Introducing a husky puppy to my lab?

[YoursTruly]

My family is thinking of getting a 2 1/2 month old, male husky puppy, but we already have a five year old male lab. Our lab is friendly and he doesn't have the dominant, Alpha dog personality since he follows my mom - but I'm just worried our lab might hurt the puppy or when the puppy grows up he'll hurt our lab. Whats the best way to introduce them to each other?
Also I'm wondering, because the puppy is obviously younger and smaller, will he automatically follow our older lab? Will our lab automatically be the 'dominant' one between the two of them?

 

[MadonnaK]

As long as both dogs are well trained to understand that the humans are in charge, you shouldn't have any problems.

1) Prepare the home: The day you pick up the puppy, pick up all toys, bones, beds, and blankets before bringing your new puppy home. Put them away in a closet or cupboard where neither the lab nor the puppy will be able to see them. This will eliminate the risk of a dog fight over food, toys, etc. For about a week before getting the puppy, allow your dog to sleep on a towel for use in step 2.

2) Introduce the dogs: I suggest introducing the dogs on neutral territory, like a park that your lab has never been to. Start by walking your lab for 60 minutes around the area of the park. Do not take any toys, balls, or treats. Just walk at a fairly tiring pace for the dog. Once the dog is nice and worn out, take him to the park.

Meanwhile, during this hour, someone else should go pick up the puppy and take it home. Wash the puppy in the home, and dry it with a towel. Then, dry it a second time with the towel your dog has been sleeping on. This will remove any strange scents from the puppy, and scent it with familiar smells. This will help your dog accept it.

Then, take the puppy to the park. Begin walking with your lab, and have someone walk with the puppy right behind you. Gradually, slow down to let the puppy catch up with you. Continue to gradually slow down and allow the dogs to greet each other. They'll do some sniffing, etc. If there is a growl or a snap, immediately begin to walk the dogs again. Continue this process until there are no negative signs, then go home together!

For this step, I recommend your mom takes control of the Lab while meeting the new puppy, since he follows her.

3) Happily Ever After: Never allow the dogs to snap, growl, or fight over anything. Over the first 2 weeks, you can gradually reintroduce beds, bones, and toys to the house's common area. If something is fought over, you take it away and hide it out of sight IMMEDIATELY. Always supervise the dogs when they are together to make sure your lab isn't being overwhelmed by puppy energy. Make sure you take time each day to play with each dog separately, and make sure each dog has a place where the other dog is not allowed.

I suggest crate training your puppy for when you're gone, and when you're home, keeping his activity limited to the kitchen or other large, easy to clean room. Of course, you should allow the dogs to play together for perhaps 2 hours a day at first, more as they become used to one another.

Make sure to neuter your new puppy before he hits 6 months to avoid any hormonally driven conflicts, as well.

Your new puppy will not automatically look up to the lab if he has a dominant personality. More than likely, your puppy will be happy to follow the older dog until he hits adolescence. Either way, you have to teach the puppy to respect the lab, and the lab to tolerate the puppy. The ball's in your court on that one!

 

[Andrea1]

usually, when you introduce a puppy and an older dog, the older one is more dominant. however, if your lab is not the alpha type, to puppy may become the dominant one. since he is only a puppy, i am sure they will get along fine, he will grow up to know the other dog is part of his family.
introduce them slowly, put them both on a leash. it may be best to introduce them away from your house, sometimes dogs are protective in their own territory. when you do bring the puppy in, put up a gate and let them smell eachother between the gate.

 

[Bazbazpop]

If your Lab is not a dominant or aggressive dog and is quite friendly, that's good and it shouldn't be a problem. To make their first meeting as peaceful as possible, here's what you can do.
1. Hold your husky puppy in your arms.
2. Bend down to your Labs height and let them sniff each other (but still hold your puppy). Try not to feel alert or tense because dogs can sense this and they might become jerky, agitated, or maybe even aggressive themselves. Relax, talk softly and gently to both of them, give your Lab a bit of a scratch behind the ears and then pat your puppy as well.
3. If all seems well, try putting your puppy on the ground in front of your Lab and watch them. Your puppy is most likely to look submissive for a very short while but will then start jumping up and down and try to lick and scratch your older dog's face.
4. Don't worry if your Lab starts growling a little when your puppy gets excited, he is just telling the puppy who's boss and that he doesn't like what he is doing. This is good for your puppy to know.
5. Step back a little and watch them. And if everything seems ok, leave them alone but remember to keep an eye on them occasionally.
However back to step 3. If all doesn't seem well. Don't scold your older dog, merely stand up and walk away and put your puppy somewhere where he can't bother your older dog. It's also a good idea to put a bit of your puppy's bedding near your Lab's bed so they can get used to each other's scent without direct contact.
Letting them meet in Neautral terriotory is good but your older dog will probably feel more confident ion his own territory. But if this doesn't work, definitely take them for a walk together outside. They will gradually get there.
Hope this helps!

 

[Audrey]

when i got my cat I had a male husky and we dont want to introduce the kitten right when we got home so what we did was have my kitten get used to one room (which was my room) and when my kitty poops in the litter box i would pick it up with the bag and let the dog smell the poop (I know it seems weird) But just to Let the husky know that theres another pet in the house and when my husky is sleeping, my dad would hold the kitten in front of my dog so my cat knows wht the dog looks like and after a while, they seem to like eachother
I hope this can help