by Kat Derrig

Created on: November 10, 2008   Last Updated: August 05, 2009

Bringing home a new pet is exciting and rewarding, but as many owners of multiple pets know, sometimes their furry pals don't always get along, and fight, like cats and dogs. Whether your new dog seems to dislike the pets you already own, or a dog you have had for a while doesn't take to a new companion, it can be very frustrating and difficult to deal with conflicts among your four-legged friends. Not only does the fighting make your pets unhappy, it puts stress on the entire family. Sometimes it even puts the owner in the difficult position of having to decide whether to sell or give away one of their animals. Here are a few suggestions for keeping the peace in your family.

When you adopt a new pet, introduce him or her to your dog in a neutral environment - not in your home (which dogs see as being their territory). If you are getting another dog, Caesar Milan from the Dog Whisperer suggests that you begin by walking them together, one either side of you. Make sure you are leading the pack, rather than them pulling the leash and leading you. This activity establishes the three of you, and any other human family members that can come along, as a unified pack, and allows the dogs to meet on neutral turf. If you are introducing a new cat or other animal, try letting them meet at a park or a friend's house. This way Fido won't feel threatened or scared.

When you bring home a new dog to a house with pets already living there, here are a couple of rules to follow: give your other animals plenty of attention to ease feelings of jealousy, and let your other pets have their space. For example, if you are bringing home a new dog and you see your cat is fearful, keep the dog in just one part of the house or yard for a while. Give Kitty a chance to get used to a new member of the family, and make sure Fido is behaving respectfully toward her. Whenever your new pet and the former ones are together, watch the dogs for aggressive behavior and correct them as soon as they show signs that they might bite. Growling is not necessarily always a symptom of aggression; sometimes it is only their way of saying "back up a little". If your dog does snap, correct him or her immediately with a firm touch or jerk on the leash and a firm 'no'- don't pull, push or hit them however, and don't yell. Most importantly, observe their body language and energy right before they bite or snap - that is the moment to correct the behavior.

Sometimes pets that have lived together in harmony for years can start not getting along, for seemingly no reason. If a noticeable change has occurred in one of your furry friends, first take him to the vet to make sure there is no physical reason he is behaving oddly. A dog who is in pain or sick can understandably be short-tempered and want to be left alone. If he has nothing wrong with him physically, do what you can to resolve the problem psychologically. Exercise is very important for dogs; if he can't get regular walks outside, Caesar suggests teaching him to walk on a treadmill. This gives him a mental and physical workout. Make sure he gets enough one-on-one time with you doing his favorite activities. With enough work, you can have a balanced pack once again.

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