jelousy

Question
Hi,  I have a 12 year old female (Lexi) who is is  a very loyal and smart friend.  We just introduced a new beagle puppy to our family and have been trying to include Lexi in all games and make her first for attention.  I have noticed that when I leave for work, she madly barks and hits the puppy kennel with extreme anger.  An anger which she never shows when we are home.  She has never been aggresive to anyone before and acts good when I am there.  I moved the puppy kennel to where she cannot see it but she still barks violently at the door and even scratched the paint and some of the wood from the door.  Help?  We are keeping the puppy, so how can I deal with her hidden aggresion?  

Thanks from Louisiana

Mark Kurowski

Answer
Mark,

I'm a bit stumped, so Lexi in not in her own kennel/crate when you leave or is she running into the puppy's crate?  Obviously not since she is scratching the paint off the door. Her aggression is toward the puppy's crate, for some reason.  I wonder, did Lexi ever have puppies?  It could explain her desire to be with the puppy and not have it where she can't touch it.  Perhaps it is just some herding instinct coming out.

1st suggestion: get Lexi a crate.  A nice open one with a slide out tray, appx 30" wide, 40" deep and 30" high is a good size.

2nd suggestion: Perhaps try putting the puppy in a crate with Lexi when you can supervise.  Try giving both of them some kind of chew toy treat in a crate together and see what happens.  We want to work up to see if they can be left in there together while you are gone.

Lexi has likely already proven dominance over the puppy.  Perhaps she feels protective of it as well.  Without witnessing her acts I have a hard time discerning her intent.  

If they don't get along well together in a crate, put the puppy crate next to Lexi's.

Let me know if this works?

'sneezes
Dave