# German Shepherds with Little Dogs



## lizzkatris (Apr 29, 2010)

Hello all! I wondering if any of you have experience with GSDs and small animals. I'm looking for stories, advice, personal experiences and opinions! I have three Italian Greyhounds and a cat. I have confidence in my ability to train or I wouldn't even consider it, but it's still smart to find out what other people have done. We do not have a GSD yet, but I'd like to get myself as prepared as possible! Thanks and I hope to get some great tips on how to best make this work!


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

I think it depends on the dog, and the breeder or rescue you get it from. If you get it from someone who knows how to evaluate their dogs, who understands that your other pets are just as important as "their" dog, they will be able to find a match for you. 

I have had 2 GSDs, one adult rescue, and one 8 month rescue, with smaller dogs and cats. My girls were/are very sweet and careful. I also helped to shape their behavior and reward more gentle play with the smaller ones. 

Also important are the behaviors of your current pets. How they do with other dogs, larger dogs in general, how the cat is with the dogs now...

I am sure others will comment. 

Good luck!


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

My GSD plays with Min Pins, Pomeranians and English Bulldogs, he also loves puppies. If you get a puppy and raise it with your Italians then it should be fine. Just make sure your puppy is respectful of your little dogs, if he/she gets too rough put him/her in a crate or seperate them.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

My sister has two papillons,,Masi and the male pap, LOVE each other , they are to funny together,,the other pap well, he is rather stuck up and lets Masi 'hang' with him, but doesn't particularly want to interact with her..

Here's a pic of her and the "stuck up" one)









She is surprisingly very gentle with them lets them maul her ,,she is really good with my cats, and one she always hangs with )

She does tend to gravitate towards little dogs like the paps vs wanting to be buddies with larger dogs like herself


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## PawsOfAloha (Apr 29, 2010)

I only have my 90lbs German Shepherd. But his best buddy is a friends Mini Dachshund. A few weeks ago he met a 12 week old Apple Head Chihuahua and it was amazing to see him get at her level and how gentle and loving he was with her, even when she tried biting his lip! My dog isn't a fan of cats or birds though, he sees them as more of a chasing game than a friend. I believe, like someone before me said, it really depends on the dog and how they were socialized as pups.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

I agree that it's just another reason we need to REALLY research and trust our breeder and their dogs. My GSD's also get along fine with my cat and small dogs. But I know many that do not......


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## Jason L (Mar 20, 2009)

I've heard IGs are somewhat fragile ... is that true or just misinformation? I have a 16lbs JRT mix and she rules the house with an iron fist. But like everyone said, it really depends on the dogs. How are they with other dogs with now?


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

IGs are somewhat fragile, its not just their bodies though but part of the problem is their personality lol. They are more cat like and have a tendency to climb and leap off things such as the back of sofas, and that combined with delicate legs can cause fractures.

I used to foster Italian Greyhounds, I never had a problem with my 2 GSDs. In fact Tessa has been great around all sorts of small animals, including rabbits and rats. Logan once killed one of my rats while I was out, he had escaped from his crate and knocked over the quarantine rat cage. I think it was an accident, as the rat was fully intact and not bitten or anything. He probably was trying to play


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

As you know, I have 3 Italian Greyhounds too. Mine are 10, 12 and 14 so they are a bit cranky. They all grew up with my wonderful Doberman, so big dogs are not foreign to them. However a puppy is a whole 'nother animal! 

I won't let the puppy harrass the iggies. She is learning "leave it" - which applies to shoes, rolls of paper towels, and old Italian Greyhounds. 

They hated Carly at first, but the more they have to be around her, the more tolerant they are of her. The oldest iggy will never like her, so I just make the puppy stay away from her. Which has become harder, since the puppy has taught herself how to use the doggy door (leads to a safe and very secure dog yard).

Niles, my 12 year old iggy, has decided he likes to hang out with the puppy, as long as the puppy isn't trying to slap him or chew on him (see photo below of Niles who has stolen Carly's bully stick). 

Little dogs and big dogs - very doable! Just need some supervision and training.


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## lylol (Feb 18, 2009)

I agree with Diane... it can be done! Both my big GSDs love my little Boston Terriers. The older GSD was always respectful of size and was best buddies with the Boston who was 3 yrs younger and now that the GSD is a senior citizen and doesnt hear and see so well I find the older Boston looking out for him... its very sweet. The young GSD can be a bit much as he is just such a live wire... he and the younger Boston play hard and spar hard, so supervision and a bit of calm are called for but all in all they miss each other when apart. Tell your breeder you want a dog that will fit well in a pack scenario... and have a great time.


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## veeds35 (Mar 15, 2010)

Bella gets along with our cats just fine, but when they are outside and if the cat runs she trys to catch them.








Her and our pug Jazmine get along great too, we also have a very old pomerainian, that she doesnt bother because Chloe makes it clear she doesnt want to be bothered. But I havent had any problems with Bella and my smaller animals, besides a couple jealousy issues between her and Jazz, but it wasnt Bella that started those it was Jazz.


