[JosephEL]

Hi so me and my girlfriend just moved in together. We had a Pomeranian which stayed with her most of them time and is 1 yr old, and i have an american bully that is now 4 months old, the 2 play around perfectly all day except for the fact that not my bully is starting to get much bigger and can be a little rough at times and drags the little one by the hair here and there. Should i be concerned about the future and leaving them in the house together when were gone, my girlfreind is concerned about the safety of of TAZ our pomeranian and i wanted to get some insight as well before it is to late. Please advise!! Also my Bully comes from a well mannered bloodline but this is still a big concern when any dog plays with each other! Thank you sooooo much.

[Nafheense]

Absolutely be concerned. Any time you have to leave them unsupervised (even for 5 minutes) have them crated and separated. Supervision is key to a successful multi pet home. I would also be concerned as to why you allow your bully to drags your Pom by the hair?? That doesn't sound right.

---------- Post added at 04:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:38 PM ----------

Also-- no matter how well mannered the bloodlines are you still have to train. Sometimes no matter how much you train or how "well mannered" the bloodlines are a bully (an individual) can be DA.

[nobodyhere]

god YES be concerned.

[AndyColemants]

I raised Gunner with my Chihuahua Sprocket.

Absolutely do not let them play unsupervised.

Make sure your larger dog is solid on his commands. "leave it" is the most important one IMO. I used that one from day one with Gunner. If play got too rough, a quick leave it and Gunner would calm down and take a break.

You need to know what your dog looks like and does when it is uncomfortable. Sprocket will often initiate very frantically when he is "done" with play time. He won't back down or run away. He will get more intense. Gunner thinks that's more play time. YOU alone are the one that can draw the line.

---------- Post added at 04:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:26 PM ----------

Also, the type of play needs to be monitored. Rough play is not allowed in this house. Chase is also not allowed.

Monitoring means watching them. Not "in the same house.

[Accecyncphory]

DO NOT leave them alone together. Not even now! NEVER EVER. AT ALL. Not even if you are just leaving the room!

Aside from reiterating that... I agree with everything else that has been said as well

[IRYzouNv]

they love each other but there is not one second that they are not being supervised when they are together because i know they can go from friend to foe in a matter of seconds

[JosephEL]

Yes, thanks for all the tips, im working on the training and commands and it is coming along pretty good and i also never leave them together unsupervised. Also, pebbles ( my bully) doesnt litterally drag taz but she does grab on to his hair which i immediatly correct when it happens. I just wanted to see what other people experiances where with keeping two different sized dogs, i have pet gates in several rooms, taz is usually inside the house and i am working on getting a outdoor kennel for pebles to play in as well.

[scewLacysmazy]

I definately wouldn't rely on simple pet gates when your dogs aren't supervised. They really do need to be contained properly and separately when you aren't there, AND make sure you have breaksticks on hand just in case.

I have a year old APBT, and three toy breeds (Minpins), and although they get along very well now, things can change in an instant so they are never unsupervised. My APBT is crated in a separate closed room when we aren't right there.

Also....NEVER keep high value items laying around even under supervision. When I give my dogs bullysticks or whatnot they are separated, and everything is put away when they are together. This is very important!

[feAilei1]

lots of good advice here. Id like to reinforce a couple things mentioned:
*NEVER leave them alone together. Bully dogs can turn on another dog in seconds, over something as simple as who gets to sit by the door or something.
*Buy a break stick. If the bully was to ever get a locked mouth around the little guy, youll need this tool to get it off.

and just keep training, training! I also wouldnt rely on baby gates while youre gone. Id go with closed doors (which might also get torn up) or preferably a crate. Or one inside, and one outside!

---------- Post added at 10:02 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:01 AM ----------

they love each other but there is not one second that they are not being supervised when they are together because i know they can go from friend to foe in a matter of seconds

Super cute pic Tanner!

[EsAllCams]

"starting to get much bigger and can be a little rough at times and drags the little one by the hair here and there"

That should be stopped immediately. I have a Bully too and he would never dare to do that to any of the pets in the house. Now the other animals also must respect him as well, nobody gets away with that kind of behavior in my home. Even if the little dogs won't really hurt the big dog, they have to respect it.

