Foster Introductions
Here’s a post I’ve been meaning to do for quite some time: All about doing foster introductions. If you just want the steps with photos, this article from Foster Dogs that I wrote a few years ago is still totally valid and a great starting point. This blog post contains that information and more; I wanted to be a little more specific about our dogs and our situation in this blog post, because I know you all know and care about the girls, and have seen us do some intros with them. So whether you have a Loosey or a Penny, this is for you. Also, please remember I’m NOT a professional dog handler or trainer, this is all based on my own experience and what works for us.
I’ll start by saying I firmly believe it’s much easier to take the time to do an introduction right than it is to go back and have to start over once things have gone badly (though it can be done!). It can be time consuming, but it’s important to make sure your dogs have success in becoming friends, or at least congenial roommates, until your foster is adopted, and going slowly is invaluable in maintaining everyone’s safety.
Stay at each introductory step until all dogs are calm—the best thing you can have while doing this is two bored dogs. If your dog is a unicorn all-dog-friendly-dog and so is the foster, congrats, you’ll breeze right through. If not, welcome to our world. There’s nothing wrong with it taking 3-4 days or more for your dog to meet your foster dog. It’s also beneficial from a health point of view. A few days gives you time to make sure that the foster doesn’t have kennel cough or worms before interacting with your dog.
First things first: Be prepared ahead of time
PREPARATION
Before your foster dog arrives, prepare your home and gather some supplies to make sure everyone is set up for success. The last thing you want is a bunch of dogs free in a room and bouncing all over (or getting into an argument) while you’re trying to set up a crate.
Set up crates on opposite ends of the room, or with a little distance between them. If your dog doesn’t have a crate, then your dog’s favorite bed or resting place will work, but be sure to not let your dog free roam and intimidate or scare the crated dog. This also applies to keeping the new dog behind a gate
Remove all toys and especially food or high value items from the floor
Before a foster dog arrives is the best time to teach your dog the “place” command. It means "sit here and stay until I say to move.” It’s ok if your dog isn’t perfect at it, but it’s a very valuable command that’s worth practicing. If your dog doesn’t know it, a down stay will also be helpful
Slow introductions are EVERYTHING!
We always take things slow. Sometimes that means a parallel walk, sometimes it means sniffing through a gate for a few days, sometimes it means keeping totally separate for a few days. Here’s a quick list of how we decide how to introduce:
If the dog is an adult bigger than, say, 25 lbs, we start with a parallel walk on the street. This means usually one of us takes our 2 dogs (or 1 at a time if we need to) and the other has the foster. We walk side by side, decreasing distance until we can be right near each other, but not so close that a dog can get all up in another’s business. We continue until the dogs can walk side by side, and maybe even get in a VERY QUICK butt sniff while all moving forward, without any reaction. If we can’t get to that point, it’s straight to the crates to try again later. (More detailed info on parallel walks later in the article).
If the dog is an adult smaller than 25 lbs, we usually start with the small dog behind the gate in the kitchen. This is because we’ve found that my dogs tend to scare smaller dogs on leash. We keep my dogs in “place” across the room, where everyone can see each other and get used to smells, but not interact. If they can’t do this without staring, my dogs go on a leash and we put a blanket over the gate. This continues until we can be calm near the gate, and then we progress to out in the yard, on leash, or on a parallel walk.
If it’s a puppy, we hold it in our arms and wait for the girls to settle down, then let them sniff its butt. If it’s big enough and everyone is chill it can go on the floor, if not it goes into a pen and they can greet through the gate. If a puppy is very small, the girls will likely not be allowed free with it until a few days have passed and they’ve calmed down, or I’m holding the puppy.
If there’s no history on the dog, we are extra cautious. This means strict social distancing (I’m borrowing the term here because it’s kind of perfect) for a few days. Crated across the room or in separate rooms, parallel walks from afar, potential for muzzles during the introduction.
Note: I highly recommend muzzle training your dogs before you bring home fosters. I recommend it for all dogs. I also recommend working on it with fosters. That said, no one is perfect, and if your foster is not aggressive or is really small, you may not get to it. It happens. But muzzle training your own dogs is very valuable for fostering, going to the vet, in case of injury, etc.
Steps to doing an actual introduction:
Once you’ve decided the dogs are ready to meet, you’ll start with a parallel walk at a safe distance. If you don’t have 2 people available to help with this, I would let the dogs stay in the same room but separated by crates and/or gates for at least a day or 2 before attempting a parallel walk. Alternately you may want to try skipping this and go right to Step 3, both out of crates but leashed to furniture across the room, decreasing distance and remaining calm. Once they can do that, you can let them drag leashes and meet inside, but be aware if your dog tends to guard any place in the home.
STEP 1: GO FOR A PARALLEL WALK ON NEUTRAL TERRITORY
It is always advisable to have at least 2 people when introducing 2 dogs. That way, one person can walk each dog—and it’s important that each person understands they are responsible for the dog on the end of their leash. Start by walking parallel to each other—the dogs can see each other, but not sniff or stare at each other. Just keep the walk going, let both dogs potty if they have to, until they start to get bored of trying to sniff the other dog, and just settle into the walk. If the dogs are too excited, increase the distance, and then slowly decrease it as they calm down. If they’re calm enough, each dog can sniff the other’s butt. Be sure that the front dog keeps moving and doesn’t turn his or her head around and snap, and that the back dog isn’t getting TOO up in there and making the other dog uncomfortable.
