# Small & Large breed dogs...safe together?



## LilOllie (Jun 2, 2009)

Okay well I am thinking about 1-2 years in advance here, but I currently have a papillon, and in a year or so I plan on getting another puppy. My boyfriend and I love the Great Dane and are considering that breed as our next puppy. I guess I am looking for others opinions on whether you think this is a safe choice? I don't worry about aggression so much really...but I worry about Oliver getting stepped on. Does anyone else have small and large dogs together in their household, and if so does it work? or would you advise against it?

~Sarah

Here's a picture of Oliver I took a few weeks ago at Watson Lake


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## digits mama (Jun 13, 2007)

I have 2 Cairn Terriers @ 12 and 19 lbs and I have a lab Mastiff mix at 118 lbs. And they get along great. They play and run together quite often under tight supervision of course. Dozer has learned to tiptoe through the tulips so to speak. He does this ballet when they are all chasing each other. Knock wood, in 2 years no accidents have risin. Inside the house the horseplay is minimal, Dozer lays on his back and asks for the girls to come and chew on his face. Its really a sweet sight. Good luck!


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## RonE (Feb 3, 2007)

It depend on the individual dogs.

Esther, at 75 pounds, is more likely to be injured by Zeke, at 17 pounds, than the other way around. She is extremely tolerant of the angry little badger and seems to understand that he is a protected species. Also, they have been together regularly since Zeke was a pup.

On the other hand, on her very last visit to our local dog park, she nearly killed a small terrier mix who snapped at her once too often.

When a Great Dane starts running, nobody (regardless of size or species) is completely safe.


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## Marsh Muppet (Nov 29, 2008)

RonE said:


> When a Great Dane starts running, nobody (regardless of size or species) is completely safe.


That's the truth! We had a Great Dane who, from the time she was a pup, was exceedingly gentle with all the other dogs and my sister's cats. The cats--right down to an extremely runty kitten--tormented that dog in the house. Outside was another story altogether. When the Dane came through the door, all the other animals took cover, and stayed there 'til she was finished making the ground quake..


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## whisper1662 (Feb 7, 2008)

I have 5 dogs , Shih Tzu, Cocker, 2 med sized muts and a lab. They all get along fine. It is really funny to see our lab playing with our Shih Tzu. Our lab never played much until we got our Shih Tzu. You would think that the lab being the biggest dog that he would be the leader, not so, our Shih Tzu is.


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## LilOllie (Jun 2, 2009)

Well I just really love large dogs, but I think I have convinced myself it is probably not the best choice. I either like small toy breeds or the really huge dogs such as the Great Dane, Mastiff, & Newfoundland. Thanks for all the replies. I think it could maybe work but I would be nervous the whole time.


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## Dreadog (Jun 12, 2009)

I agree that it depends on the individual dog. Hoku has playmates of all sizes, and she is very gentle with them all. When she plays with the little dogs, she just lays down and lets them wrestle with her. I guess you are right about the concern of a big dog accidentally stepping on or inadvertantly injurying a small dog, but again, I hitnk it depends on the dog. Even when hyper, (except on the rare occasion that she gets the zoomies, and she only does this outside) Hoku is very careful about not stepping on little things....


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## Marsh Muppet (Nov 29, 2008)

Newfs, Danes, Leos, Mastiffs, and Saints _tend_ to be very aware of their size, and they are careful with small things. That is, of course, an individual thing. I'd put a puppy with a 150 lb. Newfie, way before I'd let my 75 lb. Golden get near it.

Here's a video of a large-ish Leonberger trying to get a 16 year old Siamese to play with her:


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## BigLittleSmall (Sep 25, 2009)

My previous dober boy, Rusty, was king size (he weighed 130lbs .. all muscle) and he loved my roomates weiner dog. He would lay on the ground and let her waddle all over him. 

My current dober girl, Smiley (who weighs about 70-80lbs), loves our 8lb Min-Pin JB. Although, she wears JB out while in the yard. Since Smiley's trot is eqal to JB's mad dash lol.


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## LilOllie (Jun 2, 2009)

Well it's nice to see others have had good experiences with large and small dogs living together. My papillon is also not teeny tiny like some. He already weighs 5 lbs and is only about 5 months old. His dad is 5lbs full grown and his mom is 11lbs. I'm thinking he will eventually be around 10lbs or so.


