Introduce a New Dog to Visitors

added new step; added new source; substituted more provisional language in 4.3; added wiki article link

←Older revision		Revision as of 23:13, 22 December 2016
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−	Introducing a new dog to visitors can be easy or challenging, depending on your new dog’s personality.  Most dogs will do fine meeting people as long as the introduction occurs under circumstances where the new dog feels comfortable and safe.  If your dog is anxious or excitable, you might have to be more patient.  But you can overcome these personality flaws by creating new, positive associations for your dog between meeting new people and getting a pleasant reward.  No matter what type of personality your new dog has, or who it’s meeting, provide both treats and verbal praise during the introduction to visitors so your dog remains happy and relaxed.	+	Most dogs will do fine meeting people as long as the introduction occurs under circumstances where the new dog feels comfortable and safe.  If your dog is anxious or excitable, you might have to be more patient.  But you can overcome these personality flaws by creating new, positive associations for your dog between meeting new people and getting a pleasant reward.  Provide both treats and verbal praise during the introduction to visitors so your dog remains happy and relaxed.
	[[Category:Dog Training]]		[[Category:Dog Training]]
	[[Category:Handling Dogs]]		[[Category:Handling Dogs]]
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	==Steps==		==Steps==
	===Setting Up the Introduction===		===Setting Up the Introduction===
		+	#Ask your visitors to call you instead of knocking on the door or ringing the bell.  The sound of an arriving guest might upset the new dog.  Therefore, you should ask all potential visitors to call you before they arrive at the house.  Alternately, or in addition, you could put an “out-of-order” sign over your doorbell to prevent its use altogether.<Ref>http://ift.tt/2hY1Ikb;
		+	#*Your dog might also be afraid of or agitated by a knock at the door.  You could place a sign on the door that reads, “Dear visitor, please do not knock.  Instead, call me at [your number].”
	#Play with your dog beforehand.  Create a positive association with visitors.  If you know your guest is arriving, start playing with your dog for the five to 10 minutes prior to their arrival.  This ensures your dog will be in good spirits and – hopefully – a bit more relaxed when your guest arrives.  Over time, your dog will come to associate the arrival of a guest with positive feelings like happiness.<ref>http://ift.tt/2hNm7KE;		#Play with your dog beforehand.  Create a positive association with visitors.  If you know your guest is arriving, start playing with your dog for the five to 10 minutes prior to their arrival.  This ensures your dog will be in good spirits and – hopefully – a bit more relaxed when your guest arrives.  Over time, your dog will come to associate the arrival of a guest with positive feelings like happiness.<ref>http://ift.tt/2hNm7KE;
	#Get a bag of treats.  If your dog is behaving properly during a visit, whether it’s scheduled or unscheduled, feed your dog a steady stream of treats.  This will keep the dog relaxed and less likely to engage in unwanted behavior.  If your dog has a favorite treat, keep a bagful of those treats handy and accessible in advance of the visitor’s arrival.<Ref> http://ift.tt/2hNm7KE;		#Get a bag of treats.  If your dog is behaving properly during a visit, whether it’s scheduled or unscheduled, feed your dog a steady stream of treats.  This will keep the dog relaxed and less likely to engage in unwanted behavior.  If your dog has a favorite treat, keep a bagful of those treats handy and accessible in advance of the visitor’s arrival.<Ref> http://ift.tt/2hNm7KE;
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	#*If you can’t control when the visit takes place – for instance, if your visitor drops by unannounced – provide the new dog a steady stream of treats when the visitor is present.  Your guest should do likewise.		#*If you can’t control when the visit takes place – for instance, if your visitor drops by unannounced – provide the new dog a steady stream of treats when the visitor is present.  Your guest should do likewise.
	#*If you’ve already scheduled the visit and find your dog is agitated, contact the visitor and explain that your new dog is in no mood to receive guests today.  Reschedule the introduction between the visitor and the new dog at a different time.		#*If you’ve already scheduled the visit and find your dog is agitated, contact the visitor and explain that your new dog is in no mood to receive guests today.  Reschedule the introduction between the visitor and the new dog at a different time.
−	#*Ask your visitors to call you instead of knocking on the door or ringing the bell, since the sound could upset the new dog.
	#Put your dog on a leash before letting guests in.<Ref>http://ift.tt/2hY9wlY; If your dog is on a leash, you can better control its behavior.  If it bolts for the door, it won’t get far.  And if it attempts to jump on your guests, you’ll be able to quickly pull the dog away and keep it at a distance.<ReF>http://ift.tt/2hNexQl;		#Put your dog on a leash before letting guests in.<Ref>http://ift.tt/2hY9wlY; If your dog is on a leash, you can better control its behavior.  If it bolts for the door, it won’t get far.  And if it attempts to jump on your guests, you’ll be able to quickly pull the dog away and keep it at a distance.<ReF>http://ift.tt/2hNexQl;