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

I did not get my GSD from a breeder, and I got him a -little- late at 13 weeks. 

He gets along GREAT with yorkies, chihuahuas, JRTs, bostons, pomeranians, and more.

He also gets along great with kids and cats for that matter.


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## LARHAGE (Jul 24, 2006)

I have a Chihuahua, a Cairn and a JRT with my Shepherds, they are a great pack, thie Shepherds have been taught when I say ''leave it'' to stop being too rough, more to stop the terriers from getting too amped up, the Chihuahua is off limits to all, he has diplomatic immunity from all the dogs, they know he is off limits, he is just too small, but he curles up literally between the legs of my female Shepherd when he's cold, my dogs are a lot of fun together.


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

I wanted to add that all of my GSDs have been rescue dogs, Logan and Tessa were adopted as adults so I did not have them since puppyhood.


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## mysablegsd (Aug 7, 2009)

Carly is not aggressive but she is just too rough on our 3 Poms.
I would never leave them alone together.


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## kellzey (Apr 12, 2004)

I have 5 pugs and a 2-year old import. The GSD can get a little rough some times, but they also ask for it sometimes... 

They enjoy each other and often play chase in the yard.

The pugs like to groom the shepherd.

Just introduce gradually with the GSD on a leash and pinch collar or e-collar and correct any inappropriate behavior with a firm 'no' or 'nein'


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

in the past i've had a GSD that lived
with chickens, cats, parrot, 2 yr old
human, 4 yr old human and everything was fine.

the dog i have now is friendly with cats, children,
horses, flocks of birds (we're in the woods a lot), dogs (big and small) and adults.

socialize, socialize, socialize. train, train, train.


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## bianca (Mar 28, 2010)

Lin - Your photo's are beautiful :wub:


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## aubie (Dec 22, 2008)

Anna loves little dogs...she has several shihtzu friends!! 

Although at times I don't think she has a clue she's 70lbs (usually while sitting in my lap!) she does know her size. She'll play with a dog appropriately. For her shihtzu friends she's gentle. For my mom's sheltie a little rougher cause he can handle it, and with my sister's corgi it's a little more rough cause Lola is a hardcore corgi who thinks she's a rottie!

But with puppies or anything small she is gentle with them. She'll play with the cats but is easy with them, more likely to lick all over them than do anything. We worked on this by doing the "gentle" command when she took treats, so now if we see something small we just say "gentle" and she's very cautious with them.


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## SammysMomma (Mar 22, 2010)

My Shepherd loves his little Pomeranian sister, but they were raised together and I am sure that would make a difference. But just this last week he brought a kitten to me and has been treating it like his own baby. Sammy does get carried away sometimes in play and is rough but we just have to tell him "easy" and he will be more gentle.


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## GSDluver4lyfe (Nov 15, 2006)

My GSD gets along great with my pom/chi (koko), the cat (we have 2 but one is off limits and all the other animals in the house know it) and my grandma's chi. Although grandma's dog does not enjoy playing with other dogs so Mace (GSD) knows to stay away from him unless he wants his face bit off . 

Koko and Mace are best buds. My concern is with Koko getting too rough never the otherway around. They are seperated when no one is home only because it only takes one accident and Koko could be severely hurt (I have no doubt that Mace would never intentionally hurt him, but accidents do happen). Mace also gets along with our cat, Onyx (although I think Onyx prefers to be categorized into the canine group, lol he has no clue that he's a cat). They can play for hours and onyx loves it. 

I think it depends on your dogs temperament but also what you will allow to happen in your household. If Mace were to hate cats or little dogs thats fine, but you will NOT attack them or chase them in my house. Ignoring them is perfectly acceptable.


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## GSDElsa (Jul 22, 2009)

Definitely depends on the dog, but Elsa is a rescue (got her probably around a year old) and she's actually better with little dogs. She tends to be overbearing and obnoxious with other "big" dogs and doesn't always realize that not every dog wants to be dragged around by their necks.

However, she's always super gentle with little dogs. She'll nudge them and encourage them to run around with her, but she always stops short of body slamming them when they do want to play. In fact, at a puppy play date we go to, she'll regulate some of the other big dogs who are too rough with the little dogs. She gets really p'oed when they make the little ones uncomfortable.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

I agree it really depends on the dog. I have cats and my German Shepherd is great with them. I got her at 4 1/2 years old, her previous owner told me she was raised with cats. She doesn't even try to chase the cats when the cats start playing chase-eachother-through-the-house, which sometimes involves leaping over Bianca if she's laying in the way! When she is playing in the house she is also careful to avoid stepping on them even if they're running under her feet.
She is also very gentle around small dogs. In one obedience class we were in there was a tiny longhaired Chihuahua who was shy and nervous of the other dogs in class (they were all large and young/rambunctious) but she and Bianca got along really well and Bianca was also careful to not step on her or anything. I'm hoping to get a Chinese Crested so I have been paying close attention to how Bianca behaves around small dogs and she is very good.


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