A few months ago I took a dog to an adoption event. The dog I handled was an American pit bull terrier named Jesse. I was careful when introducing him to new dogs, because we weren’t sure how he would do.
Jesse is pictured below and is up for adoption. He was a very good boy at the adoption event and did not cause any problems. Still, I was amazed by how careless some people were when introducing their pets to Jesse and the other rescue dogs. So many owners did not keep their dogs under control. A barking, lunging lab strangling itself on a buckle collar is going to cause problems even if he is “friendly.”
There were a couple instances where owners would allow their extremely hyper and out of control dogs to pull right up to Jesse head on. Since I was paying close attention and predicting these situations, I was always able to redirect Jesse so he wouldn’t try to match the other dog’s energy. That’s when a situation can easily escalate into aggression from either or both dogs.
Humans meet face to face with eye contact and a handshake. Naturally, this is how we tend to introduce dogs to one another. When friendly, socialized dogs are introduced face to face, they usually manage to be OK. They are not necessarily comfortable, but they deal with it. Problems occur when one dog is too excited or has any issues with leash aggression or dominance. That’s when head-on greetings can lead to a fight.
Luckily most dogs will be OK no matter how bad the humans screw up the greeting process. But here are some tips for introducing two dogs when one or both could have some issues with dominance, aggression or fear.
Tips for safely introducing two dogs
Exercise both dogs separately before they meet.
It depends on the dog, but a good 45-minute walk is ideal for most. Dogs with any kind of aggression issues should be walked for an hour or more before meeting another dog. The same goes with shelter or rescue dogs that have been kenneled for days or weeks. I ran with Jesse before the adoption event, and another volunteer had walked him earlier in the morning so he was good and tired before meeting other dogs. The less energy the dog has when it meets another dog, the better. Even though my mutt Ace is submissive, I almost always take him for a walk before he meets a new dog so he doesn’t bring extra excitement to the situation.
Walk the dogs together.
This is sometimes impossible to do if neither dog has had enough exercise. That’s why exercising the dogs separately first is a must. Then you can walk the dogs together as a pack. Do this before you allow the dogs to smell one another. Keep one dog on each side of you or walk side by side with the other person. Don’t allow the dogs to cross in front or behind you. After a short walk, then you can allow some casual sniffing but keep moving forward.
Stop and let the dogs smell one another.
After a short walk (5 to 20 minutes) with no issues, stop and let the dogs smell one another. Don’t worry so much about the embarrassing behaviors dogs do like butt sniffing. It’s usually best to let the dogs do their thing. We all know that dogs gather information about one another by sniffing.
As far as humping goes, I block the behavior with a quick “Hey!” or I snap my fingers. Dogs will naturally hump one another to establish who is dominant, but if not monitored the behavior can lead to a fight.
Learn to read dog body language.
I often watch Ace’s tail when we are out on walks. Normally when he’s in a relaxed, working mode, his tail is also relaxed and low. But when he sees another dog, his tail goes up. This doesn’t signal aggression, but it signals he is in an alert mode. Submissive or insecure dogs will have their tails very low or tucked between their legs, often wagging frantically as a sign of stress. Aggressive dogs often have their tail stiff and straight out.
After meeting another dog, Ace will also shake his whole body as though he’s just gotten out of a lake. This shows he’s ready to move on, as though he’s saying, “What’s next?” It’s kind of like letting out a sigh of relief after I meet a new person. The tension is gone and we can move on.
The most obvious sign of a playful, friendly dog is when he does a “play bow.” After Ace meets another dog, he usually proceeds to walk away and smell the grass. This “lack of interest” shows the other dog he is not a threat.
As for signs of aggression, watch for stiff body posture, fixated eyes, curled lips and raised hair.
Use appropriate training collars.
Having control over the situation is very important. A lunging, pulling, panting lab on a buckle collar will be hard for anyone to control. Sometimes a choke collar helps, but only if it’s used properly and stays high on the dog’s neck. Most dogs are easy to control on a pinch collar, which is what I usually use on new dogs. Head collars also work well, but it takes a dog awhile to get used to one. A dog Gentle Leader or Halti often has a calming effect on a dog. Ace sometimes wears his Gentle Leader in new situations for this reason.
Avoid small spaces.
Dogs can attack if they feel trapped and have nowhere to run. You also want to prevent one dog from cornering the other. If the dogs meet in an open area like a park, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Remain calm.