	#*Remove the leash if and when your new dog appears calm and collected enough to not jump up on visitors or engage in other unwanted behaviors.		#*Remove the leash if and when your new dog appears calm and collected enough to not jump up on visitors or engage in other unwanted behaviors.
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	#*Discourage your guest from petting your new dog.		#*Discourage your guest from petting your new dog.
	#Get the dog to sit.  Your dog should sit or stay when visitors arrive.  As soon as the visitors come in, say “Sit” or “Stay” to your leashed dog.  Only then should you actually proceed with the process of introducing the new dog to the visitor.<reF>http://ift.tt/2hY7dPG;		#Get the dog to sit.  Your dog should sit or stay when visitors arrive.  As soon as the visitors come in, say “Sit” or “Stay” to your leashed dog.  Only then should you actually proceed with the process of introducing the new dog to the visitor.<reF>http://ift.tt/2hY7dPG;
−	#*If your new dog does not know how to “sit,” teach it how by taking it to an obedience school or “puppy kindergarten.”	+	#*If your new dog does not know how to “sit,” teach it how by taking it to an obedience school or “puppy kindergarten.” Alternately, you could [[Teach Your Dog to Sit|teach it yourself]].
	#Introduce one dog at a time.  If you have two or more dogs, you should introduce them to guests one at a time, rather than in a pack.  When multiple dogs – new or old – are in one location doing something exciting like meeting a visitor, they could get overly excited.  This abundance of energy and excitement could lead to conflict among the dogs.<ReF>http://ift.tt/2hNexQl;		#Introduce one dog at a time.  If you have two or more dogs, you should introduce them to guests one at a time, rather than in a pack.  When multiple dogs – new or old – are in one location doing something exciting like meeting a visitor, they could get overly excited.  This abundance of energy and excitement could lead to conflict among the dogs.<ReF>http://ift.tt/2hNexQl;
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	#Place the new dog behind a barrier.  Putting your dog in a crate or behind a baby gate is a good way to introduce the dog to visitors.  This keeps the dog feeling safe and secure while at the same time preventing the dog from jumping up or on your visitor.  This gives both the dog and the visitor time to observe the other from a safe distance.<Ref>http://ift.tt/2hNm7KE;		#Place the new dog behind a barrier.  Putting your dog in a crate or behind a baby gate is a good way to introduce the dog to visitors.  This keeps the dog feeling safe and secure while at the same time preventing the dog from jumping up or on your visitor.  This gives both the dog and the visitor time to observe the other from a safe distance.<Ref>http://ift.tt/2hNm7KE;
	#*If your new dog is too disruptive even behind a low barrier or inside a crate, move it to another room while your visitor is visiting.<Ref>http://ift.tt/2hoiW9m; You might try to introduce your new dog to your visitor again after 10 minutes or so.		#*If your new dog is too disruptive even behind a low barrier or inside a crate, move it to another room while your visitor is visiting.<Ref>http://ift.tt/2hoiW9m; You might try to introduce your new dog to your visitor again after 10 minutes or so.
−	#Identify your new dog’s triggers.  It might be hard to know what your new dog’s triggers are because it is new.  However, if foster owners or previous caretakers observed any trigger behaviors in your new dog, they would surely have passed such knowledge on to you.  If the prior caretaker did not pass anything on to you, or if the new dog had no prior caretaker, make careful observations about your dog’s reactions to particular people and stimuli.<Ref>http://ift.tt/2hNm7KE;	+	#Identify your new dog’s triggers.  It might be hard to know what your new dog’s triggers are because it is new.  However, if foster owners or previous caretakers observed any trigger behaviors in your new dog, they might have passed such knowledge on to you.  If the prior caretaker did not pass anything on to you, or if the new dog had no prior caretaker, make careful observations about your dog’s reactions to particular people and stimuli.<Ref>http://ift.tt/2hNm7KE;
	#*For instance, your new dog might become fearful or aggressive when in the presence of perfume, people wearing wide-brimmed hats, or other “intimidating” modes of dress.		#*For instance, your new dog might become fearful or aggressive when in the presence of perfume, people wearing wide-brimmed hats, or other “intimidating” modes of dress.
	#*Avoid introducing your new dog to visitors who possess or demonstrate qualities that trigger negative behavior in your dog.  Alternately, embark on a desensitization program to prevent your new dog from reacting poorly to its triggers.		#*Avoid introducing your new dog to visitors who possess or demonstrate qualities that trigger negative behavior in your dog.  Alternately, embark on a desensitization program to prevent your new dog from reacting poorly to its triggers.

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