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What is the size difference in your dogs?

2K views 28 replies 21 participants last post by  ThoseWordsAtBest 
#1 ·
I'm a large dog kind of girl, and plan on adopting an Irish Wolfhound come next June. Two of my dogs are medium sized (about 50 lbs and 60 lbs) but my concern is my miniature dachshund at 11 lbs. I'm obviously mostly concerned about a sight hound around another dog small enough to be considered prey, but crushing/stepping on/rough play comes in to mind, despite our plans to immediately begin training.

Mostly I'm just curious to see what sizes of dogs live in harmony and whether or not it's a good idea to have someone so small with someone so large.
 
#2 ·
My dogs are fairly close in size, my two largest are both 37 lbs, then I have a 25 lb and a 20 lb....but that doesn't mean I don't think a big size difference could work....
 
#3 ·
My dogs are pretty close height wise, within half an inch of each other, but one is about 45-50 pounds and the other is 85. I don't see why a large size difference couldn't work; but a high prey drive paired with a tiny dog might be an issue... I don't know.
 
#8 · (Edited)
We would be adopting a puppy and raising it with the doxie.

My Dogs are 70#, 50#, and 6# - Even though they all get along I don't let the little guy run with the big dogs they just run him over and I'm afraid he will get hurt (he has no clue he is smaller than the dobes)
I try to keep my little guy separate from his siblings while exiting the house and if they start roughing around, who outweigh him by 40 and 50 lbs, but he get so upset not being able to play. He roughs around with my mutt and seemingly has no idea how much larger she is than him. She has never hurt him, though.
 
#6 ·
My boys are within about 8 -10 pounds of each other. In the past my dogs ran around with my friends Chihuahua. I agree with not letting the little one be around when they are rough housing or whatnot. Just too much room for injuries there.
 
#11 ·
My Mastiff is close to 200lbs now and my Lab is around 100-110lbs so there is a big size difference there. They get along fine most of the time. Occasionally, I have to get on to Uallis for treating Eddie like a little ragdoll and generally being rough with him...but it goes pretty well.

I think that if a Wolfhound is raised with a smaller dog, they may become more "aware" of where the little dog is when walking, running, etc...

My Uallis isn't aware of anything like that, he'll trample anything in his way but he hasn't really been raised with small dogs just our cats.
 
#13 · (Edited)
My Elkhound and mutt are very gentle and they get along fine, but they will trample my doxie if they're getting let outside all at once. I have to hold the little guy, and make the other two sit and wait, and even then they're so excited by the prospect of catching balls in the yard they'll mow down anyone in the way.

I'm sure an IWH that grows up with a small dog can be trained and easily manageable, but I like to know the size differences of other dogs and how things go with them.

My little guy gets upset also and my 2 big dogs would never hurt him on purpose. My old dobe accidentally fractured his neck when he was younger - That ended wrestling with big dogs- Luckily he healed OK but he does have a permanent limp.
My little man will scream if I keep him out of the thick of things, so I just watch any play and make sure no one is getting TOO rough or too possessive over a toy. He's tough for a tiny thing, but since I had a kitten accidentally killed by being stepped on, I'm over protective of the little ones and watch him like a hawk.
 
#17 ·
At one point my gramma had a little Pomeranian who was so old she was missing all of her teeth and a very very large german shepherd (she was easily over 100lbs). Anyway, long story short the pomeranian was the dominant one. She would growl once and the gsd would sulk away. They were the best of friends most of the time.
 
#19 ·
The biggest is 45lbs, the smallest is 5lbs. Shadow (the big dog) has learned how to be gentle with him, but the smallest has also learned how to avoid her feet. Actually, I think Holly (my 7lb. girl) taught him how to run around her feet and not get trampled. Usually when there's a ball involved the smallest doesn't want to be involved, but my 7lb. girl loves to annoy my big girl when she's trying to catch a ball.
 
#22 ·
The Irish wolfhounds I've known (maybe a dozen, total) were incredibly gentle and considerate of smaller dogs (which would include ALL dogs) around them.

The only downside I could see to those dogs were the relatively short life-spans. The owners would usually say they'd rather have a wolfhound for seven years than any other dog for sixteen, but it's something to think about.
 
#23 ·
All of the ones I've worked/lived with have been extremely gentle, but I've never mixed tiny with so large. I just wanted to cover all bases before deciding for sure, because I strongly believe in pets for life and wouldn't want to end up in a way where I absolutely could not keep him.

The short life span is a heart breaker, but something I've come to be used to.
 
#24 ·
You can mix them, it's just all about teaching them to be gentle. Sometimes puppies just play rough, so it's hard on the pups to learn to play gentle, but just keep an eye out, and bring your wolfie to play with other large dogs so he can run with them.

Also, I don't know if you know this, but you shouldn't exercise them a lot before they are 6 months old.
 
#26 ·
As you can see in my signature I have a Mini Dachsie, a Cavalier, and an English Springer Spaniel. Out of the lot of them my Cavalier is the one I have to look out for at playtime. He's much more contented fetching a ball and gets overwhelmed by rough housing. I will be getting an Afghan in my Dachshunds lifetime and there's a good chance I'll have a Wolfhound in his lifespan as well. Personaly I don't have any worrys about the size difference. My Dachshund is very sturdy and resilient, he has no problem handling himself around large dogs or rough play. It all comes down to your dogs indiviual personalities and how you raise them together.

There's also a quite a few breeders of the large sighthounds that also keep a smaller breed. My Cavaliers' breeder also breeds Wolfhounds; and I know a few Afghan breeders that have Dachshunds as well.
 
#29 · (Edited)
That's comforting to hear. My doxie is a sturdy little man. He can get over run easily in an excited moment (Rush to the yard, or a rough housing) but always seems to be perfectly not bothered when he's getting beat up.

I have a pure germain Shepard (65lbs.) a pure germain shepard puppy (15lbs.) a pure rat terrier ( around 15-17 lbs.) and a blue heeler mix border collie (75-80lbs.) and they all seem to get along the only problem is the rat thinks she is as big as the germain shepard ( now that were talking about weight do you think the blue heeler mix border collie is over weight?
I'd have to see a photo of him, because it really depends on his height/stature. I have a supposed doxie mix (I don't see the doxie, but she has a long body) who typically weighs about 60 lbs. She doesn't look overweight, there is no pressure on any of joints at vet checks, and she gets regular exercise and a balanced diet.
 
#27 ·
125 lb lab mastiff mix, 50lb hound mix, 21 lb cairn mix, 18 lb Cairn, and 13 lb Cairn lives here right now. And they all run together perfectly. The largest one tiptoes around the little ones in play it is almost like a ballet performance. Dozer was here first and has been very gentle with the little ones. Now, with the hound mix..He gives him heck. All in good fun though.
 
#28 ·
I have a pure germain Shepard (65lbs.) a pure germain shepard puppy (15lbs.) a pure rat terrier ( around 15-17 lbs.) and a blue heeler mix border collie (75-80lbs.) and they all seem to get along the only problem is the rat thinks she is as big as the germain shepard ( now that were talking about weight do you think the blue heeler mix border collie is over weight?
 
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