--- title: "Introducing Your Pet to Strangers" id: "202840" type: "post" slug: "introducing-your-pet-to-strangers" published_at: "2021-11-19T15:08:27+00:00" modified_at: "2021-11-19T15:08:27+00:00" url: "https://houstonpetland.com/2021/11/19/introducing-your-pet-to-strangers/" markdown_url: "https://houstonpetland.com/2021/11/19/introducing-your-pet-to-strangers.md" excerpt: "As a pet parent, if you’re going to be having guests in the house with your pet present, then this is an essential step. Ideally, the socialization process should begin as soon as your pup comes home. Invite friends and..." taxonomy_category: - "Community" --- [Home](https://houstonpetland.com/) / [Blog](https://houstonpetland.com/blog/) / **Introducing Your Pet to Strangers** [Community](https://houstonpetland.com/category/petland/) # Introducing Your Pet to Strangers November 19, 2021 · 3 min read · [cosmick](https://houstonpetland.com/author/cosmick/) [Stay connected via Google News Follow Us For The Latest Pet Updates and Guides.](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=houstonpetland.com) As a pet parent, if you’re going to be having guests in the house with your pet present, then this is an essential step. Ideally, the socialization process should begin as soon as your pup comes home. Invite friends and family over, and have them interact with your pup so that he gets used to the feel of other people outside of yourself. Pups have different personalities and would naturally react differently when meeting strangers for the first time. So, whether the meeting is outdoors or indoors, here are 5 steps to help you ace pet-human introductions: 1. **Stay On Top of the Entire Exchange** This starts right from when the doorbell rings. Keep your dog on a leash, and correct unpleasant behavior like barking or charging at the door using a firm but calm tone. Once your guest enters, ensure that they are interacting with you and ignoring your pup. This strange but correct action allows your pet to understand that they don’t pose a threat, and this should help him relax. Next, allow your dog to get a few sniffs of your guest, and he should be more relaxed afterward. Enjoying this read? You'll love our puppies. Adorable, vet-checked pups looking for their forever homes — available now. [Meet our puppies](https://houstonpetland.com/puppies-for-sale/) 1. **Keep Intros Short Initially** This especially applies when your pet gets easily excited. Watch his behavior, if you note any buildup of aggression or agitation, slow the process down. You may need to keep the leash on for the entire duration of the visit, this would help you keep control of the situation. Furthermore, a calm tone and lots of loving physical contact should help. 1. **Reward Good Behavior** If your pup remains calm when he hears a knock instead of racing to the door, this is behavior that should be rewarded. You could allow your visitor to do the honors even, this would help him relax. Furthermore, it would reinforce the message that remaining calm is a pathway to treatsville. Even from visitors! Still reading? Our puppies are waiting. Healthy, happy pups ready to meet their families — see who's available today. [Meet our puppies](https://houstonpetland.com/puppies-for-sale/) 1. **Employ Commands** If your pet starts to appear startled, use any of the basic commands, “Sit”, “Stay”, “Off” and “Lie Down” which are already in his vocabulary. Similarly, you should use a calming tone when doing this. It would serve to take away the building fear. This also indicates that your attention is still on him even with strangers around. Ensure that your guest’s manner is calming as well. No eye contact with your pet for the first minute or two a slow approach is one of the fundamentals. 1. **Provide Safe Grounds** A secure, calming space where your pup can retire to when he’s spooked is pretty essential. You want him to retreat and not attack or face his fears if he’s feeling threatened. Apart from a crate, using a doggy gate is a good idea as well. The gate serves as a separation between your pup and your guest, and he can observe from a safe distance. Since he’s in a safe space, he can then evaluate the situation more calmly. And over time, you should be able to do introductions without any hassle. 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Get ready because you’re not just taking home a bundle of furry joy.… March 27, 2025 ``` Petland Katy 434 Google reviews Write a review Posted on Google Genesis Gonzalez Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My husband and I went to Petland on Saturday to simply look at the puppies and we ended up falling in love with one so much that we brought her home with us. Jennifer made the process of taking her home super easy and smooth, she answered every question we asked and was very knowledgeable about everything! Posted on Google ume rubab Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. it was really nice their all the animal were so cute !! The puppy’s and kittens were adorable !!❤️ Posted on Google Leslie Rivera Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Went to Petland to just browse around and ended up falling in love with our Maltipoo, her fur color and the eyes captivated me. Anthony our counselor, was very informative and friendly. I would greatly recommend this pet store. Can’t wait to start this new journey with our puppy. Posted on Google 12.xndrik Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. recently adopted a cavapool and Christopher helped us out a lot. He was helpfull, respectful , and walked us through the whole process. It was an amazing experience 10/10. Posted on Google Chris M Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Best place to work PUPPIES!!!! Posted on Google MIGUEL MOLINA Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great time. I was looking around with my family and Chris helped us out found a new family member. Great place to greet and play with dogs. Posted on Google David Almanza Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We visited Petland today and had an incredible experience choosing our new furry family member — a miniature Goldendoodle! From the moment we walked in, Christopher made us feel welcome, informed, and supported throughout the entire process. He was extremely knowledgeable about the breed, answered all our questions with patience, and never made us feel rushed. You could genuinely tell he cared about both the pets and the people. His friendly attitude and professionalism made the whole experience smooth and enjoyable. We left Petland not just with a puppy, but with total confidence that we were prepared for this new journey — all thanks to Christopher. If you're thinking about getting a pet and want a helpful, knowledgeable guide, ask for Christopher. He made our day. Highly recommend - 10/10! Posted on Google Diana Perez Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Kalese and Chris were phenomenal and so attentive. They made me feel so welcome and so happy to be finally going home with our baby ```