Older blind dog hates the new high energy puppy

Question
We have an older lab/dane mix, he is 10, has a history of being aggressive with strangers, is blind from diabetes.  He gets on well with my mothers dogs and her new kitten...loves the kitty, plays like a puppy with him.  Based on that we thought he would enjoy a puppy playmate.  We where WRONG.  The lab/shepherd mix is 4 months old and has been with us for 6 weeks.  She is contained in the family room by gates during her free time and has a play pen and sleeping crate.  Unless my husband and I are supervising, meaning have both of them leased or held, they can not be trusted together.  The puppy is a nipper and jumper which we are working on.  The older just can't stand her, whenever she is near him he starts growling and barking...the last couple days he'll stand at the gate and bark at her, which makes her jump and try to get nose to nose with him.  Any suggestions?  Or are we doomed to love them both but keep them separate.

Answer
Sometimes an adult dog making fierce noises at a puppy (scary as it looks and sounds) is appropriate education in manners. But it must be particularly difficult for this blind dog to have a rude puppy pouncing and nipping at him. I would do a lot of on-leash obedience and self control exercises with the pup near the older dog, without letting her devil him. By focussing her attention on you, and asking her to do things incompatible with bouncing on the old boy's head, I think they's probably eventually grow more tolerant of each other. A good trainer might be very helpful in sorting out what is appropriate and safe behavior and what is not. Sandy Case BFA MEd CPDT www.positivelycanine.com