[hoconnor6605]

Yes, never leave them alone together, no matter how much you trust them. That's an accident waiting to happen.
My bully does hang out with the neighbors lil jack russell and their lil dachshund and they get along great, never had a problem with them together. They run and play and chase each other. But I never have left them alone together, it's just not a good idea. period.

[9mm_fan]

I just wanted to see what other people experiances where with keeping two different sized dogs,
One experience to share is two Am Bullies lived with a Chihuahua for many years. Slept together, they got along fantastic and loved each other the owner said. That was until the day came that they didn't anymore. I don't need to tell you how that story ends.
I'm not saying people who have small dogs with this breed are wrong are that it can't be managed successfully just that I know I wouldn't do it. But then again I wouldn't own a small dog.

[JosephEL]

Just a little update since i have time and was bored at work lol

[ENGINESSQ]

I too have a Taz. But he's a Brussels Griffon.

I don't leave the dogs out together unsupervised. I don't let them get too rough with him, or vice versa (because that little dog LOVES to get the bigger dogs all riled up). And I immediately stop them if they do something I can see ending badly someday with him.

My 3 bigger dogs have also been exposed to small dogs since they were pups, and learned how to be gentle (well, gentle enough) with them. I always rewarded them for being gentle and calm with little dogs, and I guess that and me watching them like a hawk has paid off. But obviously I'll never let my guard down.

[XiWm9O9S]

Anyone with small dogs knows that they run the house. Unfortunately for them, they don't typically win the arguments that they start. So just separate them when you're not watching so that you can intervene in any arguments.

Here's what a pit bull living with a small dog looks like in my house:

[Nafheense]

I love poodles ! They are great

[infelconi]

My dogs live with all sizes of dogs. Their best friend is a little Chihuahua named Sugar. That being said, I know sugar doesn't care that they out weigh her by 50 pounds or more and will try to start something she couldn't finish. My dogs are all hard to provoke. but I'm always aware that she could end up pushing the wrong buttons.

[Accecyncphory]

Just a little update since i have time and was bored at work lol

What a cute picture!! I never thought I'd say this, because I don't find Poms attractive at ALL... but yours is cute! lol

I should have also mentioned in my first posting in this thread, I also have small dogs.. I have a long coat Chihuahua and a Boston Terrier. Both of them are tough old birds and none of the larger dogs mess with them!

[NumDusthouh]

Any dog can live with any other dog whether it's in a free roam [when supervised] or on a crate and rotate. It's up to you to determine each dogs "tolerability" for the other dog[s]. Make sure to never leave them alone unsupervised, when you leave crate them or get TALL and well made gate made for big dogs [I think JoeBingo might have a good example] to keep them in seperate areas.

Leon gets tethered to a heavy futon then I put up a gate to keep Maci in her half of the home. Sometimes she gets kenneled but that for the sake of accidents. You're two dogs look like they are already the best of friends

What's weird for me is that Leon wants to rip the head off of almost every other dog, yet since we brought him home him and maci have been inseperable, she licks his face for hours, takes his toys, steals his beds, they cuddle etc and he just loves her. It's weird.

[Nafheense]

Any dog can live with any other dog whether it's in a free roam [when supervised] or on a crate and rotate. It's up to you to determine each dogs "tolerability" for the other dog[s]. Make sure to never leave them alone unsupervised, when you leave crate them or get TALL and well made gate made for big dogs [I think JoeBingo might have a good example] to keep them in seperate areas.

Leon gets tethered to a heavy futon then I put up a gate to keep Maci in her half of the home. Sometimes she gets kenneled but that for the sake of accidents. You're two dogs look like they are already the best of friends

What's weird for me is that Leon wants to rip the head off of almost every other dog, yet since we brought him home him and maci have been inseperable, she licks his face for hours, takes his toys, steals his beds, they cuddle etc and he just loves her. It's weird.

I would be very cautious feeling so confident in the "affection" your pit feels for your smaller dog. I'm sure you watchful but don't be 100% confident in their relationship...