Don’t use an excited voice. In fact, don’t talk to the dogs at all. Talking gets them excited, and you want to have two calm dogs. At the same time, don’t allow too much tension in the leash. It will just make the dog resist you and pull away. It can also make the dog feel tense and more likely to strike out.
Introduce the dogs on neutral territory.
Dogs are territorial and can be possessive. It’s a bad idea to introduce them in a home or yard where one lives. Instead, introduce them in a park or parking lot where neither dog will find it necessarily to guard or protect “his” territory.
How not to introduce two dogs:
Don’t allow one dog to cower near you.
If one dog is insecure and using you as a guard or shield, keep moving. This is not cute behavior, it’s insecurity. You don’t want a fight to end up beneath or near you because you could be bitten. Dogs that don’t know how to socialize often end up getting attacked by other dogs who see them as weak. My old golden retriever was an insecure dog and would try to hide between my legs. Whenever I allowed her to do this, I was feeding into her insecurities, not helping her.
Don’t allow dogs to guard you.
Often, one dog is possessive over the owner and the owner doesn’t even know it. I foster dogs and offer pet sitting in Fargo, and almost every time I have a new dog in the house, it tries to place itself between Ace and I. My parents’ golden (right) does the same thing and tries to hog all the attention by pushing Ace out of the way or claiming the ground at my feet. Guarding is not acceptable because the dog is trying to dominate both the other dog and the person. When you are introducing dogs, keep moving and be aware of signs of possessiveness over you!
Don’t use an excited voice.
You want to calm the dogs, not rile them up.
Don’t create tension in the leash.
Dogs pick up on our posture and body language more than we realize. Tension in the leash or in your body posture will only make the dogs feel tense. Be relaxed so they will also be relaxed.
Don’t overreact.
Yelling will only make things worse. If a fight does happen, it will always look and sound worse than it is. Yelling and getting worked up usually adds to the intensity. If the dogs do get into a minor scuffle, don’t separate them right away. Take a step back, take them for a longer walk together and try again. This is the only way they are going to learn to get along. Separating them will not teach the dogs anything.
Don’t let the dogs approach head on.
When animals are challenging one another, they use direct eye contact and a head-on approach. Don’t set up a fight for your dog by introducing him this way to other animals. When I had Jesse at the adoption event, I made sure not to allow other dogs to approach Jesse head on. I always redirected Jesse’s attention to me instead.
Put away all food and toys.
Don’t have anything available that could cause possessiveness or a fight. I’ve seen Ace act possessive over a water bowl! Avoid fights at all costs by putting anything away that could cause a dog to be possessive such as a tennis ball, raw hide or food you are eating.
What tips do you have for introducing dogs?
5/6/10 update: Jesse has been adopted!
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May 7th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
This is a topic I wish more dog owners were aware of. We have an 11 month old pit mix who seems to have some issues meeting other dogs. She isn’t interested in the butt sniffing unless encouraged to do so and will just try to jump in the other dogs’ faces. We try to always circle her around so that it isn’t a head-on approach. We are still working with her on it but are constantly frustrated by other dog owners who just let their dogs approach her head-on with no warning to us. She usually freaks out at that point and we remove her from the situation. sigh.
May 7th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Ugh. Dog owners can be so clueless. At least you are aware of the right way to handle the situation. Hopefully others can learn from you. Good luck with your pitbull mix!
May 7th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Great info – I have a colleague with a dog that she is trying to teach socialization. She warns other humans that her dog isn’t necessarily friendly but they still insist on bringing their dogs close to hers. Of course, they are always surprised when her dog snaps. Doh!
May 7th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
When we got Chamois, the generic dog, Misty pouted for most of the day. Then she just decided that Chamois was HER pet and took over as alpha dog. Chamois was her slave from then on.
May 7th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
I’ve noticed Ace’s socialization skills improve over the last year from being around more dogs. He used to be really shy and would drool and tuck his tail between his legs. Now he will actually encourage other dogs to play, which is good to see.
Jan, I know what you mean about the pouting. Ace does the same thing. But then it’s usually the other dog who takes over.
May 7th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
We are working on this ALL THE TIME with Biggie. The problem is that as a guarding breed, he goes on high alert the most when we are nervous, which makes him get even more protective, which makes us even more nervous. Also, because there are SO many people and dogs (and weird people with weird dogs), it is often hard to control the dog-dog interactions.
