New pet and Existing Pet

Question
I have a 2 year old lab- pointer mix. She is very friendly with other dogs and people. We fostered a miniature pinscher for about six months and she never really got close with him. We recently adopted a boxer puppy. The lab has been playing nicely with the puppy but still showing her dominance. They seem to be getting along fine except when it time to sleep. When the lab lays down the puppy trys to sleep next to her. It almost seems like the lab is afraid of the puppy. She jumps up quick and try to get away as fast as she can. One day I was sitting on the floor with them and I put the puppy  don next to the lab and she flipped out. She tried to jump up and run and she was making a weird crying noise. The puppy wants to sleep with her but she won't have it. Is this normal behavior? Does she really not like the puppy? Is there anything I can do to make them both more comfortable.

Answer
You don't say how old the new puppy is, but this sounds like fairly normal behavior for a puppy who has just been removed from its dam and littermates. If your bitch doesn't want to have the puppy sleeping next to her, that is certainly her right. Once bitches wean their puppies, they won't generally do that either.

When the puppy is ready for a nap, he should be put into his crate. All dogs should be used to being in a crate, even if they rarely use one as an adult. One never knows when some emergency will require his dog to be crated, and that time is NOT the time to try to crate-train a dog.

I am sure that the two of them will be fine in time. Just give them a chance. Make sure that the puppy doesn't bother your bitch unduly. Her showing him dominance is not a bad thing; she is teaching him doggy manners, just as his mother would.