Hello,

This is just some idle pondering... I have 3 Labradors at the moment, and can't imagine my life without a Labrador, they are definitely 'my breed'.  This is probably going to sound very silly, but a breed that has always fascinated me and I would like to own one day is the Chihuahua!!  Not in a dress it up, carry it around and treat it like a person kind of way.... it's more the big personality in a tiny package that I'm interested in.  We've met some brilliant ones at training, and the thought of doing fun obedience with a Chi really appeals to me, and would probably amuse me no end :-D.  I wouldn't want one for a long, long time yet... but it's just something I'd like to do one day.  I've always thought it wouldn't work out anyway, having quite bashful Labs.

Recently however I've come across a few big dog/little dog combos.  For example, a huge GSD with a little Chinese Crested that are left alone in the garden together!!  So it just got me wondering, could it work keeping big and tiny dogs together?  Would they have to be separate all the time?  I know they couldn't be left alone together, but I like the idea of supervised play (especially since Melvin, my youngest Lab, is good friends with a Chi at training :-))  How many toy dog breeders would allow one of their pups to go to a home with much bigger dogs? 

Sorry for the silly question.... I'm mainly just trying to avoid shampooing the carpet!!

Clare

We have SWD's and Pomeranian's.  I would never, ever leave them alone together, the Chi is even finer boned that a Pom.

The Pom's rule the roost, but just a SWD play bow and whack of the paw could do serious damage to a breed so small.  It can be done but as I say I personally would not leave them ever alone.

I don't think I'd risk leaving them alone, but I was just wondering how people manage really.  So yours are allowed to interact and play when you're around?  Or are they always kept separate?

I have a Golden Retriever with a small terrier cross - one weighs around 33kg and the other 6kg. I don't separate the dogs at all and they play brilliantly together. They play tuggy together and my GR tempers his strength to match that of the small dog - initially I had visions of one small terrier sailing off  through the air with a shake of the GR's head but it hasn't happened so far and they have been together for 3 years now.

I do have to say though that my terrier is a very hardy little dog - certainly nothing about him that could even hint at delicate :-)

My avatar photo shows the GR sprawled out with the terrier laying draped over him.

I have 'the Ovaltinies' (showing my age to those that don't know the name ) a GSD, a cocker and a 9 month patterdale. They play well together and are fine when left, they are never separated. My GSD lays out on the ground with the little terrier climbing over her in play and they love it. I trust them completely even though my terrier has had the occasional donk from a rather large gsd paw or worse still her 'Concorde' long nose, but she comes bouncing back for more. When left alone for short periods, they all sit and mope and wait for me to return but they never seem to play when I am out.

I breed one large breed and one toybreed. My largest dog weighs almost 40 kgs, my smallest 1.5 kgs. (Although on average, the little ones weigh 3kgs and the large ones just over 20.) I never EVER under any circumstances walk them off lead together -far too dangerous. I no longer walk them together at all, but when I did, the big dog would have to be on a lead.The trusted OLDER big dogs can be left alone with the little ones at certain times (I have for instance had in season large bitches with the small bitches, or an injured large dog, and indeed litters of pups from a large bitch with the little ones around -but here you've GOT to know the dogs REALLY well -and at night the small ones are caged) -but the younger large dogs I would never dream of even letting out for a pee in the garden together with the little dogs, as all it takes is one step in the wrong place and one of the small ones could have a broken back or worse. The two you see in my avatar are doing a down stay together, told to not move. :) My house is divided into two: half for the big dogs, half for the little dogs. The big dogs use the back garden, the little dogs the front garden. I don't think many of the people who have ever sold me toy puppies would have done so had I not explained about my living arrangements for the dogs.

Having said all of this, they all get ON just fine. My two youngest small dogs both ADORE large dogs and go mad with happiness when meeting either mine, or others at shows or training class. I often get told it's unusual to see such small dogs getting on so well with bigger ones, but then they don't know any different. :)

We've got 5 LB gun dogs and a Norfolk Terror :)  She definately stands no nonsense from any of the big ones :)

I have always had giant breeds with a westie thrown in for good measure, lol. To be honest never had any problems. Usually find the small ones take no nonsense.

i have a pug and a newfoundland and they love each other to bits,never left alone incase pug gets squashed!!!but puggy is the boss
jo

We have Danes, Rottie and BT's!

I have dogues and frenchies, they can be together when I am there to supervise. I have had to stop the odd fight so would never ever leave them alone. They sleep in seperate rooms. The problem is the frenchies try to rule and are quite fierce when playing , my dogues play quite gentle , but will only take so much and will warn them off.
I do leave my frenchies with my rotty and spinone x , and just know they are okay together as they are older and speyed and will tolerated the little devils.

I also think it depends on the breeds , labs are supposed to be quite docile aren't they?

Thanks, it's interesting to see how many of you have both extremes in size! As for Labs being docile, I think they are when they're older, but even my most gentle and steady can have a good old play fight from time to time! When Melvin plays with his Chi buddy (and his Bichon and Yorkshire Terrier buddies too for that matter) he seems to be more gentle than if he was playing with Labs, and actually lies down to play on their level.  I just don't know if he'd be like that at home!!

It's nice to know that one day, in the distant future, having my very own Chihuahua could be a real possibility!!

