Host: How can you be sure the new dog will get along with your pet or pets at home?

Michelle Otis: Many shelters will allow you or some might even require you to bring your pets from home or your dog from home into the shelter to meet and interact with the dog that you are applying on. That's actually a very good idea. The shelter is neutral territory, the shelter dog has only been there for a very short period of time and hopefully, won't be territorial over the space. Your dog certainly won't be territorial over shelter space, but it's actually a really good, intermediate place for them to interact. The other thing you want to keep in mind is that you need to be patient when introducing the new dog into your home and dogs are going to work it out amongst themselves to a certain extent, but you can also help to make it a positive experience. So definitely, seek a trainer's advice or talk to your adoption counselor about how to best do that. It is really going to depend on the two dogs, the two individual dogs that are being introduces and how they are relating to each other. But just know that in most cases, it is not love at first sight, but if they can live together and become friends or at least live together in peace, that's really what you are going for and your adoption counselor can help give you advice on how to do that or get refer you to someone who can.