List dog breeds that should never be trusted around small dogs
- Thread starter Gixxermike
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I would not trust any dog I didn't know very, very, very well around a much smaller dog unsupervised. I don't really have any particular breeds, but I would be unlikely to ever trust a dog bred to hunt other animals or for dog fighting (so most terriers/sighthounds/cur-type dogs) unsupervised, where I might trust a toy breed or retrieving breed or guardian breed a little bit easier.
IMO it's never really safe to allow dogs with a big size difference to interact except in controlled and supervised settings. Accidental injuries and predatory drift can and do happen all the time when people trust large dogs to play nice with their toy dogs. Dogs who "have always been fine" with little dogs don't always continue to be fine.
Not to mention even the calmest, most tolerant dog can be pushed too far and inadvertently hurt or kill a tiny dog who's being overly assertive or annoying when correcting the little dog -- or just trying to be left alone. I've even seen little dogs injure themselves by getting overly enthusiastic in their play with a larger dog, straining muscles, etc.
I dont really sure out any breeds, but it depends on the lines of the breed ect ect like Adrianne said. Like when I am looking for a mastiff I will be looking for a pup that parents are used to an live with smaller dogs.
The issue I have with Teagan is she has no problem correcting a much larger dog who is being rude or inappropriate. Which I guess is not really an issue she should be allowed to do that, but alot of larger dogs dont take kindly to that.
For example usually when I am in the DP and a Sibe or a rottie comes in I usually leave. I am not taking the chance. Even if the dog is good with smaller dogs. I dont know that and there are clueless dog owners out there. Or if there is an over excited big dog.
Although I trust Emme (bouve) and Teagan (westie) together. We never leave them alone in the house together. Emme always gets crated. Just because you never know.
The issue I have with Teagan is she has no problem correcting a much larger dog who is being rude or inappropriate. Which I guess is not really an issue she should be allowed to do that, but alot of larger dogs dont take kindly to that.
For example usually when I am in the DP and a Sibe or a rottie comes in I usually leave. I am not taking the chance. Even if the dog is good with smaller dogs. I dont know that and there are clueless dog owners out there. Or if there is an over excited big dog.
Although I trust Emme (bouve) and Teagan (westie) together. We never leave them alone in the house together. Emme always gets crated. Just because you never know.
While my English Shepherd loves small dogs (the smaller the better, in her opinion), especially males, if I were to ever get a Chihuahua or something similar in size I would not leave them unsupervised. The big size difference really ups your chances at injury, IMHO - even if Quinn simply forgot where her feet were or corrected a Chi, there could be injuries. Supervised - sure, she'd love it, but I wouldn't leave them unsupervised together.
I would never 'trust' a big dog around a small one. As in I would never leave them unsupervised at all.
Ada is only a few inches taller than the papillons but much stronger. Even with just that size difference, all interactions are closely watched.
That said, I intend to have my papillons all my life and I WILL have larger breeds as well. But all my bigger dogs will be separated from the little ones when they're not being watched.
Ada is only a few inches taller than the papillons but much stronger. Even with just that size difference, all interactions are closely watched.
That said, I intend to have my papillons all my life and I WILL have larger breeds as well. But all my bigger dogs will be separated from the little ones when they're not being watched.
I tend to go by generalizations and the dogs I see before me. I don't go out of my way to let my papillons socialize and play with larger dogs, they just don't need to and it's just not worth the risk. That said they all get along just fine with my older spaniel and I live in confidence that nothing would likely happen if they all did stuff together. With my lab it's out of the question, I don't trust her to be gentle so there are five dogs in my house she's never going to spend time with. It's just not in the cards for her.
In the stories I've heard about dogs being killed by other dogs within their home it's never been breed specific and always owners who just thought they all would just get along, or they had minor tussels which never resulted in anything serious. The only consistent thing about the story is that it was always the small dog or older dog that ended up dead or injured beyond saving.
In the stories I've heard about dogs being killed by other dogs within their home it's never been breed specific and always owners who just thought they all would just get along, or they had minor tussels which never resulted in anything serious. The only consistent thing about the story is that it was always the small dog or older dog that ended up dead or injured beyond saving.