Introducing a new puppy to an home with an older, established dog can be a cause for concern for many owners especially when it goes wrong. Done well, it can help promote a bond that will last forever and really support your puppies development and growth into a well rounded adult.

Day 1-2: Keep the puppy and older dog separated and allow them time to investigate through noises and scent. Swap items such as toys and blankets to sniff each other's scent pairing it with rewards and praise.

Day 3-7: Introduce the dogs using a safe boundary. Use a lead and put barriers in place such as baby gates, crates and pens to begin building up positive interactions through the barrier.

Day 8-9: Start feeding

both dogs in separate areas but within sight of each other. This will help them associate each other's presence with something positive such as food. Maintain the barrier to help keep control.

Day 10-13: Incorporate short supervised introductions in a safe space. Make sure you have a set up that allows you to intervene and create space between them calmly when needed.

Day 14-16: If the dogs show interest in playing together, help by engaging in gentle play sessions that are low in arousal and respect their limits.

During this time you will want to build up positive and neutral associations around other dogs and puppies too. Look to book training classes which aim to create safe and appropriate socialisation opportunities or if you can, arrange meetings and greetings with other well-behaved and friendly dogs who can communicate well and teach proper social skills and manners to your puppy without exposing them to fear.

Day 17-18: Increase the length of time in supervised sessions together but always ensure both have a space to retreat to if needed. Try to also make time for one-on-one interaction with each dog to reduce any potential for competition or jealous behaviour traits.

Day 19-21: Structure play in different areas where both dogs can play and interact with you and family members side by side actively supervising and being apart of the interaction. Include lots of breaks in-between and keep it positive, ending the session before things get too rowdy.

Days 22 onwards: Introduce basic training cues to your puppy during this time, working them alongside your established dog. By training simple behaviours like "sit," "stay" and waiting for food, you can help establish a stronger connection with you and teach self-control around each other.

Day 24-25: If the interactions have been going well, allow short periods of free time together in a safe space, like a room with baby gates but stay close, watching and observing their behaviour. If any issues arise, go back to supervised interactions for a bit longer.

Day 25-30: Allow both dogs to have access to more areas of the house together while maintaining separate sleeping spaces.

Throughout the entire time, it's crucial to observe the body language and behaviour of both dogs. If any signs of stress or aggression are displayed, slow down and go back a step. Always remember to be patient and give both dogs the time they need to adjust to each other, avoid punishing or forcing interactions and with time and patience you will have two dogs that are the best of friends.

It’s essential to be able to set up and supervise interactions all in a safe way meaning the well-being of both dogs are well monitored. As soon as the interaction becomes one sided or one dog is not enjoying it as much as the other, you should calmly step in and prevent escalation. Here are my top 5 tips to help:

1. Rough play: If one or both dogs are being overly rough, and it seems to be causing distress or discomfort, please step in to redirect their attention to calmer play or remove them and take a break. This can include certain behaviours mounting or humping which is often because the dog is over-excited or feeling unsure. It can lead to a potential conflict, and you should intervene safely to reassess the situation.

2. Know the signals: If one dog is showing signs of fear, anxiety, or avoidance, such as cowering, growling, or trying to escape, you must stop the play and assess the pairing or match up you have chosen. Familiarise yourself with a dogs signs of stress and anxiety to better assess their interactions.

3. Ganging Up: If there are multiple dogs involved in the play and they start ganging up on one dog, this can be intimidating and potentially lead to a fearful experience and aggressive response later down the line.

4. Loss of Interest: If one dog appears to lose interest and is being harassed, is trying to disengage, respect their choice and give them space to move away safely.

5. Be calm and then carry on: This one is for both you and the dogs. When intervening do things calmly and without getting agitated yourself. Avoid telling the dogs off or punishing them as this can create an unknown negative association. Try to redirect their attention to a different activity or give them a break before resuming play when calmer.