Living with multiple dogs can be incredibly rewarding—but it also takes intention, structure, and a bit of know-how. Thankfully, our friends at BADRAP have created two fantastic resources to help you navigate the unique challenges of a multi-dog household.

✨ Understanding Dog Tolerance
Not all dogs are social butterflies—and that’s okay. This guide breaks down the different levels of dog-to-dog tolerance, from dog-social to dog-selective to truly dog-intolerant. Knowing where your pup falls on the spectrum is the first step to setting them (and you!) up for success.

🎥 Managing Multi-Dog Homes
In this video, BADRAP shares their favorite tips for managing life with more than one dog—including practical strategies for safety, structure, and harmony in the home.

Why Crate Training Matters

Crate training isn’t just about confinement—it’s about creating a safe, calm space your dog can call their own. When done correctly, a crate becomes a secure retreat that helps with house training, reduces anxiety, and provides structure during transitions or high-stress moments. It’s one of the most valuable tools you can use to build trust, establish boundaries, and set your dog up for success—especially in a multi-dog home.

Learn from the best!

Best Friends: How to Crate Traing a Puppy or Dog

Human World for Animals: How to crate train your dog or puppy

Understanding Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is more than just whining at the door—it’s a real emotional struggle for dogs who feel panicked when left alone. It can lead to destructive behavior, accidents, or nonstop barking, but it’s not about disobedience—it’s about fear. The good news? With patience, structure, and the right training techniques, you can help your dog feel safe and confident, even when you’re not home.

Learn from the best! From our friends over at ASPCA:

Separation Anxiety in Dogs: Prevention & Support

Separation anxiety is a common and distressing condition that can affect dogs of any age or background. Dogs are social animals, and being away from their people—especially after long periods of togetherness—can trigger intense fear, confusion, and behavioral challenges.

Fortunately, with proactive training, structure, and support, many dogs can learn to feel safe and confident when left alone.

🚨 Signs of Separation Anxiety

Common symptoms may include:

• Urinating or defecating indoors when left alone

• Barking or howling persistently in your absence

• Chewing, digging, or destruction near doors and windows

• Escape attempts from crates or confined spaces

• Pacing in fixed patterns (circular or back-and-forth)

• Coprophagia (eating their own feces)

• Extreme excitement or agitation when you return

• Anxiety during departure routines, like putting on shoes or picking up keys

These behaviors aren’t acts of disobedience—they’re signs your dog is stressed and trying to cope with your absence.

🧠 Prevention Tips

Preventing separation anxiety is often easier than treating it. Here’s how to start:

• Maintain a consistent daily routine for feeding, walks, and quiet time—even when you’re home.

• Build in regular alone time while you’re still in the house. Use a crate, a gated room, or a comfy corner for your dog to relax with a chew or puzzle toy.

• Take short trips out of the house to normalize brief departures.

• Avoid dramatic greetings and goodbyes. Keep your energy calm and neutral during transitions.

🎯 Treatment for Mild Separation Anxiety

Mild cases often respond well to counterconditioning—associating being alone with positive things:

• Leave a stuffed food puzzle toy (like a frozen KONG with peanut butter or wet food) right before you walk out the door.

• Remove the toy once you return so your dog only gets it during alone time.

• Feed regular meals in puzzle toys or slow feeders to build this association.

🐾 Treatment for Moderate to Severe Cases

More serious anxiety may require a structured desensitization and counterconditioning plan, such as:

1. Desensitize Predeparture Cues
   Help your dog get used to triggers like grabbing keys or putting on shoes by practicing them out of context—without actually leaving.

2. Practice Out-of-Sight Stays
   Build tolerance slowly by asking your dog to stay in a room while you step out for just 1–2 seconds. Increase the time only when your dog is calm and relaxed.

3. Graduated Departures
   Start with very short absences (a few seconds) and work up to longer ones—watching for signs of stress. Always return before your dog becomes anxious.

4. Use a “safety cue” (like a stuffed toy) only during safe separations so your dog learns that alone time can be predictable and okay.

5. Track progress and adjust slowly. Most dogs react most during the first 40 minutes, so that’s where the bulk of your training focus should be.

🧩 Does Your Dog Need a Crate?

