People who own large

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I have been wanting to get another dog and I am thinking I'd like to get a smaller dog, in particular a Boston terrier. The problem is hubby is concerned that our very large and playful 2yr old Bullmastiff might actually hurt a small dog in trying to play with it? So, anyone here ever have a little one get hurt by rough housing with a bigger dog? Anyone have this combination successfully? Any input would be great. The animals welfare is too important to not really think over this idea before going ahead.

 

[Sixstardanes]

Early 2006 we adopted a lil (probably Terrier/Chihuahua X) mutt from a rescue that we named Jet.

Jet is 15lbs of sheer muscle!

He *loves* playing with our Great Danes and can take on up to 3 at a time.

You can see some pixs of him playing here

As of yet he has not been injured.

That said I'd be more prone to adopting an adult wee one again over getting a puppy as I feel a puppy could be more apt to get injured.

 

[Taylor Jo]

I have first hand experience for you. We have a 80 lb lab who's almost 3 and a 11 lb doxie who's almost 9 mths now. Guther the doxie is best bud's with Sammy the Lab. If you want to find one you just look for the other one. They are like peanut butter and jelly. They play, play and play...... To be honest here is what I will tell you. 'Sometimes', Sam mops the floor with Gunther (sweeping him from one side to the other back and forth by his collar) BUT, Gunther gets up and comes back for more. He's FEARLESS!!!! He BITES SAM, he picks on Sam. He bites Sam's LIPS, LEGS, what ever he can get a hold of. He LOVES biting his ears and NOT letting go. So Gunther has his way of getting even.

Also, 'sometimes, we have to tell Sam to be 'careful' he gets SOOO excuberant. He just gets so excited when he plays. Gunther DOES YELP cause Sam puts him ALL the way in his mouth. However, I yell and Sam lets go. Also, if I don't yell and Gunther yelps, Sam lets go. He's NOT hurting him he's like I said; excuberent. BUT, I want to be honest with you. HOWEVER, I wouldn't have it any other way. Gunther will YELP one minute and COME RIGHT BACK BITING SAM... SO he's NOT HURT. Sam has NEVER, EVER HURT HIM.

EVER!!!!!!! They sleep together and when Gunther wants something Sam has he goes and takes it and Sam lets him.

At night we go down stairs to watch TV and Sam is in my lap next to me and Gunther is on top my lap right next to me. Then when it's bed time, him and Sam share a bed. BESSSST thing I ever did for my Sam. We do have another dog, a Shar Pei and EVEN her she's really good with my doxie and she's 45 lb's. and she's the princess of the house and runs the boy's.

So IMHO, yes.... IT can be done. BUT, it depends on the temperment of YOUR dog. Sam is fun loving and easy going. My Shar pei is MORE uptight and EVEN she accepted him. She's VERY jealous natured and still she decided she liked him. But it took her a couple of weeks before she decided.

Anyway, good luck to you in your choice. I hope you decide to do it. Any questions feel free to ask.

Here's a pic of Sam and Gunther playing Tug of War their "favorite" game they play EVERY day..... Sam will get him going so fast Gunther will fly through the air sometimes. Gunther just loves it....TJ

Here's our pic of sitting on the chair at night. Nice and comfey....

 

[Mona]

I have a 15 pound Boston She is 6 years old, and this past summer we got a new Boxer pup. The Boxer is VERY playful...Molly likes to play too, BUT, Abby, the Boxer can get too rough. That said however, Molly does get mad at her when she's had enough and goes after Abby. Abby almost always knows that it mena "enough", but sometimes the devil takes over her, and she pushes too far, and that is when we have to step in and tell Abby to settle down. Molly likes to play, and they often play tug-o-war with a rope toy, but often Abby just plays too rough, chewing on Molly, not realizing there is such a size difference.

 

[Just Us N Texas]

My Boston Terrier Petie, loves our Great Pyr, Bandit. They both love each other. Petie is about 15 lbs. now, and he can certainly hold his own with Bandit. I do watch them when they play though. I love my Petie, and I am always worried he could get hurt, but never has. When he was a tiny little boy, Bandit, who was not a year old yet, was very tender and loving with him, and laid down on the floor to get to his level and play with him. As Petie grew, the play intensified and now they wrestle like two big boys. Petie grabs him by the tail and holds on sometimes, and I wonder why Bandit doesn't lose his patience and really get him. I have two Cane Corsos that I will not let near Petie. I don't feel their dispositions would tolerate Petie's hyperactivity, so I keep them separated at all times. It will all depend on the disposition of your large dog, and how he will tolerate a new playmate.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

