I do understand this one. Tatum's favorite playmates are my uncle's big dogs. They are so good with her but Tatum just doesn't understand how small she is. A couple times we've gone to Dallas to visit my sister, she's told us we could bring Tatum with us. Well, they have three dogs - two small to medium size mixed breeds and one gigantic Great Dane. Well, as much as SHE trusts that big horse, I just can't take the chance that he will not hurt Tatum. Some people with bigger dogs just don't understand the danger of putting a tiny dog with a huge one. Even in the act of playing, that big dog can do serious damage without meaning to.
Recently we were at the vet waiting for our appt. for shots and a huge Boxer came in. He looked really friendly but those dogs are usually just a bundle of muscle and energy and hard to restrain if they see something they want. The receptionist immediately took us to an empty room even though I was holding Tatum in my arms. She said you just can never be too careful around large dogs when you have a little baby like Tatum. I was very impressed with her quick judgement.
Another story I may have told before.... when my toy poodle was a puppy (over 15 years ago), I lived next to my grandparents who had several large dogs. Dax (my poodle) was like a little surrogate son to them - they all watched out for him and took care of him. Well, one day my dad and husband were deer hunting on our property and my dad killed a deer. While they were cleaning it, he gave the German Shepherd a piece of it (gross!) and Dax, being the big tough 5 lb. animal he thought he was, went and took it away from Sam (the shepherd). And no, I was not outside at the time to see what the "men" had thought was a good idea! This went back and forth a few times and Sam put up with the little pipsqueak for a while but then finally gave Dax a nip that said "No, I'm the big daddy. It's mine!". Well Sam's tooth went in Dax's head and just managed to sever the eye veins (whatever it's called behind the eye) and long story short (if it's not too late!), Dax ended up with a prosthetic eye for the rest of his 15 years. Scared the hell out of me, needless to say. Sam ended up with buckshot in his butt from my grandpa and he was such a sad, depressed dog for weeks. He knew what he did was wrong and I know he was genuinely sorry for what he did. Months later when Dax got lost out in the woods during a rare ice storm, Sam was the one that went out and found him and herded him back home hours after we started searching for him. I like to think he was trying to make up for past mistakes.
Sorry this is so long but just had to point out the dangers that are always there - EVEN with dogs that you know and trust. You just have to stick to your better instincts and know what's best for your baby. Personally I probably wouldn't let my Yorkie play with a St. Bernard but then I feel that may be a little overprotective. Hard one to decide!
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~ Angie |