Some dogs find crates comforting; others find them stressful. Watch for signs of distress (panting, barking, escape attempts) during crate use. If your dog struggles in the crate, try using a baby gate and confining them to a quiet room instead.

🧠 Give Their Brain and Body a Job

Boredom and excess energy make anxiety worse. Help your dog feel fulfilled and ready to relax:

• 30+ minutes of aerobic exercise daily (walks, play, off-leash time)

• Scent games or kibble hunts at home

• Puzzle toys and safe chews

• Training games that challenge the mind

• Group classes or dog sports (like agility or flyball)

💊 Medication May Help

Some dogs may benefit from anti-anxiety medications to support their training plan—especially if they’re too distressed to engage in basic counterconditioning. Talk to your vet or a veterinary behaviorist if your dog’s anxiety is severe.

🧘‍♂️ Calm In, Calm Out

Make all arrivals and departures as uneventful as possible. Greet your dog calmly and wait until they settle before giving them attention. Use simple cues like “sit” or “down” to redirect their energy.

🛑 What NOT to Do

• Do not punish or scold your dog. These behaviors are rooted in fear, not defiance.

• Don’t rush the process. Increasing absence time too quickly can backfire.

• Don’t leave your dog to “cry it out” without a plan—this can increase their panic.

🤝 When to Get Help

If you feel stuck or your dog’s anxiety is worsening, reach out to a qualified trainer who uses positive reinforcement and science-based methods. For severe cases, a certified behaviorist or vet behaviorist may be the best fit.

How Might Your Pet Feel?

Bringing home a baby is a joyful change—but it can feel like a major shift for your dog or cat too. For many pets who’ve been the “first baby,” this change can feel confusing or even a little painful. Animals don’t understand the reason, so gradually helping them get used to the new routines ahead of time can ease that transition.

If you want even more help, our friends over at Sally Said So has an amazing service to help you prepare: https://sallysaidso.com/services/expecting-mothers/

How To Prepare: Months Before Baby Arrives

Build a positive bridge to new sights, sounds, and smells

• Baby noises desensitization: Play faint recordings of a baby crying, then gradually raise the volume. Always follow with praise, play, or a treat to form a positive association.
• Introduce the nursery early: Set up furniture like the bassinet, crib, swing, and stroller weeks ahead, allowing your pet to explore under calm and supervised conditions.
• Familiarize new scents: Use baby products such as lotion, powder, and oils so your pet has time to get used to these new smells.
• Use dolls for practice: Carry a swaddled baby doll or stroll with a fake setup to simulate walking with a baby. This helps your pet grow more comfortable with future changes
• Invite friends with infants: Under full supervision, familiarizing your pet with real babies can help prevent fear or reactivity later.
• Create boundaries early: Install gates or even screen doors to keep pets out of the nursery (or baby zone) while still letting them see and hear activity. It feels less isolating that way.
• Start training and refining manners: Practice basic obedience like “sit,” “stay,” “down,” and “leave it.” If your pet shows dominance or anxiety, booking a trainer now is a great idea.

Also ensure vet care, spay/neuter, grooming, and nail trims are current well before the baby comes home.

What to Do When Baby Arrives

• Bring home the scent first: A blanket or article with the baby’s scent helps your pet adjust before meeting the new person.
• Calm introduction: When you arrive home, let someone handle the baby in another room while you calmly greet your pet. Then bring your pet in, supervised, offering praise and treats when they stay calm nearby.
• Offer choice and space: Never force contact. Allow your pet to approach the baby on their own terms—always under careful supervision.
• Keep routines as steady as possible: Continue regular walks, meals, and playtime. Give one-on-one attention daily to reinforce that your pet is still loved and important.

Managing the Adjustment

• Create a safe zone: Set aside a quiet retreat with bedding, toys, and a familiar scent where your pet can relax away from high activity. Always keep it positive—not a punishment.
• Maintain household structure: Consistent rules and cues help pets feel secure. Be certain you’re still acknowledged as their leader in the home hierarchy.
• Watch for stress signals: Look out for changes like hiding, excessive licking, decreased appetite, pacing, whining, or house‑soiling. If behavior shifts, seek help early.