Biggie does great on lead with any dog he has met at least once off lead. If they haven’t met before, it is a much touchier situation. Your suggestion about walking the dogs together is a great idea – we do this with a cane corso in the neighborhood who dominated Biggie when he was still an intact (70 lb) pup. Now that they are about the same size, Biggie won’t put up with it and Truman is afraid to charge him, so in the dog run they look at each other and snarl and bark but neither one is willing to make the first move. But when we walk them on leash together, they are fine!
May 8th, 2009 at 3:42 am
Here in Africa, the dogs are all lose, so when you encounter another dog, you’re the only human. It took me some time before I realized that I have to be very clear on the stance that the pack is going to take, as my dogs follow me, and never the other way around (for years, I couldn’t quite understand why my dogs let themselves be bullied by other dogs, but that was simply out of respect for me). When a lose dog comes charging my way, I will tell my dogs come back to base (me) and then I will tell the other dog to go back home. Knowing it’s on the street and not on home turf, it always obeys. In the bush, Sheba keeps very close to us (riders) and is totally uninterested in socializing with other dogs even if they are friendly, but that’s her job. On home turf (our garden and the street to the office), she’s confident and playful, winning over most dogs with time. There is one aggressive dog that has sneak-attacked both of my dogs, and so whenever I see him, I just order him back to his gate. He knows I’m not afraid of him, and I don’t care how much he growls and snarls while he makes his retreat, as long as he does it. I don’t mind if my dogs are next to me when I order him back, as they know they’re not allowed to charge unless I say so. But in one way, it’s easier to deal with dogs without other human intervention to keep in mind than one’s own. We humans have a very powerful impact on our dogs, and I know many dog owners who are totally oblivious to the signals they are sending out. Dogs involuntarily feed on our state of mind, whether it be passivity, frustration or uncertainty. An army can never be more strategic than its leader, so assuming responsibility for one’s dog starts with asking oneself, what kind of signals am I sending out? Being calm is the way to go.
May 8th, 2009 at 5:46 am
Biggie, my dog is obviously not a guarding breed, but he will still bark when we are sitting at a park and people walk by. He never barks or even really acknowledges people or dogs when we are on a walk, but if we stop to read or eat lunch or something and someone passes, I can’t get Ace to stop barking. I tell him “no” and make him lie down and he continues to growl and do those quiet “woofs.” What’s the best thing to do? Redirect him with food? I guess I will start carrying treats in my pockets again.
Great advice Esther! I’ve been out walking dogs and have had loose dogs charge me. It makes a big difference if the charging dogs knows I’m in control of the situation or not. If I’m nervous or insecure, the dog knows. When I’m confident and tell the dog, “No!” and step forward towards it, it always retreats or stops. The biggest factor is having respect from the dog I am walking because the other dog will read that.
June 4th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
I have this hound mix that will not meet any other dog but head on and then she has to smell their behind which I am okay with she’s fine and the other dogs are also. The other day when I was walking my dog she met this lab that did not want my dog to smell (lab) behind and the lab coward near the owner and so we moved on. Then we passed the lab again and I did not want the dogs to meet again so I had my dog leash tight to pass but the owner wanted the lab and my dog to meet again. My dog lunged and snapped at the lab. Was my dog trying to show dominance over the lab because she has not done that before? She did not bite but the lab coward even more to the point that she was behind her owner. Now I feel bad but I knew that she did not like the fact that the lab did not let my dog smell her behind. So was this my fault and should I not let her meet any more dogs? Or was this my dog’s behavior to the situation? What should I do the next time?
June 5th, 2009 at 8:40 am
Dogs will often act out negatively around insecure dogs because an insecure dog gives them more power. That lab was clearly insecure and hiding behind its owner. Your dog was also likely responding to your tension in the leash, which was telling her she had a reason to be tense and “on guard.” She was the one in control at that moment, not you. You should try to encourage your dog not to approach other dogs head on, but from the side, and make sure you are relaxed and in control. I would keep introducing her to more dogs to reinforce the proper way to approach them. It sounds like she’s usually OK, so hopefully this was a one time incident.
June 5th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Thank you! Today I tried the way you said and it went by great. But we did not meet any dogs that was insecure, but I will keep introducing her to other dogs because she acts better at home when she meet at least one other dog.
June 6th, 2009 at 8:56 am
I’m glad it went well yesterday! The more dogs you meet successfully, the better it will go.
