Hi, I was all set to get my lab, however I already have a CKCS - and some posters advised me to be careful with the difference in size.  Anybody out there got a large breed and a small breed together - and if so - do you have to separate them??

I have Irish Setters 27'' to the shoulder and American Cockers 13 1/2'' to 15 1/2''. So quite a big size difference, never had any trouble, no need to seperate them.

Dawn R.

I used to have two Afghans and a Bichon Frise (sorry dont know the inches @ shoulder, but Afghans are greyhound size and a bichon is a bit smaller than a cav.) they were always kept together and the Bichon ruled the roost, never any problems.

Hi

I Have a GSD dog and a Jack Russel bitch. They get on brilantly together but it does help the GSD is the softest animal out and mothers the other one.  When they play he is really gentle with her.

I do think I am lucky though and you do have to be carefull. If he wanted he could kill or badly hurt her so easily so you do have to keep a special eye on them. I am now happy to leave them together but didnt at first when the russel was a baby.

Wendy

Yes, it would probably be ok once they are both grown up and (fairly) sensible. I took my Cav and Yankee to meet a friend's Labrador once when my 2 were a year old, and they ran rings round him! But do be careful when the puppy is young and bouncy!

I have a 2 Great Danes and a Jack Russell puppy they are fine together. Like any puppy coming into the home I just keep a watchful eye on what goes on.

Hi Labrador01,

I have a GSD dog and a WhippetX bitch, both rescued as teens a year apart.  He has the size and weight but she has the speed and agility (not to mention the attitude).  When they play together - which is frequently - it's a bit like The Hulk sparring with Roadrunner; maximum noise and action but no harm ever done and a good time had by all.  I suppose it depends on the dogs involved but, as you don't have a particularly fragile toy breed, I'd go for it. It will provide you with hours of fun - and housework!  

Hi,

I work for a lady who has a 4 year old Lab bitch and until
last year had a very old (16) CKCS who was also senile.
They were fine together and Molly never bothered Tara,
they slept and ate together fine. You will probably find
the spaniel will be in charge!!

lol@mutts

Know the feeling, I have a Golden and a Greyhond x collie (we think!!) and your analogy of hulk v roadrunner is very apt.  the only damage done is to the grass in th back garden!

Hi Labrador01,

The previous concern was not about mixing large dogs and small dogs together, there are many inclucing myself with large and smaller breeds together, what the concern is, is that the labradour you were thinking of getting is only 6 months old and was going to be left alone with a CKCS whilst you were at work.

Take a good look at how a 6 month lab acts and plays, they are extremely bouncy, boistorous, heavy handed pups, they are big diggers and fantastic escape artists, if left to become bored and unstimulated, which this one certainly would be being left whilst you are at work, even with a sitter for an hour of two, lab pups unlike their adult form do not sit quietly for long, they are high energy dogs. I have had them myself so know what I am talking about. They outgrow this stage of course but labs take a good two years to mature, during that time, your CKCS can be very seriously hurt, one bounce on it's back will be enough to seriously injure it, this was the concern pointed out by another poster and one you should very seriously take on board.

I have 2 Newfies and 2 Yorkies!! However, I watch them like hawks when they are together, but generally keep them separated because the stoopid Newfs don't look where they're going and the ickle Yorkies are wee boys and easy crushed or snapped!!!

I have a Cavalier and a Papillon as well as 6 large dogs and the big and little are always separate. Some of the big dogs quite like the little ones, but the younger ones (9 months and 2 years) are FAR too boisterous in play and when they meet the little dogs I have to keep them on a lead as the little ones always end up getting hurt accidentally otherwise. (The older big dogs -4 years plus- are more sensible.) All it takes is one big paw to land on the little dog. My old Golden Retriever hates my Cavalier and always has done, the last time they accidentally met he picked him up in his mouth and shook him and nearly killed him.......... I've had Cavaliers live happily with Goldens over the years but I NEVER EVER leave them unsupervised together, and I find the Cavaliers don't even like going for walks with the bigger dogs as they so often end up getting knocked over accidentally.

Not saying it can't ever work as it DOES for some people, but personally I'm not prepared to take the risks.

I have 2 Saint Bernards with a very small golden retriever, they get on like a house on fire (saints usually have a great temprement). I would introduce them gradually and keep an eye on them though. my dogs go mad if i seperate them now. It realy depends on the temperement of boths dogs.

A friend of mine had a Ridgeback puppy from me and already had a CKCS adult.  They were either supervised or separated while the RR was a pup but once she was grown up and sensible, they were inseparable and always enjoyed their walks together.  I would be VERY vigilant while the lab is a pup as it could so easily and accidentally cause serious damage, but once an adult it should be fine.
Good luck

I have a great dane pup (11 weeks old) and a 13 yr old yorkie/jack russell (rescue).  Our old dane Shadow and little dog Foo used to get on fantastically.  However, we are having problems now that our new pup has joined the family.  She wants to play with Foo, but Foo is like a grumpy old man and snarls at her and bares her teeth.  Not had any proper fights but lots of noise and snapping of teeth.  Not sure where we go from here ?

