Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos Reveal the Challenges of Bringing Home New Puppy Javi: ‘We’re Doing Everything Wrong’
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos with their dog, Javi, on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026Credit: Lorenzo Bevilaqua/Disney
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos revealed that their newly adopted puppy Javi has been having trouble getting along with their 6-year-old dog, Lena
The couple hired a dog trainer to help the two pets adjust, but Ripa joked that she and Consuelos were the ones who needed training
Ripa compared the dogs’ relationship to the dynamic between Lena and their late dog Chewie, who initially struggled to accept Lena when she joined the family
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos are learning that bringing a new puppy into the family comes with a few growing pains.
Three weeks after adopting their adorable rescue dog Javi, the Live with Kelly and Mark hosts revealed that their newest addition has been having some trouble getting along with their other dog, Lena, prompting the couple to bring in a professional trainer to help everyone adjust.
“We had the dog trainer come,” Ripa, 56, shared during the Thursday, Nov. 5 episode of their syndicated morning talk show. “Here’s what we realized. You hire a dog trainer because the dogs have been ... I’m not going to say ‘aggressive.’ Javi’s playing, but Lena’s getting aggressive, so we’re trying to teach them to not do that.”
But as it turns out, the trainer’s lessons weren’t just for the dogs. “The dog trainer comes not to train the dog, to train us!” Ripa explained. “We’re doing everything wrong. So she’s trained us how to behave.”
Javi and LenaCredit: Live with Kelly and Mark
Consuelos, 55, said part of the challenge is that Javi, still a playful puppy, has considerably more energy than Lena, who is now 6 years old.
“He wants to jump on her and play, and she’s like, ‘Enough already!’” he said.
For Ripa, the situation feels particularly familiar. When the couple first adopted Lena, their late dog Chewie wasn’t exactly thrilled to have a new companion in the house.
“I told her, too, I said, ‘This is what Chewie was like when you got here, and you didn’t like it,’” Ripa recalled. “So when we brought Lena into the house, Chewie was very aggressive towards her, and Lena was like the playful baby. Now Javi’s the playful baby, and Lena is Chewie.”
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Despite the challenges, Ripa couldn’t be happier with the family’s newest member.
“He’s just the sweetest dog, this dog Javi,” she gushed. “This little dog that we adopted three weeks ago is such a sweet dog. We got so lucky.”
The longtime television personality also reflected on the extraordinary track record she and Consuelos have had adopting dogs through their show, beginning with Chewie, who died in February 2025 at age 17.
“This is three times now we have lucked out with pet adoption segments on this show,” Ripa said. “First we got Chewie, who was the greatest dog ever. Then we got Lena, who was like, the greatest second dog ever. Now we have the greatest third dog ever, and a boy!”
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos with their dog, Javi, on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026Credit: Lorenzo Bevilaqua/Disney
And Javi is already showing off a few new tricks.
“Not to brag, but he’s already lifting his leg,” Ripa proudly announced, explaining that the pup has been practicing the behavior even though he isn’t quite using it to urinate yet.
“He’s lifting it all over,” Consuelos confirmed, before joking that he’d been doing the same thing himself.
The proud dog dad also revealed that Javi had recently managed to urinate a little while lifting his leg, earning himself a reward. “I gave him a treat,” Consuelos said. “I said, ‘Good job, Javi!’”
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos’ dog, JaviCredit: Live with Kelly and Mark
Ripa and Consuelos first met Javi, originally named Lucas, during an Adopt a Dog Week segment on Live in October. Consuelos immediately fell in love with the rescue pup, suggesting the name Javi, short for Javier, because he suspected the dog might be part Havanese.
They announced the adoption on Oct. 13, though Javi’s arrival home was delayed after he was diagnosed with a parasite.
The couple later revealed that they were still debating whether to call him Lucas or Javi, even asking their studio audience to vote on the matter. Though they never formally announced a winner, it appears Javi has stuck, with both hosts repeatedly using the name during Thursday’s show.
Now, with Javi’s moniker set and the pup finally settling into his new household, Ripa and Consuelos have another adventure ahead. Their show, Live with Kelly and Mark, is heading to Clearwater Beach, Florida — where the hosts will tape four episodes at the Sandpearl Resort on Monday, Nov. 16, and Tuesday, Nov. 17, in partnership with Visit St. Pete-Clearwater.
The special broadcasts will feature guests Lisa Ann Walter, Patrick Wilson, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Sarah Chalke, along with musical performances by David Foster, Katharine McPhee, Jason Derulo and Common.
Live with Kelly and Mark airs weekdays in syndication (check local listings).
Source: Entertainment
