Day #5: How To Avoid Jealous Pets

Day #5 of Helpful Tips For You And Your Pet

Check out our Helpful Tips For You and Your Pet.  Today we are talking about Jealousy with new and resident pets.  We have previously touched on bringing new pets home and the steps you take to introduce them to new pets.  Now we will be discussing dealing with jealous pets and the best way to go about making sure everyone is happy!

Day #5: How To Avoid Jealous Pets

You have brought a new addition to your family, a cute little fluffy puppy.  However, your older dog isn’t so sure he is OK with this new “friend” and decides he doesn’t want to have anything to do with you,  your family and the new pet.  What should you do?

-Continue to give large amounts of attention to your first pet(s).  While it is easy to get caught up in the cuteness of your new addition, your current pets will feel put out and naturally will become jealous.  Make sure you spend a lot of time reassuring them they are still very special to you and still a part of the family.

-Don’t force the new and existing pet together.  As we discussed previously last week, you need to give your new and old pets their time to get used to each other.  Make sure you allow them to gain confidence to decide when they’d like to face their new housemates.

-Separate your pets when feeding.  Use separate food and water bowls and keep them separated while eating, feeding them both at the same time.

-Lastly, make sure to always keep an eye on them until you are fully confident they will get along.  Remember this takes time and being patient is important.  When you leave the house, keep dogs in separate rooms so they cannot interact without your supervision.

Check back for more helpful pet tips to come!