by Amanda Giannaros

Created on: July 28, 2009

It's a match made in heaven. A woman and a man meet, fall in love, and discover the deep unyielding love that each other has for the animal kingdom. It seems perfect but combining two households with pets can be a tricky endeavor. There is a reason for the saying "they fight like cats and dogs", cats and dogs are notorious for not getting along but they aren't the only ones who may have a hard time integrating. Animals by nature are territorial, it's why they mark their territory, fight over food and clamor for the attention of their humans.

Animals communicate non-verbally, while people can train their pets to respond to verbal commands, animals pick up much faster on feelings and body language. If two people are nervous about two dogs meeting each other the dogs will pick up on that lack of confidence and think there is something to be nervous about. Confidence is key, if you walk into a situation calmly, with your head up and your shoulders square, the dogs will not have to fight over who us the leader because you have already filled that role. If one of the dogs is more dominant or aggressive than the other, that dog should be made to present his hind quarters first. That is a position of submission which will make the more naturally dominant dog the more submissive of the two.

Integrating a dog with any other smaller animal can be more of a challenge. Dogs by nature are hunters, if another animal runs from them, they will instinctively give chase. When introducing these animals have the dog lay on her side, wait until she is completely relaxed before you bring the other animal into the room. Again, taking the lead role in the situation is vital for you to do. Go slowly, if the dogs gains interest and starts to tense up at all give them a strong non-verbal signal that they need to relax. You can do this by simulating a quick bite to their throat with your fingers. If that does not get them to relax, remove the smaller animal and start again.

Combining households with multiple pets does not have to be a stressful task. Go slowly, have patience, do your research and know your animals. If you know the signals they are giving, you will be able to prevent unwanted situations from arising. It is possible to bring two families together, both human and animal, and have everyone live in harmony.

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