Adding a new pet

Meet Lala!!!  This lil lady joined our family a few months ago.  She was pulled from an animal shelter and rescued by a loving rescue group before euthanasia.  Are you adding a new animal to your family?  Are you a little stressed about the situation?  Trust me this is nothing to take lightly. Throughout the years we have encountered this situation many times and plan to continue.  I promise I will never be without a dog of some sort!  Here a few suggestions for newbies that have worked for our family.

• Slow introductions are a MUST especially within an established pack.  What is an established pack?  Can simply be the humans and one dog, depending on the amount of time the dog receives from its humans.  It can also be a mixture of animals from dogs with other dogs or dogs and cats and so forth.  Pack mentality at least with dogs has a hierarchy.  Some dogs naturally will lead the pack and others fall somewhere in the pecking order.  First and foremost, the HUMAN must be the alpha.  You want the current dogs to already view you as their protector.  Back to slow intro... allow for space to exist, a large yard.  If you can, it helps to have both dogs on a leash with each a handler.  This allows for introductions but also under the control of the handler, so no inappropriate meets happen turning into fights. 
• Watch for cues from the animals involved.  Are the simply sniffing around with a slight tail wag?  Are they too excited and barking?  You don't want to overwhelm either animal, they are already excited to begin with.  Keeping calm, walking back and forth, both parties, allowing the dogs to sniff and meet and allowing for space are very beneficial.  Having treats with both handlers is also helpful.  Must be prepared for good behavior, helps to take the appeal of the new addition down a few notches.  In other words, there are other great things in the yard to do then just to meet the new dog.  This can be a series of commands and distractions from the handler to the dog that is already in the pack. 
• Always have a way to protect both animals from each other.  The nicest of dogs can feel threatened when an unknown animal is in the yard, especially near their humans.  Having a safe space already set up in the house for the newcomer is a great idea.  This can be a room or a crate that gives them a sense of a den.  A protective area they can relax. 
• Staying calm and confident are very important.  Dogs pick up on our emotions and respond in kind.  If we are stressed, then they are stressed.  Keep introductions short.  No need to stress the dogs out. 
• For a while, could be a month could be months, play should always be supervised while the pack receives the newest addition, and it falls into the pecking order of the established pack.
• If you have multiple animals pick your best behaved to start with and can add in another, one at a time, as long as you feel you can protect the new one and the others are responding kindly to the new addition.