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## DogPaw (Jan 11, 2009)

My sister had Saints and when I had my dachshund and a 5 lb Lhasa mix she was going to keep them for me for a few days and I was really worried about the size difference. They did just fine. In fact it was so funny to see them playing. Those Saints were very good with my little dogs. It's usually those little ones the you have to worry about


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## DJsMom (Jun 6, 2008)

I have a 14 lb dog & a 60 lb dog that get along great for the most part. They do love to play really rough together. 
My large dog is quite "Marmaduke-ish" & accidents do happen & some times I worry about the little dog getting hurt. The biggest issue we've had is that the big dog is a gsp mix that never had his tail docked & said tail is a _weapon_! I have started to notice that poor little DJ gets wacked in his face & across his eyes a lot with that very strong swinging tail & he yelps out!


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## Marsh Muppet (Nov 29, 2008)

When my Rotty was well into his dotage, we kept a friend's (very small) mini dachshund for a couple of days. The old grump was never all that fond of other dogs, but he tolerated well behaved ones pretty well. You could have knocked me over with a feather at his reaction. Like we'd bought him the best toy ever.

He seemed to be endlessly amused by the little snot scolding him and trying to boss him around. He spent the whole time grinning like a fool. He was all depressed when she went back home.


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## PappyMom (Jun 5, 2009)

My paps do lovely with large breed dogs. I've been introducing Roxy (who is 3 lbs at almost 6 months) to the larger breeds slowly at the DP, very calm sweet ones who's owners have volunteered to help me socialize her with the large breeds. Gizmo thinks he is one, and he's a 10 lb Pap. He was raised with my Shar-Pei though.. A dane and a pap are a big difference, but I don't think it'd be too big of an issue. Dane's tend to be very aloof and laid back anyway.

(BTW, Oliver's ears stood up!! He's ADORABLE!! love the yawning pic! We wanna see more!)


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## Michiyo-Fir (Jul 25, 2009)

We don't see enough pics of this boy around here! How old is he now? What a cutie!


I know some people that have Chihuahuas and labs together without any problems. But I've experienced large breed puppies trampling Nia or really beating her up.

My friend's boxer is now 4 months old, when he was 8 weeks old he used to play with Nia all the time. Now he's about 35 lbs at 4 months old and completely jumps on her and swats her with his paw making Nia scream and run away. For this reason, we no longer let our dogs off leash to play together. They're still happy to see each other though.

Some big puppies can be quite rough if you don't teach them to play gently with smaller dogs.


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## linzziiie (Sep 27, 2009)

i don't have any advice, but i would like to point out that is a really good picture of your doggie, LilOllie.

just a really nice picture in general.

i wish my trixi would take good pictures...


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## AmyBeth (Jun 26, 2009)

My mom had a 90lbs great pyrenees/lab/mutt mix and a 4½ lbs chihuahua/min pin mix that lived together for 5 years with no problems. Although Docka (gp/lab) didn't like Wishbone's (chi/min) mom, and if Little One annoyed Docka enough she would grab her in her mouth and hold one while Little One screamed bloddy murder. Although Docka never did hurt her, she was just letting Little One know her boundries. But we never had that problem with Ms. Wishbone and Docka, they would even sleep together.

Here's the best pic I could find of the two. Docka is the blonde one and Wishbone is the one in the sweater (it was december and she gets cold really easy)


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## Adustgerm (Jul 29, 2009)

My saint bernards like to go and play with the puppies. They lay down and let the puppies run all over them and pull their ears. They also like my kitties. I think it's best to get a calmer large breed if you have small dogs. Like danes or st bernards.


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## Kellie J (Jul 7, 2009)

As already mentioned it is very easy for large and small dogs to get along. We have 2 Chihuahuas the smallest being 5 lbs and an Elkhound mix at 40 lbs and a rescued 100 lb Great Pyrenees. They all get along great and the bigger dogs definitely know when to go softly on the chis as they all play together.


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## Junior (Jun 8, 2009)

Junior and Lola get along perfectly... they play, sleep, eat and drink out of the same bowl. There is a 130lb difference between them... no worries.


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## Jen D (Apr 23, 2007)

Kramer the American bulldog 120lbs use to have a good friend a Chi who I rescued. They were often left alone together without any problems. We got a French bulldog and he almost killed him for some reason its the only dog Kramer has come across he has hated.


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## BigLittleSmall (Sep 25, 2009)

Jen D said:


> Kramer the American bulldog 120lbs use to have a good friend a Chi who I rescued. They were often left alone together without any problems. We got a French bulldog and he almost killed him for some reason its the only dog Kramer has come across he has hated.


Don't Frenchie's snort, like Boston Terriers? Maybe he didn't like that sound.


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