How to introduce a new rotti pup to existing pets?

by Kelly
(Durban, Kwazulu natal, South Africa)

Hi there, my boyfriend and I have booked a male rottweiler puppy which we will be fetching in the beginning of feb. We currently have a female bull terrier who is socialised and is still doing dog training.

Was just wondering what will be the best way to introduce the new edition to the existing pets, should it be done on our property(will this make my bull terrier more territorially aggressive?) should we try walk the dogs first?

Any tips would be appreciated.

Thanks
Kelly








Hi Kelly
You're doing the right thing by thinking ahead and trying to make sure that the first introductions run smoothly.

Generally bringing a new pup into a home with existing pets isn't a huge deal as the older dogs are tolerant of puppies, and a pup raised around other dogs and cats learns to accept them without difficulty.

Bull terriers, like most of the bull and terrier breeds, can be a bit dominant and tend to 'play rough' even in fun. However, a Rottie pup is pretty robust too and should be able to handle that. I'd recommend reading this web article Introducing A New Puppy as it has lots of tips and advice to help you.

The fact that the new puppy is of the opposite sex to the bull terrier is good as there are less likely to be any major conflicts that way. Usually things run pretty smoothly at first, even when the dog and pup are of the same sex, but later on two females or two males can start to be combative as the puppy matures.

You could try introducing the pup to the older dog in another safe area where unvaccinated dogs haven't had access (for health reasons) and then take them home together. If the new dog was an adult I would recommend this, but with a puppy it shouldn't matter too much. Unless your Bull Terrier is generally territorial and inclined to be a bit dog-aggressive or dominant, if that's the case then you may want to try this tactic.

Hope this helps, best of luck with your new puppy.