How to introduce Your Puppy to Adults, Kids and Your (Older) Dog

Introductions to Adults 

These do’s and don’ts are tips for you and all members of your household, but also advice to share with the friends and relatives who will flock over to meet your puppy after their first few restful days at home.

Do’s and Don’ts
•Do sit on the ground or as low as physically possible.
•Don’t loom over them from above.
•For men, do raise the pitch of your voice so it doesn’t sound too growly.
•Don’t force any interaction if your puppy shows signs of stress (see here).
•Do see if your puppy will take treats from the open hand of someone seated on the ground, especially if the puppy has seemed wary of them.

Introductions to Kids 

See Puppy Rules for Kids for our recommendations about how young children should be taught to interact with your new puppy. Remember to reward your puppy when the kids are near. Monitoring and supervision are key. Until you are 100 percent sure that your kids are with the program, never leave them alone with the puppy.
Tip: Positive reinforcement works just as well on kids as it does on puppies. When you see that your child is following the rules for interacting with the puppy, give your kid tons of praise and positive feedback.

Introduction to Your (Older) Dog 

While we’ll cover socializing your puppy with dogs and other pets in more detail in Socializing Your Puppy, if you already have a dog in the home, the rules are a bit different. For example, normally you’d seek out a neutral territory, but there is no neutral space in your home; it all “belongs” to your older dog, and you’re not going to drive out to a park on your puppy’s first day. As with the rest of your family, your puppy and older dog do need to meet on day one. There’s no avoiding it, even though it may cause some stress. And so, if you already have a dog, here are some simple tips to foster a positive first meet and greet.
Wait and sequester: While this meeting needs to happen on day one, it shouldn’t occur right when your puppy first walks in the door. Get them situated first. Prior to heading out to pick up your puppy, you should put away all of your older dog’s resources (toys, chews, etc.) to prevent territorial disputes. Sequester your dog in another room before you head out so the puppy isn’t overwhelmed when they first arrive.
Keep it brief: Don’t put your puppy on a leash, since they probably have never worn one before and this could add stress. You might want to put your older dog on a leash; trust that you’ll know best. When you introduce your puppy to their new big brother or sister, let them interact for just a minute or two, then separate them. If the two seem happy together and it’s going well, let them meet again—your puppy might find a familiar comfort in being around another dog. If it’s not going well, you may need the help of a trainer.
Puppy manners (or lack thereof): In dog language, a puppy’s greetings would be viewed as rather rude and inappropriate, a bit like a perfect stranger running up to you on the street and hugging you. The good news is that your older dog recognizes that your puppy is a puppy and will typically give them a “puppy pass.” That’s how we refer to the forbearance older dogs tend to show puppies.
After the honeymoon: Sadly, a puppy pass only goes so far. At some point, when your puppy is around four months of age, your older dog will begin to tell them off with a growl, nip, or swat. This is normal and a perfectly good lesson for your puppy to learn about boundaries and how to politely interact with adult dogs.
Manage your older dog’s stress level: The introduction of the new puppy is going to be stressful for your dog. Look for signs such as raised hackles, growling, or a stiff tail. Give your older dog plenty of breaks from being around the puppy, and also show your dog lots of extra attention. Resources such as toys and food are typically the most likely cause of conflict, so be sure to separate your older dog and puppy around such resources. Your affectionate attention is absolutely another powerful resource, so take care to provide separate attention to each.
Peace crate: In Crate Training, we’ll cover crate training. For now, you should know that once your puppy is all set up in their new crate, this will restore order to your home. The crate is the most effective way to reduce the stress load on your older dog.