--- title: "Introducing Your Pet to Strangers" id: "239941" 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://www.petlandbatavia.com/introducing-your-pet-to-strangers/" markdown_url: "https://www.petlandbatavia.com/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: - "Petland" --- [Home](https://www.petlandbatavia.com/) / [Blog](https://www.petlandbatavia.com/blog/) / [Petland](https://www.petlandbatavia.com/category/petland/) / **Introducing Your Pet to Strangers** [Petland](https://www.petlandbatavia.com/category/petland/) # Introducing Your Pet to Strangers November 19, 2021 · 3 min read · [cosmick](https://www.petlandbatavia.com/author/cosmick/) [Stay connected via Google News Follow us for the latest pet updates and guides.](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=petlandbatavia.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://www.petlandbatavia.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://www.petlandbatavia.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. [Stay connected via Google News Follow us for the latest pet updates and guides.](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=petlandbatavia.com) Available Now## If you loved this, you'll *love our puppies* Meet the happy, healthy pups ready to join your family today — browse the whole litter below. 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They tumble into the season with wide-eyed wonder, tiny… November 30, 2025 ``` AVERAGE Based on 358 reviews Posted on Google Kevin Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Amazing staff. All very nice and answered all my questions. I loved all the dogs but I had to see the dog named Kevin! I went in with a completely negative view on petlands but the staff really changed my mind by going over all the breeder info, If I am ever in need of a puppy I will go there and you should too. Posted on Google Cecilia Caballero Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We came at a time they were very busy and never once did we feel rushed, or given attitude while asking questions. The two on staff were amazing and sweet! Posted on Google Noelle Chaney Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I went in to get my dogs nails trimmed and was met with a smile and warm greeting from an employee, Dean. The trimming was quick and they really showed my scared dog good care. It was the most pleasant experience I’ve had when it comes to some of these pet places! Posted on Google Shayna V Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We just went for a walk”puppy therapy.” Look at how cute they are. I was a little surprised that considering how few customers were in at the time & yet we only got a “let us know if we can help you with anything” and that was it. There were plenty of employees in store, as it was probably the beginning of the Friday night shift, before families started coming in. I had made an appointment, just in case we decided to see any of the dogs. I guess I’m accustomed to the employees being more personal and wanting to tell me things based on the conversation my group is having without me having to reach out to them. ```