We have a 7 year old Lab x Collie (Casper) and we are picking up our new puppy (Cocker Spaniel bitch) in a couple of weeks.
What is the best way of introducing them? We have got a crate for the puppy, Casper sleeps in the kitchen at night, should we shut the pup in the kitchen with Casper?

We have a now 10 week old pup, she is in the kitchen at night with our 2 1/2yrold dog, she in a cage, he on his bed.
They are constantly supervised, although he is very tolerant of her hanging off his muzzle and chasing him around. She does understand very clearly when he says  NO!
Also we have a puppy pen into which the cage goes if we have to leave the house for anything, without them, she generally curls up in the cage and he has a break.
The first introductions were fine we took them into the garden for a chase and play he was smitten very quickly.
However about 1 week on and it became plain, even with all efforts to give him extra love and attention, that he does get jealous and fed up sometimes.
You will have such fun.
Karen :)

Personally I never left my pup & adult dog alone for atleast the first 6 weeks, but my adult dog is an oldie (he's 14) so he definately needed some time to himself to start with. They now both sleep in the livingroom at night (pup is 9 months old), pup on the sofa, old dog in his dog-bed (it's a bit too much for him to get on the sofa now :( ).

We puppy sat for my Brother 's 10 week old last week. I was worried about my older dogs particularly as one has a real fear of other dogs and can appear quite aggressive. We did the introductions outside. I thought this would be better and as both my dogs know my brother well they would be happy to see him and the userper!   After a few sniffs it was all ok and we all came in (my brother and the puppy last). We kept them apart at night, also during the day if we could not fully supervise them and this worked out really well. Play was supervised, wee wee time was separate so that pup could concentrate on what I wanted him to do and I let the pup sleep in his crate in the doorway so that he could get over to the other side of the crate and be away from my oldies if they decided to do anything in the night.

I would let Casper meet your new puppy on neutral territory for the first meeting, once they walk together they naturally form a pack and will become friends .
The last thing you want to do is fuss over the new baby. Fuss Casper instead for the first few days, be off hand with the pup he will soon realise than this new buddy isn't more special than him.
Putting the puppy in the kitchen in his crate should be safe as pup can't get at Casper and Casper can't get to him.

We have a 14 week bitch pup and a 2 yr old entire male.  They met at the breeders, and Barney was fine with pup (Maisie) at their house.  When we brought her home he was totally shellshocked for a few days.  I think she realised his confusion and tried to take advantage of the situation, by jumping all over him.  But it didn't take long for him to accept her.  By two weeks they got on great and are a real duo.  But Barney is still quite tired from all the extra running around, that Maisie insists on. 

They both sleep in the kitchen, but we have divided a section with a pup gate, and Maisie sleeps behind that with her crate (door opened) within that area, and Barney has the other side with his bed.  They have been relaxed with this arrangement and are inseparable during the day.  I will not leave them on their own together though as I have a friend whose dogs had a violent fight while she was at work even though they had been together for over 2 years.  Barney does have to be reminded sometimes that he is playing too roughly!

Glad your duo are getting on great . Seperating them at night times is the best plan while the little one is young, as even if Barney wanted to suggle up he could lie on her and crush her. I get it the other way around with my 2 the younger one lies on top him and now he's getting older 9 and she is getting more heavy he does sometimes growl at her to get off.

You'll just have to plan ahead in 6 months time when she gets her first season ? Barney will be in there other wise..:)

Yep - and Maisie's op is on the horizon.  Much as I'd love to, I simply haven't got the time to raise pups!