# Socializing a Shepherd.... with a Chihuahua....



## SamLVX (Oct 11, 2015)

So yesterday I adopted a purebred German Shepherd from a friend who was unable to care for her properly, and quite quickly I realised she isn't very good with other dogs. This may be my lack of experience with Shepherds telling me she is being aggressive, though. She is very good with people, but clearly hasn't been around other dogs. 

I need a serious answer here, but I need to get the Shepherd, and my SO's Chihuahua x Foxy (I know), to be friends. They've met through a fly-screen door and barked for a while, tails wagging, but there seems to be a little aggression coming from the Shepherd.. I feel the best thing to do is to just let them go for it, face to face and establish who's dominant, but my main concern is one bite from the Shepherd and the Chihuahua is gone.  

So yeah, I need some advice.. Do I get a muzzle for the Shepherd as a precaution until we know how she is, or just let them go face to face both on leads? I can control the Shepherd quite well, get her to calm down and be a little less agressive and she's definitely aware I am the boss.

I hope I can get some advice on this, it's quite stressful. :/

Cheers, Sam.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Yes I know a large and small dog can be stressful ,a lot can happen,at first until the rules are figured out and set. Does the chihuahua live with the shepherd? Did you ask your friend if the shepherd had any issues with other dogs. If you see aggression in the shepherd I don't think it wise to get them together loose even with a muzzle one pounce on the back can hurt the small dog. Your job is not to allow any aggressive behavior. It will take some time to get your new dog adjusted to her new home. You can try walking the dogs together at a distance putting a muzzle on for safety. Other then that please keep them separated. I would contact a trainer.


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## newlie (Feb 12, 2013)

Some shepherds are good with other dogs, but I know a lot of them aren't. Mine is OK with some dogs, but not others, and there is no way to predict which ones he will have issues with, so I have to be vigilant with all of them. If you search this forum, you won't have to look very hard before you find stories of small dogs being killed by shepherds, even ones that have played together well before. As you say, it doesn't take much for a big powerful dog to kill a little one, one snap of the neck and they are gone.I am not sure what to advise, maybe a trainer for an evaluation? But I would not just throw them together at this point and I would under no circumstances ever leave them alone together unsupervised, even if down the road you think they are friends.


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## wyoung2153 (Feb 28, 2010)

How about leashing both dogs.. having whoever is stronger hold the GSD.. meet outside and go for a walk and see how they do? This way you have control over both of them.. sure you're worried about the GSD but it could be reverse where your Chi wants to nip at the new addition too which could start a scuffle as well.


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## Moriah (May 20, 2014)

Welcome to the forum I have two chihuahuas and a min pin and an almost 2 year old GSD that I've had since he was 9 weeks old. I crate, rotate, and baby gate. I am hoping down the road, in a few years, that I might be able to let them be together (always supervised). They seem to get along alright through the baby gate, but it takes just one foolish moment and one dog could be dead.

They want to play and the small ones seem to be unaware of their sizes. Also, my GSD has a very high prey drive--so if a little dog runs, I do believe at his age--he'll chase.

This situation for me is called Management. Management means it is my responsibility to keep everyone safe by controlling the environment (contact)--and if something goes wrong by accident, it is all my responsibility.

Be aware that you may need to keep the dogs separate forever. Can, and are you willing, do do so? For me, it is a no brainer--YES!!


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

SamLVX said:


> *I feel the best thing to do is to just let them go for it, face to face and establish who's dominant*, but my main concern is one bite from the Shepherd and the Chihuahua is gone.


No, no, no, no, NO!!! You are absolutely right that with the huge difference in size, the Chihuahua is vulnerable to severe injury or even death. It wouldn't even need to be intentional, it could happen completely by accident, and in an instant. 

I would be very, very careful with them, keeping both dogs under complete control for an extended period of time to see how they do. It might not be a bad idea to find a local trainer to work with you, someone who understands dog behavior and can evaluate the situation. 

Also, I would never leave them alone together when you're gone, even if you do eventually get to the point where they seem to get along well and no longer need constant supervision. All it takes is a second for tragedy to occur.


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## SamLVX (Oct 11, 2015)

Do you think getting the GSD spayed would calm her down a little?


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## Moriah (May 20, 2014)

No. There are stories of smaller dogs being killed on this forum just recently. The problem is the size difference. Heartache if there is just ONE unfortunate incident. Both GSD owners were deeply affected by what happened when the smaller dogs died.


