Can Big Paws and Little Paws co-exist safely?

[declanssexymama]

I really, really, really want to add a pug puppy to our family, but how do I do that with a 160-pound Saint Bernard who's still a puppy himself (15 months old)?  I fear the pup would inadvertently get stepped on, smacked with a paw that weighs more than he does while playing, etc.

Has anyone done this successfully?  I'd sure appreciate ALL viewpoints, even if it's what I don't want to hear...

[kathryn]

I have a Boston Terrier and the Malinois girls.  Yes, it is possible for Big Paws and Little Paws to co-exist.  It doesn't happen in my house because my Boston Terrier is geriatric and still thinks she can back up being the dominant female.  She started a fight with Cinder at one point and Kaila and Cinder tried to finish the fight but I broke it up.  So I now keep them separated.  However, up until that point they weren't separated and I just had to watch how hard the big girls were playing and that they didn't run over Marty.  I hope that helps some.

Kat

[dober_gurl]

I have a doberman, lab mix, 2 dachshunds(1 is my friend's), 1 miniature pinscher, and 1 miniature poodle.

Everyone does fine in the house and outside together. The only time I worry is when Roxie(the min pin) and Maggie(the doberman) try to pick on Marty(our dashchund). Basically they gang up on him and piss him off for the fun of it. Those are my girls.

[Lyn]

I have 2 Saints (Lola is 12 weeks, Bubba is 17 months) Plus a 9-10 year old Toy Poodle. They don't get along at all.. The poodle wants nothing to do with either of them period. Candy (the poodle) has bitten Bubba numerous times and bit Lola already 3 times. Bubba more or less ignores her. Lola is just interested in playing with her which the poodle wants no part in. More or less they are kept seperate. Bubba and Lola in the kitchen.. Poodle in the living room. They still cross paths occasionally since they are not gated in and the door to go potty is through the living room.

It would probably work out well in your case since the Crede is older and the little paw would grow up with him. It was the opposite in my case and the little paw is just a cranky old witch. LOL

[galaxybears]

I think alot of people with big breeds also have a small breed as well, normally without problems.

I have three Newfs, two who are only 15 months old, and I now have a Cocker Spaniel pup. The Cocker loves the Newfs and is quite happy to bounce around them! If the two younger Newfs are having a mad half hour though I always put the little one out of the way... Just in case!

[greek4]

Rocco and Maia love toy size dogs.  They think they are coolest thing in the world because they are so fast.  They are both more gentle with small dogs than they are with my poor scratched up feet.  You can always expose Crede to small dogs and see how he does.  but from the picture, with the baby in the background, Crede is used to watching his step.

[Gevaudan_Jo]

we have memphis our dane, and zero the bull terrier, and we have Dancer, our foster min pin, and they get along great. at first she cornered zero... he backed away right into the corner. but now they cuddle on the couch and in bed together... she doesnt bother with memphis too much, but u can see her sleepin on his couch sometims lol...
Its all good practice with our boys, cause we're finally adding a new TOY BREED member to our family...

[2dobies]

I have 2 Dobermans, Sasha and Darmok, and added a Rat Terrier to the mix almost a year ago. Sasha was a little over 1 yr old and Dar was a little over 2 yrs old at the time.  The Rattie (Lucy) was only 7 weeks old, and she and Dar hit it off from the get-go!  They are constant companions, and Dar protects Lucy from other dogs at the dog park!  Lucy and Sasha play all the time, and nobody has ever gotten hurt.

[LittleGrace]

I think so.  We have a 25 lb beagle- Zoe and a now nearly 16 week english mastiff-- Grace, who is already bigger than her. We wanted to get another dog and had been researching mastiffs for awhile.  As Zoe is getting older we thought the gentleness of the breed would work with her.  Zoe is still an energetic dog though and she is playing well with puppy-energy Grace.  They play then crash... Zoe has a history of being scared of other dogs especially bigger ones. She hid under a chair the last time she saw a mastiff.  We knew though that she is good with dogs she has known as puppies (when they were around her size).  So far everything is going okay.