October 8th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
I agree with the comment that people do not know how to intro dogs. I always here from people, “Oh he’s/she’s friendly.” It really upsets me that dispite years of training and positive reinforcement, my border collie does not like dogs running up to her. Their dog may not be agressive, but mine is. She also has a right to be walked. So those who may think they can control thier dog off leash, they cannot from 50 yards, I promise.
October 9th, 2009 at 9:11 am
Yeah people can be so clueless. Just because their dog is friendly does not mean it should be running up to random dogs. Even a normally friendly dog can get defensive when a hyper lab comes bounding up out of nowhere. Most people can’t control their dogs from two feet away, let alone 50 yards.
December 4th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
i have been incare of my pit mix marley…she is really a charming girl but she has not had much socialization with other dogd…we live in a neighor hood that dogs are not leashed…marly was happily playing the other dogs in neighborhood..she seemed so happy…there was another dog in the pack that started aggresion with a small femaLE dog and marley startedto join in…i was devested..spelling not right…she was fine until the other dog started to pick on the smaller dog…is this a clue to me to just keep my marly on leash as all dogs are supposed to be…theis other agressive dog alwAYS PICKS ON THIS LITLE DOG…WHEY DID MARLEY FOLLOW HIS LEAD..UP UNTIL THAT TIME MARLEY WAS PLAYING WITH THE LITTLE DOG……
December 4th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
Dogs will often gang up on weaker dogs. If this little dog is at all insecure or very submissive, then it would not surprise me that this other dog began acting aggressive towards the small dog, even if it started out as rough playing. Your dog simply joined in. It’s easy for playing to escalate to aggression, especially with a group of dogs that do not have good social skills.
If the little dog was the one acting aggressive first, the other dogs were matcing that energy.
The best thing you can do to improve your dog’s social skills is to let her interact with as many dogs as possible. But, make sure it is in a safe, supervised manner. It sounds like your neighborhood is a bit of a free for all, and I would be very careful about letting your dog play so freely. Since she is part pitbull, people will already be judging her. Try arranging smaller groups of dogs to play with your dog or have her meet, walk with or play with one dog at a time.
July 10th, 2010 at 1:23 am
Hi there,
Love hearing all these stories. Here’s mine. I have 2 7 month puppies. They are brother and sister, and I live in Saudi Arabia. I brought them from Canada, and unfortunately, although I had done lots of reading before, obviously not enough. They were with their litter mates until 12 weeks old, and so probably fairly socialized, but once we got them, over a period of 2 weeks, they were only together, and fairly coddled by my two children. When we arrived back in Saudi, I was busy trying to house train etc. and now when we go for walks, (all dogs are leashed here)they really flip out when they see or hear another dog. They will bark at people, but not for long, or be aggressive. I have taken them to training classes, but even there, it takes almost 45 minutes to calm them down to try any training techniques. I diligently walk them every morning for at least 30 minutes, but what I find is again, other owners who do not understand that meeting head on is not ok. Even when walked, they will still completely go beserk over another sighting of a dog. Yesterday both of them separately met another dog in the neighborhood. This other dog was SO gentle in its approach to each of my dogs I was amazed. My male, after barking up a storm, eventually turned his back on the other dog. My female also barked a lot, and tried to lunge, but eventually lay on her back and did the total submissive mode. I know this is not necessarily a good thing, but I kind of feel like I would rather they did that than be aggressive. The problem was that the owner was totally dominated by her dog. And really didnt seem to even get that she should hold it back at all. It was like she couldnt hold onto the leash. Anyway, it all turned out ok, and I would like for them all to meet again, but certainly not with both of my pups at the same time! ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE APPRECIATED! Hard to socialize them without wondering if the dogs I know about through friends are actually stable and able to handle mine.
July 12th, 2010 at 10:47 am
The fact that your dogs eventually show submission to other dogs tells me that the barking they do initially is out of insecurity. Your dogs are not naturally dominant or aggressive, they just need to learn to meet other dogs. Unfortunately a lot of people allow their dogs to run up to other dogs head on. I would seek out people who seem to have calm dogs and ask if your dogs can meet them (probably not together, as you said). Keep up the work with the training classes, because its good for them to learn to be obedient around other dogs. Below are two posts I’ve written. One is about leash aggression, and one is about socializing dogs. You may find a few tips that will help you.
http://www.thatmutt.com/2010/05/18/dog-leash-aggression/
http://www.thatmutt.com/2009/06/15/socializing-my-dog/