Clare

I keep big dogs, as well as Chi's and Yorkies.  I agree with Marianne about total supervision.  We had someone on CD a year or two ago, absolutely devastated that their Great Dane had broken the Chi's neck in play. 

My Beardies are used for socialising the Chihuahua puppies, and they are never frightened of large dogs.  I was doing ringcraft with a 3lbs Chi pup, and would purposely stand next to the lady with the most enormous Rottie male that I had ever seen in my life.  I honestly believe it is what stops toys from being snappy, yappy little things.  Yappy dogs ( at seeing large dogs) are really only scared dogs.

I have photos all over the house of Chihuahuas asleep on top of Collies.  But the little ones are crated at night for safety.  My Beardies have been supervised with the little ones, and know what is expected, but they are still supervised. 

However, I once had the unfortunate experience of witnessing a Border Collie whip round the neck of a Yorkie too fast.  He was only playing the same as he would play with a larger dog.  Snapped her neck, and she died in my arms.  Don't ever, ever think you can keep both large and small dogs together without extreme vigilance.  I never want to hold a dying dog in my arms again that has lost life in this way.

Thank you, completely understand what you're saying about being vigilant.  That, to me, is totally reasonably, but I did wonder if people ever let them play, interact, etc... so it's nice to know that you don't have to have completely separate dog lives for your big-uns and your little-uns.  If that were the only way of doing it, I think I'd have to draw a line under the idea. 

I honestly believe it is what stops toys from being snappy, yappy little things.  Yappy dogs ( at seeing large dogs) are really only scared dogs.

That is very true indeed. You can tell so easily which have been used to friendly large dogs from puppyhood, and which have not. It's not strange they get scared at something much, much bigger than them if they've not been used to it -I would be if I was surrounded by elephants I didn't know. :)

However, I once had the unfortunate experience of witnessing a Border Collie whip round the neck of a Yorkie too fast.  He was only playing the same as he would play with a larger dog.  Snapped her neck, and she died in my arms. 

How very, very sad. :( This is what I forgot to add -when mine mix, it's only with big dogs that will NOT play with them. Playing is too dangerous. I also seem to remember a member here a few years ago whose Cavalier had its back broken by a Labrador that just wanted to play. So young, playful big dogs they only meet with the big one on lead. Older ones that won't play is different.

Our friends had 8 dogs - a mixture of GSD's, Goldies, Airedales, Newfie and Chihuahua.  They did have a set up where the dogs were grouped off, i.e. the Airedales together, the GSD's and Goldies together and the Newfie and Chi were together so that was a huge size difference.  The Newfie was the only one that lived happily with the Chi because the little guy was so bossy the other dogs would try to stand on him to keep him quiet and out of their way! 

This Chihuahua was the first dog I showed when I was around 2/3 years old....he lived to 16 or 17 years old :-)

I have a 40kg gsd and a pomxchi. I was very worried to begin with and thought I would never be able to leave them in the same room and started planning how to split the rooms. Walks are no problem she stays by my side on and off the lead he runs and plays. Have learned that this better than the flexi lead which seems to cause more trouble with dogs running through it on one occasion decided not to do that again fortunately Mia was on a harness.
I have found that they get on really well the gsd usually lays down to play with Mia and is very gentle. That being said if they play I only allow it if I am there and only for a v. short while. Mia also plays with him wnem she is standing on the sofa LOL
I never leave them together if I  am going out or if the family dont seem top be thinking dog and I am not around. I wouldnt hesitate to do it again but you do need to be careful.
I agrr with the comment about stopping them being snappy yappy dogs at other dogs. Mia is a barker generally but has no problem meeting other dogs infact only barks if she cant say hello . And yes she is the bossy on especially of their food

> Yappy dogs ( at seeing large dogs) are really only scared dogs.
>
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On the whole yes but try walking another breed past the papillons at a show they all shout out their displeasure "intruder in the camp" It's funny mine mix with anything but still join in the intruder alert at shows!

I have a GSD and a Chihuahua! Chi's are great, well mine most definitely is :-)
My two get on great together, the GSD adapts her play to Tigers (chi) she is very gentle with him.
I compete in obedience with Tiger, he loves it. We also do agility which he enjoys so much, his nickname at agility is rocket rat!! :-O
He would love to be able to compete in working trials if he could, just loves scent work! cant really imagine him trying to get over the scale though! LOL
A lot of breeders wouldn't let us have Chi because of having a GSD but there are some great breeders out there its just finding the right one for you.
Good luck :-)

I have bullmastiffs and pugs and they all live/play/sleep together with no problems.

Yep kiger I agree all they way, dont forget if you ever down Croydon way we must meet

This is a great thread, I was wanting to adopt a rescue from the local SPA pound here in France, there are so many that need homes, but I was worried about having a 3rd big dog and was looking for something smaller, so this has helped me think about looking for a smaller dog and seeing how my two get along, I am able to take my two with me so I can see how they interact.

I keep very lively big with playful small with no problems ...but....  I'm wouldn't be daft enough to throw a toy for them all together!

All inhibition goes right out the window and it's every dog for themself..... :-)

'Management' is the key.

> Yep kiger I agree all they way, dont forget if you ever down Croydon way we must meet

Yes definitely! and same for you if your ever up North Wales way :-) Bring Mia and whisper too!

We have a big and a little breed,Betty is a 1 year old Boxer and Mabel is a 3 year old Boston Terrier and guess what the Boston is the boss by miles.