Greeting another dog with your puppy: Keep it positive
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Greeting another dog with your puppy: Keep it positive

April 1, 2017

When you have a puppy, everything is new and exciting for her, but the world can also be a scary place for a small pup.

That’s why it’s important, when you first start walking with your puppy, to try to ensure all of her experiences are positive experiences, says BC SPCA manager of animal welfare Kim Monteith.

“When it comes to greeting other dogs with your puppy, you want to always ask the other dog’s human if their dog is friendly,” Monteith says.

“If they’re not sure – it could be a friend’s or family member’s dog – it’s best to avoid any potential bad experiences that could scare your puppy.”

Instead of forcing a greeting on a dog that you’re unsure of, try distracting your puppy with treats, performing tasks like ‘sit’, or making noises to lure her away from a dog whose behaviour around other dogs is not known, Monteith says.

To make sure your puppy has good experiences greeting other dogs, try setting up play dates or walks with dogs who are good around puppies, she notes.

“Set up some meet and greets that will be fun and positive for your pup and she’ll remember those good experiences in the future,” she says.

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UPDATE: more than 150 cats taken into BC SPCA care as Houston rescue continues

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