Introducing a new pet to an existing household
Bringing a second pet into a single-pet household goes wrong more often than it goes right. A phased introduction protocol triples your chances of success.
Dog meeting dog
- First meeting on neutral ground — a park, not your home.
- Parallel walking, 3 metres apart, no direct contact for 10 minutes.
- Closer, both relaxed, 5 minutes of sniff-and-walk.
- Back at home: gates and supervision for the first week.
Cat meeting cat
Slow. Weeks, not days. Separate rooms for week 1. Scent swapping (blanket exchange) for days 3–7. Visual contact through a cracked door in week 2. Full integration only after both are eating relaxed in each other's presence.
Dog meeting cat
The dog must have a rock-solid "leave it." The cat must have a safe vertical escape route. Drag a wand toy past the dog's nose — if they fixate and don't disengage on cue, you're not ready. Restart leave-it training and try again in two weeks.
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