Tips for introducing new dog to resident dog

[MiniTheMinx]

Hi all, I'm thinking of adopting another rescue dog. We have had Conkers bonkers since February. He has settled well, no behavioural issues. He's two, neutered and quite calm.

He came from the same rescue where all of the dogs live and play in groups, so socialised. However He doesn't like on lead intros of very boisterous large dogs jumping over him. He is a staffie x boston and 12kg, so small.

New dog is a boy, staffie Cross, socialised, same rescue, but larger, same size as a small lab, neutered and two years old. More playful.

Am I going to bite off more than I can chew? help! what do I need to know, any prep, how can I succeed in making this work.

Any advice gratefully received.

We adopted another rescue dog when our old BC had to be PTS in January and our other dog (Romanian rescue) pined for her. We had the opposite problem in that the new rescue dog was a very nervous BC. Fortunately the rescue organisation let us take him for an extended period to let him settle in.
We got a crate for the new dog to allow him a space to retreat to if he felt overwhelmed, and covered it it a blanket so he felt it was a safe haven. The food bowl went into the crate to make sure the new dog knew it was his. There was quite a bit of barking from our existing dog which the rescue said was the old boy teaching the new boy what the status quo would be in the house! I must confess I did wonder whether it would work at first because of this. After about 3-4 weeks the new boy did a play bow to the older one and a massive play fight ensued, they have been best buddies since.

Will the rescue facilitate meeting ahead of your adopting?

they should have safe spaces you can do this and see how your dog reacts

The rescue should have areas where they can meet safely to test their compatibility. If not then a trial run and only introduce them on neutral ground first.

Hopefully the rescue will be sensible and listen to you about how you want the dogs introduced. The RSPCA were hopeless and wouldn't listen to my husband when we tried to get another dog to go with our previous BC.

The group we rescued our current BC from actually let us take him home to see how he settled with the other dog, after an initial introduction where no aggression was evident

I've spoken to my dog walker. She takes my dog on a long group walk twice a week. She has suggested three days decompression time for the new dog and to keep them apart in the house for three days.

I don't like crates, and neither dog is used to crates, so I guess its baby gates everywhere! and I'm going to see if DH can work from home for a week. That way we can keep them separate inside, and get them socialising outside first. Does this sound OK?

Unfortunately I can't do a meet and greet before. But the rescue offers life time support and will if absolutely need be take the dog back into foster.