Building a Happy, Harmonious Family

With gentle planning, consistent routines, and lots of positive reinforcement, your pet can feel comfortable and loved—even as your family grows. One day your child may treasure the bond they shared with your pet—and the animal-friendly childhood they grew up in.

What It Is
Nothing In Life Is Free (NILIF) is a program that helps us teach dogs how to live in harmony with
humans. NILIF will improve your dog’s behavior and teach him to trust and accept you as his
leader in a non-confrontational way.
Benefit
NILIF builds your dog’s confidence by providing clear rules and enjoyable outcomes for good
behavior. Soon, your dog will voluntarily be following your commands more and more of the
time. The program can be used by all people, regardless of age, size, or personality type. It is a
non-confrontational technique, designed never to put the people or dogs involved at risk.
What You Need

1. Tasty treats kept in several locations around the house.
2. Toys, squeaky or furry, whichever your dog prefers.
3. Collar and leash for practicing on walks.

Prerequisite
Your dog should know a few commands such as sit, look, and come. The more commands your
dog knows the more variety you have

WHEN TO USE NILIF
Stereotypic and compulsive disorders. NILIF makes your dog’s life more predictable and
gives him lots of chances to earn good things. This in turn can increase his confidence and
lower his anxiety level. It also gives you a positive way to interact with your dog so you don’t
inadvertently reward the stereotypic behavior.
Separation Anxiety. NILIF makes your dog’s life and all interactions more predictable. Some
dogs are anxious because they can’t get attention while you’re gone. This program teaches your
dog that the only way to get attention is to respond to your command, so when you’re gone, he
doesn’t expect attention.
Aggression toward family members. NILIF makes your dog work for everything he wants. It’s
a safe and non-confrontational way for people in the household to establish and maintain control
over food, toys, attention, preferred resting spots, etc. Whoever controls those good things is
automatically seen as the leader.
Aggression toward other people or dogs. NILIF changes interactions between your dog and
other people and dogs. Because your dog’s attention will be focused on what this new person
will give him if he performs, his emotional response changes from fear or aggression to
excitement and anticipation.
Fearful dogs. NILIF makes your dog’s life more predictable and gives him lots of chances to
earn good things. This in turn can increase confidence and help lower his anxiety level.
Pushy, rude, or hyperactive dogs. NILIF teaches your dog good manners. Many dogs learn
how to get the things they want (attention, food, playtime, treats) by being affectionate yet pushy. They paw at you, jump on you, push their way into a situation, or they bark or whine.
NILIF puts a stop to all that. It’s like teaching a child to say, “please” and “thank you.”

1. Make your dog work for all good things in life.
Work = to follow a command the dog knows well. You may want to use the basics like sit,
down, and stay. Or you may choose to have your dog do something more complicated such
as shake hands, roll over, wave, or play dead. Anything your dog knows is fair game.
Good things = anything your dog wants or likes. This includes—but is not limited to—food,
treats, cuddles, and greetings; having the leash put on or taken off; having doors opened to
go outside or come inside; being invited up on furniture; being played with, brushed, or
spoken to; getting a belly rub; having a ball thrown; going in or out of the car; or greeting a
guest.
2. Ignore pushy, demanding behavior.
Pushy, demanding behavior = anything your dog does to get your attention and make you
do something for him. This includes—but is not limited to—whining, pawing, nudging,
mouthing, jumping on, staring, and barking at you.
Ignore = this means no attention at all. None, period. This is the toughest part of your
training program. Scolding your dog, saying “no!”, pushing him away, giving a command, or
even looking in his direction are all forms of attention. Instead, turn your back or walk away.
Wait until your dog leaves you alone before you give him the opportunity to earn something
good for calm and relaxed behavior.
3. Give the command only once.
Once = if your dog doesn’t do what you ask, don’t do what he wants you to do. If you ask
your dog to sit and he doesn’t, walk away, turn your back, or pretend he isn’t there. After a
minute or so, give him another chance to earn something good. But only ask once.
4. Make everyone who interacts with your dog on a regular basis follow the NILIF rules.
Everyone = that means everyone. Spouses, significant others, dog walkers, neighbors who
drop by every day, and especially children. Dogs often see children as either playmates.
NILIF teaches dogs to see children as leaders, just like the grown-ups in the family.
5. Be patient, especially in the beginning.
Patience = the most important part of your training program. It may take your dog a little
while before he realizes he truly has to work for the things he wants. After all, up until this
point everything in life has been free.

