I need BIG advice...Please respond!

Her name is Tina, she is unusually very gentle for her breed, she has lived the last few years with my Aunts GSD, so she is not afraid of GSD's. I know she is a very fineky eater (delt with that when I had to care for them both), she has always slept in the bed with Grandmother, so I'm not sure how that's going to work out, I'm thinking of buying her a small bed and a new crate, all for her with new toys and a blanket.

Elle as big as she is is frightened of Chi-chi's, she runs and cries from my neighbor's chi-chi(s), but I think it's just because that he and she is just MEAN, and has bitten and pulled Elle's tail before. Emma just thinks they are cats, and just barks, never shown really any kind of big aggression toward them, but then again they are not in her yard or in her home, so...I'm not sure how that will go down...Elle has had my Moms terrior mix here and did great, except for she thought she was a pup, and kept trying to carry her off and was trying to do what we think was nurse her.

I agree with the previous 2 posts. I would add, though, that when you introduce her to your 2 big dogs, first, do it one at a time, and ON LEASH! If you can, have someone else hold one of the dogs, and you hold the other. If you can't get help, then make sure one dog is tied securely to something that they can't break free/lunge away from, and hold the other dog on leash. I would do this for a while - if one dog is loose, even if you're holding the other one, there could still be a fight.

I'm sorry about your Grandma - I am in my 30's and went through something similar w/my Grampa last year, and it was hard. I can't imagine trying to do that when I was 17. You're a good granddaughter.

Good luck, Hon!

Hi Jennifer,

I'm really sorry to hear about your grandmother. I have a friend who just went through something similar and it has been heartbreaking for her on many levels. You have my sympathy.

I foster a lot of Chihuahuas and, in my experience, some do just fine with big dogs (always supervised of course) and others do not. Two big factors that make a difference are the attitude of the Chi and the physical size/condition of the Chi.

A lot of Chihuahuas are very fragile and some have an opening in the skull on the tops of their heads. A lot of Chihuahuas are also terrified of larger dogs and will provoke altercations without meaning to by being snippy and snarly. That said, some are quite tough and get along great with their big buddies.

When I foster a Chi who I feel is either too physically frail to risk being stepped on or has an attitude that will get her/him in trouble, I keep them separated and on a different rotation from my large dogs until they are placed. I just don't think it's worth the risk and being with the big dogs is very stressful for them in any case.

My suggestion would be to have a vet look over your new pup and check for an open molera. If the dog has one and/or is under 5lbs, I'd strongly reconsider your decision to keep her. Similarly, if she seems terribly stressed by the big dogs, it just may not be meant to be. I know you're here in KY also and I work closely with Chihuahua Rescue USA (CRU) all the time and they are a good group. If you need help placing her in a home that's a better match, please let me know and I'm sure I can put you in touch with people who can help.

Now... if she's bigger than 5lbs, doesn't have a hole in her skull, and seems like she will get used to big dogs, then I definitely think big dogs and small dogs can work just fine as long as you supervise everyone and make sure they are never left unattended (never - even if everything seems great; something about them being so tiny, things can go wrong quickly). I'm not familiar with your two bigger dogs. Are they very rambunctious? How do they feel about other dogs snarling at them? Most little dogs will tell the big ones when they don't appreciate something. As long as the big dog doesn't retaliate, that can work out fine. A lot of the information on introducing cats to large dogs will be useful here. I realize it can add to some behavioral issues, but I'd recommend introducing them with you sitting on the sofa or chair with the Chi on your lap. That way she is higher up and you can sheild her with your body if you need to. Being on the ground and having large dogs hulking over them can be very intimidating for little dogs and create a defensive response where they might otherwise be okay. Watch the little one, if she starts getting stressed, tell your Shepherds to "leave it" or "easy" or whatever seems most appropriate to what they are doing. Allow the Chi a chance to feel comfortable with their presence when she's not getting poked by long pointy GSD noses.

Good luck! Let me know if I can help.