adopted dog

Question
Hi, we adoped a dog from a shelter.  She is approx. 2 yrs old and is a mix of terriers.  She is very friendly and loves to be near humans.  We have a smaller dog who is approx. 4 yrs old that has been in the house for about 3 yrs.  She is a mild mannered chuiauiua and terrier mix.  They are becoming better with each other, but the new dog,Sassy, keeps pooing in Trixie's bed. I am assuming she is trying to show dominance.  We have had the new dog one week.  They are bith fixed and are taken ouside often to eliminate.  Our second problem is our cat.  We have a 13 year old cat.  The cat and the present dog get along fine.  The new dog goes balistic with the cat.  The cat has been hiding upstairs for a week.  We have baby gates up to keep Sassy downstairs, but she has jumped the gate once.  Sassy is only about 12 lbs and small and wirey.  We have limited time to return her if she can not adapt.  We have fallen for her, but we do not want these situations to continue.  The poor cat is missing our company.  Sassy has only been neutered for about a week and a half.  Can you help us?

Answer
I wouldn't be too concerned about her eliminating on the other dog's bed - I would just limit her access to it.  However if she is really aggressive towards the cat, that is concerning. I would get a professional in to help you decide if this is something you can fix or not. Hard to tell over the internet, but terriers are bred to hunt small furry things, and for some, that includes cats. Female dogs do not generally become less aggressive with spaying, so I wouldn't count on that. It may just be that she's never seen cats, or it might be predatory. You need someone who is skilled in evaluating dog behavior to tell you which it is. Sandy Case BFA MEd CPDT www.positivelycanine.com