STEP 2: PARALLEL OBEDIENCE
While on the walk, try to get the dogs to perform basic obedience near each other. This will show both dogs that the humans are in charge, so there’s no need to feel defensive. It also helps both dogs get into a calmer mindset and ready to obey commands. If either dog doesn't know any tricks or basic obedience, then do whatever you can to reward calm behavior. If food is not too overstimulating, you can use treats to reward being calm in the other dog's presence.
Note: If Steps 1 and 2 are a disaster, that’s okay! Don’t try to force a meeting. Crate the dogs across the room, or in separate rooms if you have to. Let them stay calm in their crates, maybe with a chew or toy, and just ignore the other dog. If they are staring, toss a sheet over one or both of the crates to calm them. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 until both dogs are calm and ignoring each other. This can take a few days, and that is totally fine.
STEP 3: PARALLEL PLACE OR DOWN STAYS
If you were able to accomplish Steps 1 and 2 without issue, you’re ready to move into the home (I like to do this in the backyard but of course not everyone has one so you can of course do it inside). Start with each dog still leashed and each “place” a few feet apart where the dogs can see each other but not reach each other. Ask each dog to go to place, sit, lay down, etc. If the dog is not reliable or doesn’t know the commands, consider tying the leash off to a heavy piece of furniture (make sure it’s stable. No broken TVs or shattered planters). Reward the dogs for looking at each other without reacting and for performing their tricks. If one dog leaves his or her place, guide that dog back on using the leash or spatial pressure. Don’t let either dog just wander off. If there is no reaction from either dog, you can move the places closer together. Stay in side-by-side place until both dogs are bored of it and each other, not reacting at all to each other’s presence.
STEP 4: FREE ROAMING
If you’ve gotten to Step 4, you’re doing great. You can now release both pups from their place, and let them wander. I recommend leaving leashes dragging so you can grab them if you have to. I like to have both dogs follow me around, practicing sits next to each other but technically free to decide what to do. I keep my Pet Corrector in hand so I can make a quick tssst sound if there is any inappropriate staring or growling, or to interrupt any aggression before it really starts. Once I’m confident in the dogs’ behavior toward one another, I will remove a leash or both, but I always keep my Pet Corrector in hand for a day or two just in case.
A note on the pet corrector: it’s a can of condensed air. You spray it into the air to make a sharp sound, you do not spray it at or on the dogs. It’s technically a punishment, which bothers some people. I personally think it’s worth it to avoid dog fights. I use it if I need interrupt, the noise will startle the dogs and I can get in between them and safely break up inappropriate behavior. Make your own choice, this is what works for us and helps us keep everyone safe.
Once you’ve done an introduction, you’ll want to set everyone up for successful, harmonious living
I keep toys and especially high value toys and treats (like bully sticks or kongs) away from the dogs except in their individual crates
I never leave them uncrated and alone in the apartment together, even while showering. If I’m working and not paying attention, I crate or gate the foster
I never let 2 dogs in the same crate at the same time, which means making sure crate doors are closed when a dog is not in it
I always feed all meals in crates or behind gates so that there is no need to guard food
Set boundaries for the foster from day 1. Sleep in the crate, no access to furniture without permission (easier said than done, no one’s perfect). Let them do a lap around the house sniffing and get the lay of the land while your dog is safely in another room, then they go into the crate or behind the gate. It is much easier to give freedom than to take it away
Learn a bit about dog behavior and watch for signs a dog is uncomfortable. If one dog is constantly bothering the other while a dog is laying down or sleeping, watch to see if the sleeping dog engages or if the dog does avoidance behaviors like hard stares, freezes, lip licks, moving their head away, etc. If so, don’t allow the bothering dog to do that anymore
This is a big one for Penny. Even if she likes another dog she does not like when they bother her while sleeping. The only real incident we’ve ever had (knock on wood) was a 70 lb dog that tried to sit on her while she was sleeping. She snapped and caught the edge of his ear with her tooth, and he bled like crazy. He was totally fine, but it scared the actual shit out of our dog sitter who was there at the time, and in turn it scared the shit out of me when she called me about it. It made me a lot more cautious, and more quick to advocate for her space
Know your own dogs. Know their play styles and sounds, and what their triggers are. ADVOCATE FOR YOUR DOG! Enforce strict boundaries with the foster, and reward your dog for sharing his or her home by respecting what they ask for, including personal space, not sharing favorite toys, and not playing if they don’t feel like it. Never punish a warning growl
This manifests a lot of ways. I know the difference between Penny’s play growl and a warning growl, her play stare and a suspicious stare. I call her my hippogriff when she’s meeting new dogs, because when we move to being free in the yard, I watch her like a hawk but I trust her. If she hard stares and keeps her body stiff, I lead her or the other dog away on the leash. Once she play bows, I know she is comfortable with the dog. Just like a hippogriff, the bow means she is giving respect and approval.
For Loosey, I watch for the opposite. Her instinct is to cannon ball her body into a new friend, or slap them across the head. Obviously, this is not a great instinct. I make sure to keep her leashed until I trust she can be calm, and that the other dog will either enjoy playing or back away instead of escalating to aggression if threatened by her play style. Often Penny will be free with a dog first, and Loosey is in a crate or behind a gate to calm down
