My puppy and new kitten

Question
Our puppy, Lil' Bit, was a stray and rescued by the person who gave her to us. We believe she is about 1 1/2 old and have had her about 2 months. We house broke her to let us know when she needed to go outside and eventually created a successful daily routine with minimal accidents. We recently received a new kitten about 6 or 7 months old. Lil' Bit and the kitten play together and don't seem to be harmful to one another, but as soon as the kitten moved in Lil bit began urinating and pooping everywhere! One time I brought her in from being outside (where she loves to be) and sat down only to witness her poop on the rug in front of me for the first time!! I don't understand this because I don't feel like we are giving the kitten more attention or anything and Lil' Bit's routine has not changed, she still sleeps in the bed with us and the kitten sleeps in her "room". What can I do? Why is she doing this and how can I reverse this problem while showing her that I love her?

Answer
Lit' Bit clearly feels she is in charge and is letting you and the kitten know it.  Spay her if not already.  The key to most behavior problems is approaching things using the dog's natural instincts. Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/ For more on being top dog, see http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm

When you are around you need to keep a close eye on the dog. Use closed doors or gates to keep it in the same room as you are, and perhaps as I do, a short chain fastened to the computer desk. If you catch it in the act, give it a sharp ''Ah, ah, ah!'' and take it out. When you can't watch it, crate it.

It is only natural that a puppy resists its crate at first. What the puppy wants more than anything else is to be others, you, anyone else in the household, and any other pets. In our modern society, even if we are home, other things distract us from the attention an uncrated puppy must have. The only real solution is to crate the dog when you aren't around. The dog may be happier in its den than loose in the house. It relaxes, it feels safe in its den. It rests, the body slows down reducing the need for water and relieving its self. Dogs that have been crated all along do very well. Many of them will rest in their crates even when the door is open. I think the plastic ones give the dog more of a safe, enclosed den feeling. Metal ones can be put in a corner or covered with something the dog can't pull in and chew. Select a crate just big enough for the full grown dog to stretch out in.

Leave it some toys. Perhaps a Kong filled with peanut butter. Don't leave anything in the crate the dog might chew up. It will do fine without even any bedding. You will come home to a safe dog and a house you can enjoy.

A dog that has not been crated since it was little, may take some work. Start out just putting its toys and treats in the crate. Praise it for going in. Feed it in the crate. This is also an easy way to maintain order at feeding time for more than one dog.