Thank you both for your responses. I've never owned (or been owned by) a small dog and really have no idea how fragile they might be. Bostons seem pretty sturdy I thought (one of th many reasons I'd like one) Taylor Jo, Magnum is not at all dog aggressive. He has been so well socialized since birth that he will stand quietly while a strange dog checks him out and stays calm even when the new comer snarls or snaps at him. He has deflected a lot of aggression just by not reacting to it and he is certainly big enough to back up any threat he though to offer. He is just so very playful and he (like boxers do) is inclined to smack things with his big feet. He has clobbered our cats a time or two and they DO NOT appreciate it lol. He has never intentionally hurt another dog but my concern is if he plunks that big foot on a little one he might do real harm. T J, you brought the 2nd one in after the Lab was grown? Was the little one a puppy or an adult when it came? I have no real objection to adopting an adult but puppies are usually easier to find if you are looking for a specific breed (in this area at least ) Magnum has been so lonely since we lost his mother and really needs a playmate and companion for the rare times he is left at home alone.

Just us N Texas, you posted while I was typing but, as I said above, Magnum has a very kind nature (in fact his mother was like your Pyr, she was soo careful with puppies, even those that weren't hers. She played rougher with her puppies as they grew but it was a gradual increase from pinning them with her nose while they squirmed to actually putting her mouth on them and eventually playing full body contact sports. Magnum is very much like her in temperament.

 

[h2t99]

My parents have Bullmastiff's and also have 2 king charles cavaliers and just inheirted a small bichon. Their mastiffs play all the time with the cavaliers, yes they can get rough at times but it is usually when both mastiffs are playing and Hansel trys to join the fun!! If they are one on one they play great!! Their first mastiff was great with their little dogs, he wouldn't hurt a flea!! Good Luck!!

 

[TheCaseFamily00]

I have a poodle and a doberman,the are both 3yrs old. Occasionally the dobie gets ruff but the poodle will let her know when he's had enough.The dobie likes to chase the poodle but my poodle can out run her

. Magnum sounds like a sweetheart.

 

[Taylor Jo]

Well you said your dog is 2 and Sam was 2.5 and we got Gunther when he was about 3 mths old. Sam I don't know if you can see in the pic or not has HUGE paws. He WACKS Gunther all the time... OR He'll grab him by the neck and put his paw over the top of him and pull!!!!! Gunther just goes right along. I think by the sound of it and others experiences your boy will do well. Winky my Shar Pei is 5 and she accepted him. I just think b/c your boy is young he will. HOWEVER, let me warn you. He may SMOTHER him at first. OMG'd when I brought Gunther home I didn't think Sam was going to let him breath. He followed EVERY dang footstep that pup made. If he went right he went right, you get my point. He was just SOOOO EXCITED to have a buddy. Now if Sam is sleeping and doesn't want to be bothered Gunther will go over and bark at him to play with him and if he doesn't he's bite at his ankles on his back legs to get him to play. Then Sam will jump up and LAY ON TOP OF GUNTHER and roll him around. You'll have HOURS of fun watching them, trust me.... It's a DAILY wonder around here. We're ALWAYS amazed at the two of them. My husband say's it's a ZOO with the two of them. We call them the

"boy's". I don't think you'll regret your decision.

It might help lift him out of his depression and give him a lift, a buddy and he's young enough to enjoy it. Magnum sounds like a real nice dog. I'm excited for you. TJ

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I'm glad I asked. LB is always the best place to find answers, there is ALWAYS someone with some first hand knowledge of just about anything a person could want to know. Now I just have to convince my husband that this is doable.

And thank you for the compliments, Yes, Magnum is a sweetheart. I could not imagine a more loving dog. He (and his mother who I will miss forever)are more a part of our family than I could have ever imagined. Magnum is my husbands lap dog lol, 130+lbs and sleeps on his lap in the armchair in the evening. Right now he is babysitting my special needs daughter who is off school for a week (bless his heart

)

h2t99, have they ever actually harmed a cavalier? As in needing vet attention afterwards?

 

[Taylor Jo]

He does sound like a neat dog. Babysitting your daughter and sitting in your hubby's lap. I REALLY think he'll do well. I was BAD. I JUST brought Gunther home. SURPRISE, we have a puppy.....

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

Their mastiffs play all the time with the cavaliers, yes they can get rough at times but it is usually when both mastiffs are playing and Hansel trys to join the fun!!

what I meant was, have they ever actually injured the littler dog. I don't mean on purpose but even accidentally since the size difference is quite great.

Mona I missed your post somehow earlier and i was wondering, do you think it would have been different if the Boxer had been an adult dog and the Boston the puppy rather than the other way around? Magnum I think is much more layed back than a Boxer (at least the ones I have known) He plays hard and sleeps harder lol It isn't so much the duration of the play that has me concerned its the energy level during play. He is big lumox and those feet do get into the act. My poor cats started out thinking it was fun to play with his tail until he wacked them on the head with his big fat paw. The kitten still can't resist the tail but if he moves she's gone .

