Ashling Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Still undecided on whether to get a small dog with my very big Labrador and wondering if you can share stories of your big dogs playing with small dogs or vice versa, small dogs being 7-15kg. Do they play chasies and wrestle or too dangerous? Can they be best friends? For anyone who has both, do they need to be separated when you go out incase of the big one accidentally injuring the little one? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stressmagnet Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Ernie's best friends are a rambunctious American cocker and a sedate elderly Cavalier prone to wearing red knitted jumpers. He plays with them each differently - he's a loon with the cocker but very gentle and protective of the Cav. Makes me get why Labradors are such good family dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottsmum Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Best mates! We've always jad "one big, one little" with the littly often leading the biggun to trouble. Our last combo was A rotty/weim cross & a foxie. Best of mates til the day the big guy was PTS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashling Posted May 19, 2015 Author Share Posted May 19, 2015 Thanks. My Lab is a year old and so far hasn't had a chance to really play with little dogs but he likes meeting them. Really want him to be able to run around crazy with the little dog and have lots of fun if we do get one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tikira Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 We had a very active Jack Russell when we got our Border Collie. They loved each other and played really well together. The Jack Russell dominated our Border for a while, until Kira grew, and they rumbled equally. It was a perfect match.Tip's best friends were a German Shepherd, a white Shepherd, two goldens, a Bernese Mountain dog and a Husky (all at once, but he had an extroadinary personality, and really considered himself a big dog! Then Tip passed away from snakebite, and we agonised over this decision.... should we go another Jack Russell? Kira does give "the Collie Eye", and can be grumbly with other dogs of any size. We knew our girl, and trusted she would be good with another small dog and decided to get Jingo. We chose him specifically as he had spent his first 8 weeks with big dogs, and respected them, but was not afraid. The first two weeks were bad, and they were separated unless supervised, but one day Kira remembered how to play, and they do zoomies together, chase each other and rumble (gently on Kira's end, crazily on Jingo's part)Jingo's other best friend is a huge dog, who could snap him in two easily, but plays so gently with little dogs, it is sweet to see. So it depends on the dogs! Yes, it can work if you know your Lab really well. I suggest you think this over long and hard, before making a decision. The important thing is to keep your dogs safe, so if it works for you, maybe see how your dog interacts with little dogs. Also work closely with the breeder, they will have a good idea about their litters personalities. We do not separate them, and have not after those first two weeks. We are definitely sold on one big, one small, it works for us. I hope this helps Cheers Di Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 (edited) I think it is easier when the older dog is the smaller dog or it is an aged dog. You'd not want to leave a young Labrador unsupervised with a smaller breed pup for quite a while I think. They tend to play too hard for a lot of adult dogs. One option might be an ADULT smaller dog. I think there would be a few terrier breeds that would whip a Lab into shape pretty quickly. Strongly recommend you go for a dog of the opposite sex Edited May 19, 2015 by Haredown Whippets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tikira Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 These are Jingo with his "sister" Kira, and with his best buddy, Big Barney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mita Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 (edited) Not suggesting anything, but just for interest. One of my favourite videos. Little tibetan spaniel joining his 3 then 4 big tibetan mastiff 'siblings' in a play rumble. The little one is an enthusiastic chaser & his biggest dangers are getting sat on (the mastiff looks as if to say 'sorry'), running full pelt into another and falling over: :) Good advice in the posts above. Edited May 19, 2015 by mita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stressmagnet Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Yeah to supervised play. Ernie is also a year old. However, I've taught him the command 'gentle' - it means nibble lightly at the treat in my hand; slow down and calm yourself and most importantly, play nice. He was taught this long before he met the little old gentleman Cav. Might be worth teaching? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podengo Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Elsie is a 13kg collie/terrier mix and Ping is a 3kg Podengo. They are best buddies and play a lot. In the house they play chase and he runs under all the furniture which infuriates Elsie, they don't play chase in the open as I don't allow it (she will run over the top of him). They also wrestle a lot, she is very very gentle with small dogs despite being absolutely crazy with other bigger dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VizslaMomma Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Still undecided on whether to get a small dog with my very big Labrador and wondering if you can share stories of your big dogs playing with small dogs or vice versa, small dogs being 7-15kg. Do they play chasies and wrestle or too dangerous? Can they be best friends? For anyone who has both, do they need to be separated when you go out incase of the big one accidentally injuring the little one? Thanks. In the size ratio, my GaborVizsla weighing more than 30kilos treated SarahCKCS 8kilos like fine china. They romped,played & groomed each other. I have a standing house rule that all dogs are crated apart during our absence. Overnight they can sleep together. When noone is home I prefer no risk of troubles. That said, they all did camp together a couple of times without trouble. They got correctly introduced. Sarah met her 'cousins' when she was 9 weeks. They all enjoyed each others' company for the next 9 years. Gabor was a most nuturing dog & a softie except if he was protecting me. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mish13 Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 I had two standard poodles a toy poodle and a Jack russell when I brought a Newfoundland into the house. The other four dogs were all over seven years old and Grizzly 14 weeks old when they meet. The 10 kilo Jack and my now 71kilo Newf were the best of buddies until my Jack Russell passed away last November. My 4 kilo toy poodles has him bluffed, she will bare her teeth and he runs, so funny to watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevafollo Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 I have two breeds... 25-30kg pointers VS 5kg Griffons... I let them play when I am around but they are separate when no one is home. I will also let them socialise with friends dog IF I trust their dogs, so far Ive not had any issues and just this weekend gone my youngest, Trevor, made BFFs with an aussie shepherd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*kirty* Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 What breed are you looking at getting? I think this will be the clincher. A chihuahua is not going to enjoy being rumbled by s Lab. A JRT or stafford would love it though. I have big dogs and small dogs. They are mostly supervised together, only sometimes alone. The big dogs are very gentle and appropriate with the small dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashling Posted May 19, 2015 Author Share Posted May 19, 2015 Thanks for all the great stories and advice. My lab is naturally a gentle boy with other dogs and is on his very best behaviour at the dog park… but he does gravitate towards the big dogs. He likes to say hello to the little ones but they mostly don't engage much more. I think he'd be good with a little dog but I do want them to be able to play pretty rough so these stories have given me a lot to consider :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashling Posted May 19, 2015 Author Share Posted May 19, 2015 I was thinking probably a terrier on the medium to large side or English Cocker, maybe Cavalier and would get a female. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denali Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Kokodas best friend was a viszla :) I don't own Amber, but prior to her family moving back to the UK, she was with me almost every second month for about 5 years- so close enough! They did everything together Amber and Kokoda by Gabby, on Flickr He also loves my friends poodle x and always has! IMG_0036 by Gabby, on Flickr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpette Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Beautiful photos Denali. Your dogs have such great personalities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stressmagnet Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 I was thinking probably a terrier on the medium to large side or English Cocker, maybe Cavalier and would get a female. Cockers are big dogs in small pants. Ernie's mate Ollie bosses him round and has the heart of a lion. They rough house but mostly are content to play zoomies and biteyface. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bjelkier Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 I have four Samoyeds, a Labrador and a Havanese. The only time I keep them apart is when I go out, otherwise they all run together. Dresden, the Havanese, is amazingly savvy with the big dogs and the big dogs are very gentle of him. He's our second youngest dog. He and my 14 month old Sammy are best friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now