Bringing a new dog into a home with existing pets takes patience, structure, and a thoughtful approach. Especially with hounds or rescue dogs, the goal is to prioritize comfort before expecting closeness. Begin introductions with a parallel walk in a neutral area—never inside the home, which can feel territorial to resident dogs. Use loose leashes and keep the dogs walking side by side with some space, allowing them to sniff the environment before each other. Avoid face-to-face greetings early on.

Once home, structure is everything. Do not allow the dogs to free-roam together right away. Instead, use baby gates, crates, or separate rooms to give each dog calm exposure without pressure. Feeding should always be done separately, ideally in kennels or different rooms, to prevent food guarding—even between dogs that seem friendly. After a period of calm coexistence, you can begin short, supervised hangouts using long leashes indoors if needed. Avoid sharing toys, beds, treats, or food bowls during the early days or weeks to reduce competition and tension.

During this process, don’t be discouraged by growling—it’s a form of communication, not necessarily aggression. Watch for positive body language like loose movements, soft tails, play bows, or mutual curiosity (like sniffing the same area calmly). Introductions should never happen off-leash in your yard without structure. Remember, slower is safer.

Helpful tools include baby gates or x-pens for visual contact, crate-and-rotate routines to allow decompression, calming enrichment like lick mats or snuffle games, and regular parallel walks to reinforce positive associations. Your goal isn’t immediate friendship—it’s to build trust, tolerance, and the foundation for a healthy long-term relationship between the dogs. With time, consistency, and patience, connection will follow.