What’s better than one dog? Two dogs. If you’re thinking of adding a new member to the family, you’re in for a treat. Not only will you get double the fun, you’ll get double the joy and love. But it’s not as easy as just waltzing in with a new dog. Incorrectly introducing a new dog to your existing pack can do more harm than good. Here is your guide to properly introducing two pups. To begin, you’ll need to enlist the help of a friend or family member. Ideally they should be well-acquainted with your current pup. You will have to meet on neutral territory – somewhere neither your dog or your new dog knows. The meet and greet will start with a long walk. You and your current dog will take the lead while your friend or family member and new dog walk behind you. After a short while, slow down and let the new dog walk in front of you. Let your current pup sniff their rear but avoid a face-to-face meeting as this can lead to an altercation. Keep walking with your original pup in front and repeat the process with the new dog – letting them sniff your current dogs rear. If the two appear to be on friendly terms, you can gradually bring them together and walk side by side – with you and your family member in between. Once the pack appears calm, you can have the two meet off-leash! When meeting off-leash, don’t be alarmed if they don’t immediately hit it off. It’ll take some time for the two pups to get adjusted to one another. Make sure they meet in a neutral, enclosed area - perhaps a quiet dog park or friends’ backyard. You may have to repeat the process a few times before the dogs are able to make the journey home. Some dogs aren’t as eager to meet new dogs as others! Once the pups appear to get along with each other, it’s time to take them home! Since dogs are territorial creatures, make sure to put away all dog toys, food, water bowls, and beds to avoid a fight or altercation. If your current pup is exceptionally territorial, you’ll want to enter the home with them first – that way it will be as if your current dog is inviting the new one in. You may need to keep the dogs separate during the first couple weeks. While some dogs will immediately hit it off, others won’t. But that doesn’t mean they won’t in the future! Make sure to feed them in separate rooms and keep toys off-limits at first. This will give them a chance to get to know each other without fighting over a toy or food. With enough time and a lot of patience, you’ll hardly remember there was a time you only had one dog!