Looking to add a new dog to your fur-family? Bringing a new personality into the mix can get a little tricky, but through our own trial and error, we got you covered!

Meet on Neutral Territory

When your dog’s first meet, it is essential to have them meet outside the home. This will help prevent the resident dog from getting territorial or becoming aggressive. They can meet at your Camden Communities dog park, or a local area dog park.  Let them run around a little bit, get used to each other, and then you can walk them back to the apartment. Make sure they are on a leash during the first meet inside just in case there are any unwarranted incidents.

Photo courtesy of Katie Mayer

Dominant DogsIf the resident dog is a dominant dog, there are a few extra measures you are going to want to take for the first few weeks:

1. Make sure to pet and give attention to your dominant dog first when coming home.

2. Feed your dominant dog first, make sure they each have their own bowls, and do it separately if necessary.

3. Make sure they have their own toys.

These simple steps will help ensure that your dominant dog feels secure as you introduce a new family member.

Photo courtesy of Katie Mayer

SupervisionIf you're bringing a new dog home, you will want to make sure you stick to crate training. If you’re not paying attention, they should be in their crate. This will help lessen accidents from both dogs. You also want to keep an eye on them when playing so they don’t get rough with one another.

Keep in mind this is a learning process for you and your dog. Be patient and don’t give up!

If your more of a cat lover, we have 5 Steps to Introduce a New Cat into Your Apartment!