# Danger of Play between 7.5 lb. dog and 75 lb. dog?



## Wendi (Jul 2, 2012)

You mean like this? Roxxi is playing with my sisters Chihuahua. There hasn't been any incidents, but they don't get to play alone either.

That's on Facebook so I hope you can see it.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

When we were gone a lot, our goldens stayed with a friend that had a jack Russell. Everyone got along fine. The big dogs would get on the ground so the little dog could climb over them. The owner let all 3 dogs run around the back yard having fun all day. I always returned to 2 very tired goldens. Jack Russell's always have tremendous amounts of energy.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Buddy is 95 pounds. Yorkies- Cozy 12 pounds (Yes she is a porky yorkie), Lucy 8 pounds(also a porky yorkie), and Roxy (4.5 pound Spit fire). Buddy tries to play with all of them daily. Cozy is the only one who will humor him regularly and play physically with him. Lucy loves to attempt to attack his feet when he goes Zooming by her outside. Roxy loves to attack his tail and go running after toys with him. Roxy has been knocked over more times than I can count by him but she keeps right on going. The yorkies are pretty fearless of him.


My previous golden was 120 pounds and was a good sport about the yorkies when they were tiny pups running all over him and using him a furry chew toy.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

The number one cause of dog injuries is playing. The problem is, the majority of the time dogs play, they are fine, so you let your guard down. And that's when I juries happen. I think you just have to use common sense and good judgement. You shouldn't make your dogs live in a bubble, but two mismatched sized dogs shouldn't be allowed to get rough with each other, either.


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## Amberbark (Oct 5, 2011)

I am surprised to hear that a wee one can get rolled by a big GR, but I guess that is comforting in a way. We don't allow rough play indoors, even not bitey-face, as a precaution. The play a little sometimes when Piper is up on the bed and Amber is beside the bed. My fear are outside when they are both loose and Amber sees someone walk by or retrieving a ball. She has absolutely zero situational awareness, as is expected, I guess. Piper is very fast and agile and has managed, so far to avoid or jump out of the way. I cannot count on that happening forever. So I think, free play, only with one dog with one adult, at least for now.........:wavey: Vicki.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Amberbark said:


> I am surprised to hear that a wee one can get rolled by a big GR, but I guess that is comforting in a way. We don't allow rough play indoors, even not bitey-face, as a precaution. The play a little sometimes when Piper is up on the bed and Amber is beside the bed. My fear are outside when they are both loose and Amber sees someone walk by or retrieving a ball. She has absolutely zero situational awareness, as is expected, I guess. Piper is very fast and agile and has managed, so far to avoid or jump out of the way. I cannot count on that happening forever. So I think, free play, only with one dog with one adult, at least for now.........:wavey: Vicki.


Roxy has a pretty low center of gravity. She isn't happy when it happens but she gets right back up again. Whenever it has happened to Lucy she will run after Buddy giving him hell- Barking/growling/biting at his heels. It is always by accidents when it happens and is usually not a direct hit. Roxy will run under him and he does not know she is there so his rear foot will get her. If she sees him coming straight at her she will drop to the ground if she can't move quick enough out of the way. Cozy and Lucy will bark at him if he is coming straight at them to tell him to slow down or else!

The Yorkies will only Bitey-Face each other. Buddy is not allowed because it could escalate too easily. He loves to play tug of war with them. Roxy or Cozy always wins.

Buddy knows he is not allowed to zoomie in the house even though the yorkies are.


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## Amberbark (Oct 5, 2011)

MikaTallulah said:


> Roxy has a pretty low center of gravity. She isn't happy when it happens but she gets right back up again. Whenever it has happened to Lucy she will run after Buddy giving him hell- Barking/growling/biting at his heels. It is always by accidents when it happens and is usually not a direct hit. Roxy will run under him and he does not know she is there so his rear foot will get her. If she sees him coming straight at her she will drop to the ground if she can't move quick enough out of the way. Cozy and Lucy will bark at him if he is coming straight at them to tell him to slow down or else!
> 
> The Yorkies will only Bitey-Face each other. Buddy is not allowed because it could escalate too easily. He loves to play tug of war with them. Roxy or Cozy always wins.
> 
> Buddy knows he is not allowed to zoomie in the house even though the yorkies are.


Thank you for the good info. Maybe I am being overly cautious. I thought that a direct hit might be a disaster. I will settle down some! My mom had Yorkies and I loved them, especially her Kelly. Kelly had one litter of pups with only one surviving, Sebastian. He was my mom's heart dog. :wavey: Vicki


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Amberbark said:


> Thank you for the good info. Maybe I am being overly cautious. I thought that a direct hit might be a disaster. I will settle down some! My mom had Yorkies and I loved them, especially her Kelly. Kelly had one litter of pups with only one surviving, Sebastian. He was my mom's heart dog. :wavey: Vicki


Yorkies are pretty sturdy little dogs overall. I also know they have no orthopedics issues either. Mine also where raised by a Golden so they are fearless with bigger dogs.

What works for 1 person's dogs may not work for someone else. I remember your little one was scared of Amber for the longest time.


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## aussieladee (Nov 19, 2012)

Dogs are pretty good at getting out of the way, when my Chewbacca was younger he weighed 32kgs/70lbs & played nicely with the dog next door who was a small terrier mix. Although my dog was very quick & boisterous he seemed to be very aware that the playmate was tiny in comparison & gentled down in play. They always played outdoors whenever the terrier snuck out of his house & came under my fence but I never let them play alone because of size difference & the fact that my boy is an entire male so hormones could play a part in behaviour even though I have never seen him aggressive to another dog unless another dog started it & he went into protection mode.


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