance, a mature female dog that is well socialized towards other animals will
usually accept new puppies and kittens quite well. On the other hand, a strongly
territorial and aggressive dog may not ever be totally trusted with a new kitten
in its own yard. You should also take into account the possibility of conflict
between various types of pets, for example, animals of the same sex may not get
on as well as one of each sex. It may also be sensible to choose a new pet which
is more likely to remain submissive to the more established member of the
family. A less aggressive or smaller breed may be a good choice. Neutering a
male dog ma reduce the conflict over dominance as he gets established.
How do you actually go about introducing two pets to each other?
In nearly all circumstances it is advisable to make sure that your pets met each
other for the first time on neutral ground. In this situation they are more
likely to behave in cautious rather than aggressive way towards each other. For
example, a dog which lives in the back yard and chases any cats that intrude is
more likely to accept a new kitten into the household if he meets it inside the
house. If you’re concerned about safely you can put the older animal on a leash
for better control but remember this sometimes will make some pets, especially
dogs, more aggressive!
When introducing new cats it is nearly impossible to find neutral ground so it
may be better to confine the new cat to a part of the house or yard where it can
be seen by the original cat. The two cats could then be allowed to familiarize
themselves with each other over a few days before allowing full access to each
other. Remember that introductions between old and new pets may not always run
smoothly, especially if both are adult animals, however careful planning, a cool
head and gentle persuasion on your behalf will usually result in success.