Thanks everyone. Yes, Termi, that was the idea to set Duke into the loft serving as his lookout tower. He is a Red-bone coon hound, very protective of 'his' owner and the owner's things. I had one as a child, and learned many things from him. He even snapped at my smaller cousin, who grabbed my doll cradle to play with it. Never bit her, just scared her by snapping close to her face. Also scared all the watchful adults.