I use to have a Cavalier and an English Springer. When the Cavalier was about 8 years old and the Springer 7 we got a Large Munsterlander pup. They were never kept apart from one another and slept together, all curled up. We never had any injuries, if that's what you are worried about. What I would say is try to give the Cavalier somewhere to hide if necessary.

My friend's parents have a Lurcher and a Yorkie and have never had any problems with accidents or anything :)  I do know that Labs are quite bouncy and cumbersome when pups though (and many of them maintain their puppy state for years! haha)

I think it very much depends on the particular breeds too. Only my Jack Russell has several Lab pals one of which is a very bouncy pup who is all paws! However, being a Jack Russell he's exceedingly speedy and can turn on a sixpence so always out-runs the Labs - usually in circles! JRTs are also convinced that they are a giant breed themselves. However, while not suggesting that CKCS are delicate little flowers, I'm still thoughtful about how much yours might appreciate a typically lolloppy Lab puppy bounding around like a baby elephant. 

Lab pups are a real handful,and they are very bouncy and they will torment any other breed as pups pulling collars off ect and in my opinion other dogs dont get much peace however they do get on with all breeds and tend not to be to rough with smaller dogs,mine are great  with my friends Bichon and little poodle,I think small breeds soon show them whose boss,my young Lab goes up to dogs all very shy and when she knows they are no threat she pounces,very crafty madame.

Sheila.

Hi i have never had any problems i have one male 22 stone great dane and 18 stone female dane we have 2 chihuahuas which we rescused from a puppy farm at 3 weeks of age  and we brough them stright in put them on the floor  made them a bed next to the danes and have all lived happy for over 2 years now and the chihuahuas are only 2 and a half pound in weight each hope this helps

Had Spanish Water Dogs and Pomeranian's together.  The Pomeranian's ruled but I would never for a second of left them together alone, just one slight accident and a Pom. could easily be killed.  I myself just couldn't relax with the difference in size, but that's just me, I worry about things that will never happen :d  but inevitably knowing my luck they would!

Back in Australia we had a rather robust GSD and 2 westies. One westie we got at 18months, and the other we got at 10 weeks. Never had any problems with them, other than the younger westie bullying and being a brat to the GSD.

When my mother passed away I inherited her 3 chinese cresteds..I've always had collies and borzois and all 3 breeds got along great. The cresteds were the bosses - even when they were old and toothless...one swallow for a borzoi but they wouldn't have dared. It was funny to watch the cresteds jumping up on the arms of the chairs to bite a borzoi as it walked past. I did bring borzoi puppies in to the house too and again no problems but I can understand what LucyD is concerned about with an older bouncy pup... and cavs are less stroppy than cresteds so it may not be able to put the lab in it's place??

and cavs are less stroppy than cresteds so it may not be able to put the lab in it's place??

When my frst Cavalier was a year old, I bought a new Golden puppy. The Cav was ever so happy playing with a friend of his own size -he'd never played with my older Goldens. However the new friend soon WASN'T his size anymore, but he continued to play with the cavalier in the same way. After a while the cavalier started to refuse to go for walks, simply because he knew he'd be jumped on and knocked over and it wasn't nice anymore when his friend was so much larger than him.It was awful to see such a previously happy dog not even wanting to go out. I ended up buying another cavalier so they could go for walks together. :)

I have an enormous 7 month old Rottie x GSD and a 12 month old quite small Jack Russell.  All thier play is supervised and they never go in the garden at the same time and they have thier walks seperatly as they are very bouncy and when i go out although they are left in the same room together the Rottie x goes in a crate. 
I would NEVER leave them together while they are this young and bouncy not after what happened to my CKCS.

Bev

We have two GSDs and i have always wanted a yorkie but certain things have put me off.I worry that i may not have the time needed to watch them 24/7 and an accident may happen.My older dog is very laid back but the younger one (GSD cross BC) can be a bit OTT.She is a small dog about ESS size and not GSD size or weight.
I did call the yorkie rescue and the first number i called was the most local number and the lady said that would under no circumstances rehome a yorkie to anyone with a GSD and they are known to kill yorkies.Then i called the regional number and i was told that the first lady i called was not a registered rescue and that she would have no problem rehoming to a house with two GSDs. I was told that the first lady i called lived in a two bedroom cottage,but when i spoke to the rescue lady she told me she had 29 yorkies living at her house that needed rehoming. How can you have that many dogs in a small cottage? Goes to show that anyone can advertise anything and also how careful you have to be.If i hadnt of questioned the fact that i didnt think my GSD was capable of killing anything i would of walked away with bad vibes about the breed rescue.The lady was positivly rude and i took personal offence when she dragged down our dogs calling them nasty guard dogs that bite and kill small breed dogs.I was a little mad to say the least.Its all been put right now and im track with the REAL yorkie rescue. :)

Yes Goldmali, that's what I imagined a cav would do, they're so good natured...my borzoi pups soon learned not to mess with any of the cresteds. The cresteds would play with the borzois but on their terms and the borzois would back off (promptly) when the crested decided the game was over  :D