How to introduce two dogs when one is scared?

If dogs are going to be in the same space, the best way to foster canine friendship is through a gradual, positive introduction. Always take your dog’s personality into consideration and do what’s best for them. A dog who’s feeling unsure about a potential meeting might: Watch the other dog with a hard stare or hyper-fixate without breaking eye contact Bare their teeth Raise their hackles Have a high, twitchy tail Walk with a stiff gait Growl or bark. If either dog exhibits these behaviors, call off the introduction and reassess whether it’s the right thing to do. Ideally, you want to see loose and wiggly body language, with frequent glances in your direction. The first step in the process is for two people to walk the dogs in parallel, keeping them at least 30 feet apart. This way, they’re aware of one another but not close enough to focus on trying to reach each other. The key to success is letting the dogs tell their handlers when they feel comfortable bridging the distance, which is why understanding dog body language is so important. Moving closer might “amp up” one or both of the dogs, and if that happens, it’s perfectly fine to return to the distance at which both dogs appeared relaxed.

Introduce on neutral territory. It’s best to let dogs become familiar with each other on neutral territory: outdoors. Each dog should be walked separately on a leash, and each walker should have a bag of high-value treats or food broken into small pieces. At first, walk the dogs at a distance where they can see each other but are not too provoked by each other’s presence. If the dogs are not showing any negative behaviors, reward them with treats just for seeing each other. For example, when the dog you’re walking looks at the other dog, you can say “Good boy!” in a happy, friendly voice and give him a treat. Pay attention to each dog’s body language. Watch carefully for body postures that indicate a defensive or wary response, including hair standing up on the dog's back, teeth baring, growling, a stiff-legged gait or a prolonged stare. If you see such postures, either when the dogs are at a distance or near each other, immediately and calmly interrupt the interaction by interesting the dog in something else. Let the dogs determine the pace of the introduction. The most important thing is to take this introduction slowly. Do not force the dogs to interact. Once the dogs are able to view each other at a close proximity, allow one dog to walk behind the other, and then switch. If the dogs remain comfortable, allow them to walk side by side.

When you're introducing two dogs to each other, first impressions matter. Start on neutral territory where you have plenty of space, like a park, open field, or quiet street. Start on opposite sides of your space walking the same direction. When one dog looks at the other one, they get a treat. If the dogs become too focused on each other, add more distance until they can successfully walk, take treats, and ignore each other. Slowly decrease the distance until the two humans can walk next to each other with the dogs to the far right and left of them, and can move forward without obsessing over the other dog. Once you’re consistently walking well, allow the dogs to circle and sniff each other for a few seconds then lead them away. Any time the dogs’ bodies go still, lead them away and take a break. If an altercation occurs, separate the dogs for a few days to give them a break from each other.