I currently have a 3 pound chihuahua. I am interested in getting a Great Dane from an animal shelter. I've always wanted one because I love their personalities and because they make great guard dogs (I'm a single female living alone in a first floor apartment). I've heard that as long as you exercise them outside daily, they are good apartment dogs since they're so laid back. My main concern, though, is that a Great Dane might accidentally hurt or kill my chihuahua while playing. Has anyone successfully had a small dog and big dog live together?
Can a Great Dane and Chihuahua safely live together?
- Thread starter Aeris
- Start date
I have a 2 1/2 lb chihuahua that's inside (of course) and a 120 lb rottweiler that's inside/outside. When my rottie comes inside he knows to be gentle around my chi. They are about a year apart in age so when I got Gonzo (my rottie) my chi (Chiquita) was almost a year old. I taught Gonza what 'watch the baby' means. Now when I say it he looks around til he sees Chiquita before he sits down. Then she jumps on him to sit, lol!
I love Great Danes, a friend of mine had one that they kept inside with their 4 lb yorkie and that Dane was as gentle as could be. I loved him so much! My rottweiler is mostly outside now, but he still knows to watch for Chiquita when he comes in.
I think if you watch them together and train them they'll be just fine. They could learn to be great friends!
ETA: You could ask the shelter if the Great Dane has been around small dogs and how that went.
I love Great Danes, a friend of mine had one that they kept inside with their 4 lb yorkie and that Dane was as gentle as could be. I loved him so much! My rottweiler is mostly outside now, but he still knows to watch for Chiquita when he comes in.
I think if you watch them together and train them they'll be just fine. They could learn to be great friends!
ETA: You could ask the shelter if the Great Dane has been around small dogs and how that went.
YES! They can! Great Dane's are marshmallows and as long as you supervise them in the beginning and guide them it should be ok. I've seen several families with Great Danes that also had Toy Yorkies and/or the small short legged Jack Russell Terriers and everyone was fine.
I'm heading to the shelter tomorrow! I'm so excited!!
Just as an FYI Great Danes have a high prey drive - which means sometimes they think little dogs or cats are things to be hunted, not played with. If you had a puppy and raised it with your dogs, it would probably not be a problem, but you might have a bit of a risk if you end up with a full grown dog who has never been around small dogs or cats before. I didn't realize this until my inlaws had TWO pugs killed by the neighbors' Dane. I think they are great dogs and always wanted one, then did a little research and found out about the prey drive.
I've known tons of Danes, never met one with this trait... always off leash at barns with little dogs, also - even when they come from a home in the burbs. They are almost all lazy old souls. Interesting, I'll have to google about this now!
My cousins have a chihuahua, have had a few Great Danes over the years, and a bulldog. I think it will just require supervision and proper socialization and lots of patience.
I had a chiweenie and my parents dog is a pit bull mix and they got along just fine.
I had a chiweenie and my parents dog is a pit bull mix and they got along just fine.
just put one in a crate when you are not home in the beginning until you know they are ok. my german shepherd who we adopted at 8 years old came into our home of 3 cats. he never saw a cat before. at first he looked like he wanted to attack them. we separated them at first & each day had them meet for a few minutes - giving them both treats so they associated being together as a good thing. after about a month of this they finally worked it out. of course the cats were the boss. after a while they actually acted as if they were buddies forever. so cute. your chi will probably be boss.
