Aside from coming home to a household that already has a dog, puppies or dogs will also find themselves in homes with other different types of pets.
Such as cats, birds, reptiles, and rodents too. And there’s nothing more rewarding than having a home where you’re able to make all of your pets feel safe and cared for. Just simply look up Trizane Dog Services on Instagram! Reanna has worked with her dog Amelia, her cat Roux and her bird Zane, in order to have them all be comfortable around one another.
But how did she do it? How does someone help socialize their dog with other household pets? Check out these tips:
1. Nurture each of your pet’s emotional cups, as if they were your only pet. By ensuring you meet all of your pet’s needs, they are much more likely to have an easier time thriving in your home.
This goes double for your dog. Why? Because dogs really care to understand how you would like for them to best go about their daily interactions, in general. And so if you’ve also taken the time to fulfill your dog’s physical, mental, and social enrichment needs, then you will find him to be far more cooperative and understanding of the needs of everyone around.
2. Closely tied to the tip below, providing your dog with their daily dose of enrichment is the key to then associating their feeling of calm and fulfillment, to their environment, and that includes your other pets.
There are two major reasons why a dog would struggle to come into a home with other pets.
a) Your dog initially displays curiosity towards your other pets, but eventually, with time they become a type of outlet (whether directly or indirectly) to burn pent-up energy, or frustration (likely as a result of boredom) and/or to hopefully fulfill a particular itch or talent like chasing, or scavenging, or just overall wanting to play, interact and socialize.
b) Insecurities, not knowing what to do. Although this could also stem from the point above, it’s likely more so due to the nature, past experiences, and demeanour of the dog in question. Not all dogs have the same response and feelings towards other animals. In this case, you will want to very slowly help your dog get there. Rushing is not an option.
3. Manage their environment when together and apart. Just as you would watch over 2-3 young children when they come over, you will want to provide as much supervision as possible. No matter how much you trust your pets to be okay together - particularly with very different animal types and sizes, it’s primordial that you always maintain a safe and watchful eye over all of their interactions, and of course go a step further by reinforcing wanted behaviour, on all ends!