Meeting large dogs

[Ari_RR]

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Here is our good boy Miles meeting a strange creature. The strange creature was quite brave and inquisitive, but I wonder what small dog owners feel when their small dog comes nose-to-nose with a big one. Are they silently praying, while trying to keep a polite smile on????

Let's say Frenchie girl weighs around 20 lbs, Miles 100 lbs, 5 times heavier.
Miles getting this close to a 500 lbs animal (a Siberian Tiger) would probably give me a heart attack...

 

[Flobo]

Lovely!

 

[JoanneF]

I just read the body language and judge each dog as it approaches. Miles is such a well-rounded dog that I'm sure I'd have no qualms about my dog meeting him, and as well as being even smaller than the Frenchie, he's older and a bit frailer. Although he still walked over a mile this morning

 

[Dibbythedog]

Miles is very well behaved! Its frighening when big dogs are off lead and run up to my dogs and want to play with them or simple chase them. I pick Libby Chi up. I dont care what people say about not picking small dogs up, Libby weighs under 3 kg , I cant risk her getting hurt.

 

[JoanneF]

I dont care what people say about not picking small dogs up

I think that's exactly the right thing to do.

 

[JudyN]

Jasper was better with small dogs than larger ones, but I wasn't going to let him run up to them because no one wants to see a greyhound-type dog sprinting up to their rabbit-sized dog. And having their owner snatch you off the ground in fear when another dog approaches isn't going to help their confidence around other dogs.

 

[JoanneF]

It's not often that we disagree (and I'm not sure we even are) but I do think sometimes being lifted helps dogs feel safer, further from the perceived danger - provided that the picker-upper is trusted of course.

 

[arealhuman]

Rusty is happy to approach larger dogs, but sometimes Mrs. ARH gets nervous, and occasionally I do if they come bounding up to us.

 

[JudyN]

It's not often that we disagree (and I'm not sure we even are) but I do think sometimes being lifted helps dogs feel safer, further from the perceived danger - provided that the picker-upper is trusted of course.

Fair point - I was imagining the owner going 'EEEEK, monster dog is going to tear my pup limb from limb!' rather than 'Time for a nice little cuddle, Fido,' where the small dog would pick up their owner's feelings. And chances are the small dog feels no fear at all but just sees a nice big friendly dog coming up to say hello.

 

[Burrowzig]

As long as the other dog's body language is friendly, I'm relaxed about it. And my small dog is very good at reading other dogs. If I had to. I'd pick her up.

 

[Flobo]

I agree, it's definitely about seeing the whole picture when a large dog approaches if you have a small one. Picking them up calmly, without the fear and panic, if need be is totally acceptable I feel. Also really knowing your little one is highly relevant.

 

[Burrowzig]

I remember a day, years ago, would have been 2009. Kite was a puppy and only just on the ground after her jabs. We were in Wollaton Park, Nottingham where I was doing some renovations on my mother's house. This Great Dane charged over; Kite screamed and hid behind my legs. The Dane's owner thought their dog was attacking my puppy and started running over. By time they got there, Kite had come out from behind me and was sniffing the Dane nose to nose.

 

[O2.0]

I wonder what small dog owners feel when their small dog comes nose-to-nose with a big one. Are they silently praying, while trying to keep a polite smile on????

I have a little 10 pound dog, but as a former large and XL dog owner, I don't panic about bigger dogs at all. My dog has really good dog skills and if she's off-leash, she knows which dogs to avoid and is good at diffusing situations. If the dog is overexuberant and could hurt her, she knows to come to me for safety.
On-leash I listen to her cues and my own gut too. Most of the time there's no issue. On the rare occasion I don't like the look of a certain dog, you bet I'll pick her up and keep her safe!

Love a good Rhodesian, do you have more pictures of yours?

 

[markrat1963]

I have a cane corso and stopped walking him in local parks it's nearly always the smaller dogs off leads that will come up to him barking he had a couple that bitten him

 

[Dibbythedog]

@markrat1963 That sound like my Libby chi. Small dogs get away with more . Its not fair.
However I have been told this behaviour is "fear " based . The small dog is trying to make the big dog go away , attack is the best form of defence.

I do pick her up if a any dog approaches at speed if she asks me too. She has been knocked over before and so have I .
It's not true that if you stand still , a dog will not run into you. I had a fractures knee and ankle when a golden retreiver ran into me.

 

[O2.0]

It's not fair that little dogs are sometimes allowed to do things that would be unacceptable in a big dog. All dogs should be well controlled.

It does make me sad that one of the most common comments my small dog gets is something along the lines of "oh, she's not snappy/yappy!" There seems to be such an expectation that if the dog is small they're going to be snappy with other dogs, especially bigger dogs. I'm sure it is mainly fear-based, but there is no reason why small dogs can't be social or at least dog neutral too.

 

[markrat1963]

Few weeks ago I was walking my cane corso in my park what is small. When I was walking down the path a group of young men was hanging around drinking beers . As they saw us approaching them they all went to the benches. I said my Skippy is ok. They laughed and said we not taking that risk . As I walked pass them I heard shouting and swearing two frenches were off their lead and bitten them

 

[Dibbythedog]

Oops !