Hi. My boyfriend wants to get a large dog. I have two Shiba Inus, so I'm just wondering which large dog breeds would do best with small dogs. I know that their interactions would need to be supervised and the large dog will have to be trained. I just want to eliminate any breeds that have a higher tendency of aggression with other dogs.
Here are the breeds he is interested in:
German Shepherd Dog
Siberian Husky
Boxer
Great Dane
Doberman Pinscher
Belgian Malinois
Dogue de Bordeux
Rottweiler
Bullmastiff
Irish Wolfhound
Weimaraner
Rhodesian Ridgeback
Bluetick Coonhound
I know that is kind of a disparate group, but these are the breeds he says he likes. I personally like the GSD or Siberian Husky based on appearance. Of course I would have to do more research to see what breed would fit best with us as far as personality. I just want to narrow it down a bit before I start doing in depth research on the breeds.
So does anyone own any of these breeds? If so, how do you think they will do with smaller dogs? I have also read that females are sometimes more intolerant of another female being in the same home. Has anyone had this experience? I have one of each (I do not breed though) and they have been around other dogs of both sexes without issue, but I'm sure it will be different actually living together.
Any advice would be great. Thanks!
I have owned GSDs...though not with small smaller dogs, some would some wouldn't have control enough to play nicely if pushed by the small dog.
Boxer mixes not the same as purebreds..but were fine...Danes with other smaller dogs were big gentle sweeties. Did have a friend who lost a small small yorky in a trample with her Danes....totally accidental though and Shibas aren't that fragile.
The Dobes, French Mastiffs, Wiemies and Blueticks all had high prey drives and were REAL focussed on small dogs. The Dobes I grew up with would have killed small dogs without constant supervision.
Okay, so some keys with big and small combos that I have found are.....The
little dogs instigating (a real real possibility with Shibas) a bigger, powerful dog into doing something it oughtn't. I had a westie male and a growing male bullmastiff that created a problem that did resolve with training....chiefly the westie was older and thought he would always be the one to boss around the others. The bully had enough one day and told him so. The bully had a great deal of self control and the westie lived to learn not to push it. They lived into old age together.
I have known, not owned, bordeoux and neo mastiffs that killed pushy smaller housemates apparently out of nothing and nowhere. The owner was fairly dog savy but DID allow them all free roam of the house when not supervised. Came home to a very unpleasant situation. Crating is our friend.
Another thought is having the big dog think of the smaller as a prey item and not a housemate. Some large dogs with high prey drives can very easily kill another. I have seen this with GSDS, Huskys and Bordeoux...though NOT my dogs and I don't know how much work went into them. I did have a bullmastiff bitch with a very high prey drive that nearly attacked a small dog that visited frequently but she had never met just outside in a field...and any cat, known or not if it was outside she wanted it.. which is why she had a drop on a dime recall. Most of the dogs on the list can have high prey drives though it is an individual thing. I know of someone rehoming their Rhodie because it's prey drive is a huge issue. My Rhodie is very self controled and only would go for something after it had permission. He is a total tolerant sweety with the little dogs and the only issue is if he were to lay on someone.
Introducing a puppy large breed to a household with the shibas will be very different than an adult to adult introduction. I personally would look for a very laid back male of whatever breed to go with Shibas.
My personal experience with female to female relations is that if they get along...great unless something happens. If they fight they hold onto that dislike for a very long time and it is hard for them to make up and get along. Especially if you have two females that are pushy and really similar in personality....it can be a life long tension or it can be one getting constantly bullied by the other. Males, especially neutered, tend to fight and get over it. If they are both intact....different story.
As for introducing a second dog....I would always say go with the opposite sex. With you with one of each unless your male is a real pushy boy I would go with another male before I would try another female. Most of the time a group of dogs has the 'dominant' dog (I know some don't like that word, but it works here) be a female. I have never had a group at home that wasn't led by a bitch.
Plus since you already have a pair you are gonna throw your two into confusion when the new introduction hits maturity...so you might end up with the Shibas fighting amongst themselves. So you aren't really looking at right away getting along....but wait til everyone is three years old or so and then you can be more sure.
Lifespans...if this is an issue....
The Mastiffs, the Wolfhound, the Dobie and the Dane would all be lucky to hit double digits. Some will depend on lines, but you won't get teens out of most of them. Six is old for a Dane or Wolfhound.
One last consideration may be your homeowners insurance. I know some companies will not insure for some breeds. Last I checked State
Farm was more tolerant. Nationwide had a dozen or so breeds on it's bite list and that included GSDs, Dobes, Rotties...from your list.