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## newlie (Feb 12, 2013)

It doesn't even have to be intentional, shepherds just play so rough and there is such a size difference.

Example: I was playing with my boy with a new toy and he got too wound up and started jumping at me to get it. He didn't intend to hurt me, there wasn't a mark on me, but he came pretty darn close to knocking me down and I weigh a whole lot more than a Chihuahua.


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

Ok first "my" links tons of stuff here so it'll take awhile sorry about that. 

http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...90569-aggression-towards-freindly-dogs-2.html


Plenty of things you should know!

And "leerburgh" gets a lot of flack but if you want to keep out of trouble or things have already gone sideways?? It's a good foundation:

Leerburg | Introducing a New Dog into a Home with Other Dogs

Op has a huge size difference here! There is "zero" margin for error! Your Chi could very well end of dead if you screw this up!

I like to "keep it real" as it were!

Welcome aboard.


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## ksotto333 (Aug 3, 2011)

Everything is happening quickly, you've only had your GSD for a day. You'll see more of her true nature come out as she becomes more secure in your home. It's so hard to tell how she will evolve right now.


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## SamLVX (Oct 11, 2015)

Thankyou all! Gonna have a chat with a local trainer about what we can do. 

We've got the Shepherd at our house now, and our Chihuahua is staying with the SO's parents until the end of the week, as we couldn't travel with the two dogs, with out obvious risks. I'm hoping this doesn't cause any territory issues between the two, and the Chihuahua doesn't feel replaced.

The previous owner said she was OK with big dogs and just barked at little dogs sometimes but nothing bad. I think she was being just a 'tad' optimistic TBH.

Even just the bloody dog next door is a pain, they bark at each other and seem to be aggressive, though again the GSD wags her tail. 

I feel we may have taken a bigger bit than we can chew, but we want to learn with her and smash this challenge. It'll just take time and hard work I guess.


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## newlie (Feb 12, 2013)

With your attitude, I think you will be fine. The biggest part of solving any problem is to recognize that you (might) have one.


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## XindisMom (Jun 14, 2015)

I watched some Caeasar Milan videos about Chis interacting with big dogs. It gave me more insight into both of my dogs behaviors. Yes, the GSD pup played rough. No doubt. But in my research, it was normal for her to want to rough play, the same way she would have with her littermates. 

But...I also realized that my chi (mix, rescue) was taunting the GSD. Little dogs tend to get away with obnoxious behaviors due to the size....no one notices. 

I had to keep both dogs separated through a crate and rotate and leash and rotate system. It was exhausting!! But it's what's needed to keep the chi safe. 

I recall my childhood best friend had a big lab and a chihuahua. One day the chi did his regular behavior of messing with the lab while the lab was eating. The lab made 1 snap at the chihuahua and snapped his neck. The lab wasn't being overly aggressive. It was not an aggressive dog, at all. But the chi kept on messing with him and one day....well, you know the rest.


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## Missmypitbull (Jul 31, 2019)

I had to search this topic after an incident this morning and wanted to share. My German Shepherd puppy 2.5 years old and our Chihuahua 9 years old in front of us in the AM first growled at each other. I laughed because the Chi always did this and mind you. We’ve had the pup since she was 7 weeks old I know. What changed? I had to put down my 12 y.o. Pitbull last week who regulated them both. Well this AM the GS evidently fed up snapped and went for the chi’s neck. I’m half sleep grabbed in the mouth of the shepherd to get the chi out of her mouth and also to feel how much pressure applied. The GS broke my skin and originally daughter checked chi said ok until she did a deep inspection and found a gash in the Chi’s upper neck. I like to think it was my hand in the mouth anyways the pit bull had tasted blood and would kill rats the GSP never. So now I have the GS on the leash I put the GSP in the kennel after the incident. Co workers shared mixed comments about spading, GSP used to playing rough with pitbull and etc. I trust if the GSP attacked the Chi in front of me the story different now I have to retrain the GSP No and it can be done. Pitbull and Chi stayed in kennel together even though every dog has their own. Sorry long post


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## crittersitter (Mar 31, 2011)

Holy crap! DO NOT put those two dogs together without the proper introduction. Do you have crates for them? You need to get them used to each other slowly. The GSD could hurt or kill the smaller dog just due to the size difference not aggression.


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