Alright, I can understand the "lack of brains" from others on this issue. They just have NO idea. Don't they know the "little ones" rule the roost? I had a 4 pound Pom and he bossed the rott, and the rott backed down. In fact if Viper did something and Herky, the pom, wanted to show him, he grab his lip, Viper would stand and Herky would hang from his lip, Viper would just look at us for help. (our rott weighed in at about 200 pounds!) Of Course they can defend us! They are much bigger than they look!