To the OP: Try visiting the "brothers and sisters" section of this forum and reading some of the threads, then private message some of the owners. They should be willing to offer advice or share their experiences.
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Originally Posted by lpham  @ Ladymom: When I asked if I would have to keep them separated, I really wasn't asking for an opinion. Copying and pasting a sentence out of context and saying it mandates an opinion makes it look like that but my next sentence in my original post was gratitude for any advice that would be meaningful to my situation. What you had to say only made me feel like there was no hope for having my dogs coexist peacefully...which was why I said kicking one dog out was not an option for me because you said it was an unrealistic expectation. |
Come now, this is too much protest. You asked:
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Originally Posted by lpham My GSD doesn't know his size and he will try to but his mouth over her head and will bite and snap if he gets too excited. Will I always have to keep them apart? I want them to become good friends without anyone getting hurt. Thanks in advance for any advice. |
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Originally Posted by lpham It really is true that large breed dogs get more criticism than a small dog. I've had so many situations when walking my GSD and people back away from him in fear because he is such a large puppy and people have asked me if he bites based on breed stereotypes. We struggled to find an apartment because of the GSD because it is a restricted breed at so many apartments. I blame it on ignorance and poor handling on the owner's part. |
Winston Churchill advised keeping an open mind, but not so open that our brains fall out. If you were given the choice of being attacked by Vern Troyer or Mike Tyson, which would you choose? Having personal experience being bitten by many dogs, from GSDs to Shihtzus, I'll go up against the Shihtzu any day.
I agree all dogs of all sizes need training and should be well-behaved, well-socialized. However, even dog-passionate experts like Cesar Millan will tell you that some breeds pose a greater risk to causing greater injury than others.
Apartment owners and management aren't discriminating against certain breeds out of ignorance. They are advised by insurance actuaries who carefully study real statistics. Some people will argue that statistics are skewed by inaccurate reporting. I refer you to my first paragraph.
You cannot be offended by people being afraid of your GSD. My family had a gorgeous 80+ pound Airedale and it's another breed that the average person doesn't run up to and swoon over and beg to pet. Airedales are playful clowns, but they were also bred to be aggressive working dogs. If you are going to properly train a dog, you have to respect the breed and its capabilities.
I'll leave you with one more personal experience: I used to dogsit my neighbor's GSD, who has passed on. This male was highly trained, very mellow, and he had grown up with a toy dog. One day, he was on the porch, off leash, when a woman walked her toy poodle past the house. The GSD shot out to the street and grabbed the poodle in his mouth and shook it until the GSD's owner managed to tear them apart. Luckily, the poodle survived. Things happen. The only solution is unwavering vigilance and taking precautions.