"Specializing in Yorkshire Terriers & Maltese"

How to Socialize Your Yorkie or Maltese to Other Animals

If you're an animal lover, this article is a must for you.  Here is a simple way to train your dog and other pets you may have to socialize and live harmoniously in your household.  This may not be an easy task, but it is essential for both or multiple pets that you may have.
 
Dogs are very territorial animals and they would much rather chase intruders away, then to share it with another pet.  Therefore, you must train your dog to accept the other pets and have them get along in a peaceful environment. Below are several helpful tips on how to train you pets to get along.
 
The most important point is to keep both pets safe, as well as yourself.  Since we’re talking about dogs, let's assume that you've already had the dog and you are getting a new pet.
 
First of all, place the new pet into a sturdy structure, like a cage, to keep your dog from any form of physical contact while still allowing both pets to see, smell and hear each other.  This process prevents any kind of physical miss-behavior, as both pets get used to each other in a safe and secure atmosphere.  You might even need to have gloves prepared, later in the training process, to protect yourself from scratches from nervous pets.
 
Rewards are the best way to encourage your pets, so, have plenty of it.  Make sure to give a lot of verbal praise and affection when your dog stops barking or acting hostile, as this will show that you are allowing a new pet into the household and they must respect and share the household boundaries and not be territorial.  Repeat this process several times over couple of weeks for both of the pets to become comfortable, natural and both have become accustomed to one another and not have any kind of aggression towards each other.  Now you are ready to move on to the next step.
 
For this portion of training, you will need someone else's assistance.  It requires for the other person to help with one of the animals.  One of you must have the dog on a short leash and hold them firmly.  When the dog is fully secured and stabled, open up the cage and bring out the other pet slowly and calmly.  The dog will most likely want to go towards the new pet, so, make sure the dog is securely held with the leash.  Also, the new pet might panic and try to escape the person's grasp, so, one must also be careful.  Bring them closer together slowly and have them adapt to each other's presence.  Repeat this over a week or so, and eventually they will accept each other to become friends.
 
Having multiple pets in the house can be a challenging, but yet, very enjoyable experience.  I'm sure you've seen those pictures of two pets getting along in an unusual and playful way.  Take this opportunity to snap pictures and video them, as this will create many memorable moments.
 
You must also realize that it will not always be a happy loving family.  Just like humans, one will react negatively towards the other and problems may occur.  At this point, place them in their own space and let them have a cool off period.  Pretty soon, they'll be the best of pals in no time again.