Cross Breeds

How do you introduce two dogs when you fear they are going to fight?

We recently picked up a stray dog and brought her home. She's a small dog about the size of a dachsund. When we attempted to introduce her to our other dog, she's a pitbull mix (extremely sweet, never bit anyone), the new dog started growling and shaking. I think she's probably been abused by her previous owners. How do I properly introduce the two dogs. How do I work with the smaller dog to being comfortable around the big dog?

Public Comments

1. Put your big dog behind a fence or someting so your they can see each other.then slowly let them try to sniff each other.
2. I had the same experience with cats which was tougher.First you should put the new dog into another room which would be closed so he or she will get relaxed . After that you should pick a towel,and cover the dog with the towel so the smell will be at the towel too ; do the same for the other dog too.And make sure that they are with the other dogs towel to exchange their smells and finish being stranger.Try this for 3 days and after that;and hold the little dog so he or she'll notice that he is secure because you are there.And about 5 days later,they'll return to normal.
3. It's Not your dog it's the stray she may have been a stray all her life and isn't used to that sort of thing it okay don't worry :] get your strays scent and let your dog get as good sniff so when they do meet your dog might think *hey, I've smelled this before!* and it may be more relaxing, hope this helps good luck with your pups
4. A-STEALING dogs is ILLEGAL!!! NOT your property to keep! B-FEAR...the correct response=NOT FING "abused"!!! KEEP SEPARATE until animal control comes to get it.
5. Well, if the big dog isn't freaking out, then you wont have to put him/her behind a fence. Have someone else hold the bigger dog's coller and you hold the smaller dog's coller and have them sniff each other and bark at each other and such (just don't let them start biting or killing each other). Do this every day until they seem to be getting used to each other. In the mean time keep one of them inside and the other outside.