If you have small dogs, are you very wary of bigger ones?

[fankino04]

Why do big dogs get such bad press? I have a Great Dane - 63kgs. She is bullied by pretty much everything and she could easily flatten those ghastly terriers, shit-tsu and chihuahua but she does not, she tolerates their agressive behaviour. Meanwhile the owners think it is funny that their little darlings provoke such a big dog.Hopefully they will one day meet their come uppance.

This 100%. My malamutes were always being gobbed off at by some small thing whose owners thought they were funny. Obviously if they retaliated in any way then i would be the bad owner, thankfully all 3 were utter saints.
Ashkii was pts after an off lead terrier rushed up to him causing him to turn sharply whilst we were trying to rehab him from a slipped disk and spinal stenosis.
I currently walk a jrt x toy poodle and she has just started barking at big dogs when out, this is definitely not going to be something she continues doing.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

This 100%. My malamutes were always being gobbed off at by some small thing whose owners thought they were funny. Obviously if they retaliated in any way then i would be the bad owner, thankfully all 3 were utter saints.
Ashkii was pts after an off lead terrier rushed up to him causing him to turn sharply whilst we were trying to rehab him from a slipped disk and spinal stenosis.
I currently walk a jrt x toy poodle and she has just started barking at big dogs when out, this is definitely not going to be something she continues doing.

I wonder with noisy small dogs, is it big personality or fear? A tiny yorkie politely said hello to my two this morning but barked madly at an extremely submissive cavalier walking past. A tiny jrt had a crazy bark at mine, all were on leads and a good distance apart. Next door’s tiny mixed terrier is frankly a nuisance barker.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

We tend to have big dogs and I find it's the little dogs that go for them rather than the other way round. I feel sorry for our current dog because other dogs we meet out walking are nearly all aggressive towards him. Our newish puppy plays with him and my sons lab runs him ragged round the garden, but that's about it.

Yes, we had a Rottweiler who we only let off a lead/longline in a secure area because her recall wasn't 100%. She was certainly not aggressive, though. We took her to a relative's garden, where she was delighted to meet some old canine friends and make the acquaintance of 2 Yorkshire terriers. The Yorkie bitch kept growling at her and the Rott looked somewhat bemused but just walked round her and played with the other Yorkie. We certainly didn't leave them without responsible adults present though.

 

[skinnydipper]

I currently walk a jrt x toy poodle and she has just started barking at big dogs when out, this is definitely not going to be something she continues doing.

What's the plan?

 

[fankino04]

What's the plan?

Well she already stops as soon as you say "stop" so just trying to catch her before she pipes up and distract her then reward her for walking straight past. She doesn't do it all the time, isn't any particular dog or breed so not sure what started it, she's happy to meet and greet or play if off lead so ????

 

[sport horse]

See, I don't think anyone is really thinking of Great Danes when they're thinking of big dogs.

Really!! They are pretty big!!!

 

[skinnydipper]

Well she already stops as soon as you say "stop" so just trying to catch her before she pipes up and distract her then reward her for walking straight past. She doesn't do it all the time, isn't any particular dog or breed so not sure what started it, she's happy to meet and greet or play if off lead so ????

I was just curious as to your plan. You'll have to let us know how you get on

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Really!! They are pretty big!!!

I don’t think I’ve ever seen one irl, tho, so when someone says big dog, I’m thinking gsd, labrador etc.

 

[Nasicus]

Really!! They are pretty big!!!

Yes, but at least in my experience, the people that get Danes tend to be pretty sensible with them. They seem to understand they have one hell of a big dog and tend to train/supervise them correctly. Always the odd bad apple, but for the most part I don't worry when I see a Dane.

 

[[139672]]

It’s not big dogs for me, it is strange dogs, are they off lead and sometimes particular breeds (possibly unfounded though), although I had a very scary experience with two chocolate labs, on separate occasions. One launched itself at my dog when he ran out of his open front door. He put his head through my legs to get to my dog, he was being very aggressive and I managed to get him in a headlock between my knees. The other one was way ahead of me in a huge field. When he saw my dog he ran at us. He sounded like the hound of the Baskerville. Thankfully I was by a low hedge of brambles so picked my dog up and held him over the brambles. We did have a husky near us who had attacked at least 3 dogs but haven’t seen him for about five months no

 

[Honey08]

Generally no, my little dog (large fluffy terrier type thing) will tell big dogs off and put them in their place. My nephew and niece have unruly big dogs (one Rottweiler one Mastif x American bulldog) that bully my nervous lab, but wouldn’t go near my terrier. However when I first got her (she was a year old) both a husky and a collie, in two separate incidents, had her on the floor by her neck for absolutely no reason, and my late lab went for the dogs to rescue her, so I do keep an eye on her, despite her feistiness! Current lab is a big coward, whereas the previous one was very confident, so he’d not rescue her.

 

[poiuytrewq]

No not at all, I’m incredibly lucky though never to have had a bad experience *touch wood*
I do put them on a lead if I see other dogs I don’t know approaching but I do that regardless of size incase, after a quick check with the owners I’ll let them off again.

 

[sbloom]

Our Dane was bitten right through his ear by a young Border who had been picked up by his mum (off lead area) as she bent forwards to fuss ours who was being perfectly friendly.

 

[honetpot]

I have large dogs and I worry about small dogs. People treat them like toys, allow them to get away with murder, snap at other animals, my friends small dog attacked my goat in my garden, and then expect the large dog not to react to something that is constantly snapping in its face.
My daughters small dog, is completely spoilt, my Rottix is extremely patient with it, it's like being with a screaming toddler. I had it a week, it went home as a far more sensible dog, my daughter tolerates its bad behaviour cos' its cute.

 

[sbloom]

I have large dogs and I worry about small dogs. People treat them like toys, allow them to get away with murder, snap at other animals, my friends small dog attacked my goat in my garden, and then expect the large dog not to react to something that is constantly snapping in its face.
My daughters small dog, is completely spoilt, my Rottix is extremely patient with it, it's like being with a screaming toddler. I had it a week, it went home as a far more sensible dog, my daughter tolerates its bad behaviour cos' its cute.

Snap. Luckily ours too is a gem with little dogs generally.

 

[HorseyTee]

I've got 2 chihuahua's, the smallest is just over 3lbs.
I've never worried about them, because I am cautious with any dog around new dogs anyway.
They've been brought up around large bull breeds and live with Simba who's around 30kg.
I wouldn't allow them to engage in rough play with a larger dog that I don't know but they do occasionally play with Simba but he's very gentle with them.
They learnt fast as puppies not to stand by my feet so they don't get trodden on or anything.

Tbh I never set out to end up with such tiny dogs. They just sort of happened. Sid was from a litter who's owner I mentored and I fell in love with him, but his parents were much bigger sized chihuahua's, he just stayed really small.
And Bentley was from a friend's litter, and I'd fallen for the breed having had Sid already.

They're just like any other dog, just in a much smaller body.

 

[BeansNsausages]

My dogs arent that small, but I keep sighthounds who injure all too easily.

Yes, other dogs in general worry me tbh. They are allowed to socialise briefly in training classes at our local dog club or with friends dogs, but we walk at unsociable hours in remote locations in the hope of not meeting any other people or dogs whatsoever.