What NILIF Looks Like
It’s your first day using NILIF and you’re ready to take Fido for a walk. You pick up his leash and
he comes running over to you. You tell him, “Fido, sit.” Fido is so excited that instead of sitting,
he runs around you wiggling and wagging his tail while jumping at the leash in your hand. You
don’t repeat the command, run after him or scold him, or push him away when he jumps up.
Instead, you calmly put the leash down and walk away. A minute later, you walk back to the leash and pick it up again. Again, Fido runs over and is too excited to listen to your command.
You repeat the procedure (get the leash, give the command, Fido is too excited so you walk
away) 10 times—then Fido finally sits. When he sits, you clip on the leash, praise him, and take
him for a nice long walk.
The next day, it takes 6 tries before Fido sits to have his leash put on. By the end of the first
week using the NILIF technique, Fido is sitting automatically when you pick up his leash.

Tips and Pitfalls

• Make sure your dog knows the commands you use. If he doesn’t, how can he obey?
• NILIF is non-confrontational. If your dog chooses not to do something you ask of him, then
  that’s fine. If he wants a reward bad enough, he’ll rethink his choice.
• Everyone must ask your dog to do something before giving him any kind of attention. Even
  the mailman or the kid passing on the street.
• Some frustration is inevitable, but don’t give

Helping Your New Dog Feel Safe, Settled, and Set Up for Success

Bringing a new dog home is exciting—but it can also be overwhelming for both of you. Whether they’re coming from a shelter, a foster home, or the streets, your new pup needs time, patience, and structure to adjust. The first few days, weeks, and even months are all about building trust, creating consistency, and allowing your dog to decompress at their own pace.

In the video below, our friends at BADRAP offer real-world advice for dog into’s.

Understanding the 3-3-3 Rule for bringing home a new Dog

The 3-3-3 rule is a guideline for transitioning a rdog into their new home and helping them to settle in. It suggests that the first three days should be used for adjusting to their new surroundings, the next three weeks for training and bonding, and the first three months for continued socialization and training.

What is the 3-3-3 Rule and Why is it Important?

The 3-3-3 rule provides a roadmap for the process and helps ensure a smooth transition for both the dog and the owner. It also helps set realistic expectations and prevents common mistakes such as overloading the dog with too much too soon. By following the 3-3-3 rule, owners can give their  dog the time and support they needs to adjust and become a well-behaved member of the household.

First Three Days:

Give your dog time to adjust to their new surroundings and get used to you. Limit exposure to new sights, sounds, and experiences, and provide a quiet and safe space for the dog to rest and recover. Start your daily routine right away but do not force interaction. Set your boundaries early while still giving them space.

Be patient & stay positive!

Next Three Weeks:

Focus on training and bonding with your dog. Start with basic obedience commands, such as sit, stay, and come, and gradually increase the difficulty of the exercises. Take your dog on daily walks and spend time playing and challenging your new pup. At this point they may be testing the boundaries so don’t get discouraged.

Praise every success!

First Three Months:

Continue socializing and training your  dog, and expose them to a variety of experiences and environments. Take them to the park, go on car rides, and let them interact with other dogs and people while being mindful of their unique personalities and limitations with strangers. This will help build confidence and strengthen your bond.

Continue building your bond

Sally Said So

Man’s Best Friend K9 Academy

Symbio Dog Training

Hometown Retrievers

K9 Disciples

If you’re considering surrendering your pet due to behavioral challenges, please know—there may be another way. We’ve partnered with Petcademy, an online training platform, to offer practical, positive training tools right from home.

If you’re struggling and unsure what to do next, email us at Bark@pipsrescue.org . In many cases, we can gift you a free month of access to Petcademy’s training library. You’ll find step-by-step videos on everything from leash walking and crate training to reactivity and resource guarding and be able to email a trainer with any questions. 

You’re not alone—and sometimes, the right guidance can make all the difference.