Dog Charmer Tom by Tom Shelby
The Dog Meet:
Energetic Youngster Jeffrey and
Senior Paula Jean are Doing Just Fine
Dear Readers (and me),
Having had Paula Jean—the easiest dog in the world to live with—for the last nine years, I feel I should not only remind myself of what to do when bringing a new, punk age, 9-month-old dog into the home with an 11-year-old totally cooperative, placid poodle, but I should also share some of the do’s and don’ts.
First thing is the “meet.” Dogs are territorial, some a lot more than others. So, if you want to introduce two dogs in the hope of their getting along, best do it on neutral territory as opposed to bringing one dog to another’s house. If it must be at another’s house, have the “meet” outdoors. In this case, I felt okay about bringing PJ to Jeffrey’s house because of his youth, and I wanted to know right away if he’d surprise me by showing an aggressive, territorial response. Had I brought him to my house first, Paula Jean would have been appalled at the intrusion of this bigger, heavier, ill-mannered brute playfully accosting her in her own den.
