How to introduce your dog to a new dog?

Making sure that your dog feels comfortable is a vital part of the dog-swapping process. Introducing both dogs beforehand through a play-date can help in not only making sure you are a good match with another dog-owner, but also to confirm that your dog is a good match with their dogs.

When introducing your dog to a new dog during play-dates it is recommended to keep dogs separated in the beginning and watch their body language. If they seem relaxed and excited (tail wagging, tongue out, ears up and forward, etc) feel free to shorten the distance between them. However, if one of the dog’s seems stiff, ears pulled back, teeth baring, it would be better to keep them separated until they get more comfortable with each other’s presence. If either dog seems to continue being aggressive or if their is an inability for the dogs to actually enjoy each other’s company, this may just be a situation of a bad match, and it would be better to not go through with the swap, as you want your dog to feel comfortable in the home that you’re leaving them in while you’re gone. Make sure to vocalize with other dog owners if you feel like it is not a good match, and speak out about any discomforts that you might have so they can understand why you may not want to go through with the match.

If you know that your dog is typically more aggressive in certain situations, such as with bigger dogs or in loud public areas, make sure to add this information on your profile so that other dog owners know what your dog is comfortable with, allowing for a more successful match!