TJ, I can't bring myself to do that since we all have to live with and be happy with the pets in our home. In truth he idn't want the Bully before we got her either and I convinced him to meet her and the rest is history. Altho she was my girl thro and thro while Magnum is really his dog even tho I'm the one who's here all day.

 

[Naira3284]

I don't have a little one but my 90lb Pit bull plays with the neighbors 15lb Jack mix on a daily basis.

Its too funny to watch! He looks like he is dancing, trying to avoid stepping on the little one, while the little one is running under neath him biting his legs and tummy and jumping over him. Deebo usually lays down so they are at the same level, and "make out" lol. But when Deebo steps wrong, or does something the little on doesn't like, OMG you should hear him! This little rat turns in to a gremlin, and usually ends up hanging from Deebo's lip. LOL

Deebo always has that

ears back look like : crap mom I think I peeved him off. lol

I think it is much better to have a adult large dog, and a puppy little dog.

 

[Taylor Jo]

He's NEVER injured Gunther no.... Are you kidding. Gun's gets up and goes back for more. Sam is just a baby himself like your dog. He still thinks he's a puppy. I sit at the kitchen table and he tries to climb up in my lap. If I thought he would hurt Gunther I wouldn't trust them alone, but I have that trust. Sam has an inner instinct not to hurt him. He does get rough mind you, but he doesn't MEAN hurt him. He wackes like I said w/ paws, puts Gunthers throat in his mouth and mops the floor and swings him around, stuff like that. Gunther yelps and he quits or I yell and he quits. But, he's NEVER, EVER let a mark on him or drew blood, or nothing like that, EVER!!!!!

No I wouldn't recommend not just anyone doing what I did. With Sam I took my husband over to the breeder and told him I wanted him. I had 'already' went and looked once and KNEW I wanted him. But, took my husband and showed him. THENNNN, it took him another 2 weeks to say yes. It was the LONGEST 2 weeks I ever had to live. My old dog had died and my other two dogs were severly depressed and whining and crying. I was crying. So I kept after my husband and he FINALLY said yes, after I begged and begged and begged. Our house was up forsale and he said he didn't want a puppy in messing it up, was his excuse. The minute I brought Sam home the girls were happy and all the depression left and the whinning and crying. I had my Shar Pei and she was 2 and I had a Dalmation at the time. He had those girls running and playing in no time, my Dalmation was old but even she was happy to play as best she could. As weird as my Shar Pei was she accepted him right away, cause he was a BIG dog. At first just like with GUNTHER she was a little put off, but she was younger so more accepting, but even then it took her a few day's to warm up. She's just an ODD DOG.

I don't think your going to have that problem. I think he's Magnum is going to LOVE that puppy. I bet your going to have a great time. I hope your husband lets you, he'd be missing out on a lot if he doesn't. My husband ADORES our Gunther and he's not an animal guy like I am. He loves Sam and Winky but he will pick Gunther up and hold and love on him and that's NOT like my husband. I think your will be in for a real treat with a small one to hang on too. TJ

 

[DrivinTime]

Hi There!

Just wanted to add a cautionary note, based on my sister-in-law's experience. Sometimes big dogs "don't know they are big" and can accidentally step on or roll a small dog, especially if the size difference is great. For example, her Brittany Spaniel, who's around 30 pounds, loves to play with their chihuahuas and toy fox terrier. But he gets excited as the game heats up and has stepped on the toy fox (who weighs around 5 pounds), with the result that the toy fox terrier had to be on pain meds and couldn't play for a few days. So now she lets them play together only when closely supervised, and when things get out of hand she separates them.

Even though all her dogs get along well, because the little ones are so fragile it's easy for an accident to happen. So, I would just use caution and supervise when they're playing...

My 2 cents...

PS I love Bostons! They are so sweet and playful...

 

[h2t99]

"what I meant was, have they ever actually injured the littler dog. I don't mean on purpose but even accidentally since the size difference is quite great."

No they have never hurt either of them, once in awhile the one will make Hansel yelp, but then in the next minute he makes the Haley yelp!!

They are very funny to watch!! I definately think the mastiffs are ok with smaller dogs, especially with only one!!

Heidi

 

[Jill]

Our collie can be a little too rough with our shih tzu dogs. She likes to put her paw on their backs, which is a real NO-NO. They are together a lot but not unsupervised just in case.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

Jill, that is exactly what I'm concerned about. If Magnum wacks a little dog with his paw I'm concerned the smaller one won't be 'resilient' enough to take that kind of abuse. I think perhaps the thing to do is try to find someone with a well socialized (there don't seem to be that many around since most are coddled and kept apart) small dog that they are willing to bring over and see how Magnum treats it. Hmmmm.... I'm not sure I know of any that aren't snappy and dog aggressive.