- 1). Monitor the aggression of both dogs prior to bringing in a second dog. If either dog shows a predisposition to aggression, it is not advisable to attempt to bring a second pitbull into its family.
- 2). Purchase or adopt a second pitbull only if you have the time to carefully observe the dogs in their early interactions. An ideal location to purchase or adopt from is a shelter with a fenced in location where you can bring your current dog to get acquainted to the new dog, and can leave the dog overnight between sessions if needed until the two are well acquainted and friendly. Many responsible pitbull shelters or breeders will require you to introduce the dogs until friendly before taking your new pitbull home to minimize the risk of incident.
- 3). Walk the dog currently living in the home, using a leash.
- 4). Meet up with a second walker -- your spouse or a friend, perhaps -- who has the new dog on a leash at a pre-determined location away from your home. Often this can occur at the shelter of the second dog.
- 5). Walk parallel with the other walker, so the dogs are nearly in line with each other, alternating which dog is in the lead as you walk.
- 6). Maintain slack in the leashes as you walk. A tight line can create tension in the dogs.
- 7). Watch the dogs closely at all times for signs of aggression, such as hackles raising or the dog stiffening up.
- 8). Allow the dogs to sniff each other perpendicularly, forming a T-shape, when they are comfortable walking together.
- 9). Repeat the walks as needed until the dogs can peacefully walk together.
- 10
Take the dogs to an enclosed area such as a dog park or a fenced in yard, and allow them to interact with one dog off the leash. - 11
Remove the leash from the second dog and allow the dogs to interact when they have shown they can safely interact. - 12
Return home with the dogs after they have interacted in a friendly nature. - 13
Monitor the dogs closely as you return them home, and put the dogs in separate rooms or crates immediately if aggression occurs. - 14
Feed the dogs on a set schedule, as opposed to simply leaving out food and allowing the dogs to eat at their own leisure, which can result in aggression between the dogs as they fight for the food. It's a good idea to separate the dogs for feeding by placing bowls in different rooms or feeding the dogs in their crates.
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