Should Miloh Be Allowed to Hang Out With Siberian Husky Puppy? - Page 2 - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Ringo1 · 07-18-2010, 10:40 AM

Has anyone heard of predatory drift? I read an article on this and it really scared me. I have Ringo - my 16 lb Westie and Lucy - my 4 lb Yorkie.

Basically this article said that anytime dogs are playing that have a 10-15 lb difference or more, that the larger dog can to into predator mode. Even with dogs that have lived together for years . . . something triggers the larger dog to see it's smaller companion as 'prey'. It happens in a second and can be over in a second.

Just watch the dogs together and make sure everything is ok. It's always the little dog that loses when things go wrong.

e_gar · 07-18-2010, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ringo1

Has anyone heard of predatory drift? I read an article on this and it really scared me. I have Ringo - my 16 lb Westie and Lucy - my 4 lb Yorkie.

Basically this article said that anytime dogs are playing that have a 10-15 lb difference or more, that the larger dog can to into predator mode. Even with dogs that have lived together for years . . . something triggers the larger dog to see it's smaller companion as 'prey'. It happens in a second and can be over in a second.

Just watch the dogs together and make sure everything is ok. It's always the little dog that loses when things go wrong.

Thanks for bringing up an interesting point! Both dogs will be supervised at all times, no matter what. If play gets rough than both will be kept away from each other until the Husky learns proper manners. I am praying and hoping all goes well, it would really help Miloh as he fears big dogs.

YorkieMother · 07-18-2010, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ladymom

I personally wouldn't want to use my little dog as the guinea pig in a training lesson. Let the Husky learn bite inhibition somewhere else!

I have faith in a pup that is 7 weeks old in the first place the size will not kill or hurt my yorkie.
I would also make sure that the owner was done his or her job in picking a dog that is of good temperament and I know my stuff which I do when it comes to dog body language then I AM NOT using my dog as any guinea pig. If I had a any concern at all with any dog I put or think of putting together it does not happen or if it does it is done with multiply back ups and safety in place. Like long lines and muzzles.
You want to know why small dogs are afraid of big dogs and big dogs hurt small dogs it cause we are not letting them learn to co habitat with each other and we do not take he time to monitor and manage them when they are. We just lock them apart and hope that they will not have dog on dog aggression with each other as they have never seen or inter acted.

When we have a litter we always stick our little soical skills dogs in with our pups so they see little ones and are taught to play nice and we are right there safe guarding that everyone is ok and nothing goes wrong.

When we are at dogs shows our big dogs are not going around hunting the little ones as they know they are dogs and not food or a squeak toy. Well ok except the one that looks like a cat cause our one girl missed out on cat class and likes chasing cats.... why we social skills our pups to cats when we can too.

Call socialization and we need to do more of it so all our dogs live well and are ok in the world.

When you quote me please do so in full so my comments are in context please.

JL

YorkieMother · 07-18-2010, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ringo1

Has anyone heard of predatory drift? I read an article on this and it really scared me. I have Ringo - my 16 lb Westie and Lucy - my 4 lb Yorkie.

Basically this article said that anytime dogs are playing that have a 10-15 lb difference or more, that the larger dog can to into predator mode. Even with dogs that have lived together for years . . . something triggers the larger dog to see it's smaller companion as 'prey'. It happens in a second and can be over in a second.

Just watch the dogs together and make sure everything is ok. It's always the little dog that loses when things go wrong.

Yes you do have to be careful and that is why we do not let our big 90 pounder gilr and little 10 pounder dogs hang alone.....that said.

One little social skills dog grow up with our big girl and our big girl never hurt our little one ever they are true sisters. They have spent hours with each other hanging out and are upset when not with each other. So much so I trust the big girl with my yorkie now when I leave the room... most time the girls follow.

my little one is a itch and she will stand her grow and back off any and all comers. She is still very gentle with all our babies and teaches them quick to mind their feet and not to run over her but by all means you can follow me anywhere as long as it is at a nice distance. She shows them the best places to pee.

Where we have to watch is the 90 pounder with the 40 pounder and them getting into it too rough. But the 40 pounder kows to either duck into the igloo or come to me if she needs a break and our 90 pounder knows off now and does it. Called training.

JL

Chatugian · 07-18-2010, 05:12 PM

There's an excellent article on "bite inhibition" on this site... changed my perception of letting Dante mouth me. (And BTW when he was trying to get a bite of a "big boy treat" I held for another dog, he punctured my thumb... and let me know that when he'd previously "chewed" on my fingers, he WAS inhibiting his bite).

I agree with YorkieMama... supervised play between the pups is fine. Right now I'm in the 8th day of dog-sitting my son's American Mastiff pup, who at 18 weeks is near 50 pounds. My 16 week old Biewer Yorkie is 3 1/2 pounds. Yes, I scoop Dante up a lot if Dozer (the mastiff) gets rambunctious. And if Dozer tries to "pounce", I grab his face and tell him "NO!" in a loud voice.

I won't lie - it's tiring to be so eternally vigilant! And the mastiff spends a lot more time in his crate than he would if I didn't have Dante, because when I can't focus on them (fixing dinner, for example), I have to crate him. But the two dogs will spend a lot of time around each other over the next 15 years (I hope!), so we want them socialized - to each other, and to all kinds of other dogs they may meet.

Sorry for the rant.

Ringo1 · 07-18-2010, 06:14 PM

I'm not saying big dogs and little dogs shouldn't play.

The whole 'predator drift' thing scared me because the whole article was about dogs that had gotten along all their lives and suddenly, for no reason, the big dog attacked the little one. Maybe it was because the little one was wriggling around and a light bulb went off in the larger dogs head - like hey! that looks like a rat! And I'm supposed to kill rats!

No one really knows why this can happen with dogs that have lived together peacefully for years. There was no conclusion in the article about why. I wish I could find it.

It scared me because there is a ten lb size difference in my two dogs.

I don't mean to scare anyone else! But something we all should be aware of ~ it had nothing to do with training. Just a fluke.

YorkieMother · 07-18-2010, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ringo1

I'm not saying big dogs and little dogs shouldn't play.

The whole 'predator drift' thing scared me because the whole article was about dogs that had gotten along all their lives and suddenly, for no reason, the big dog attacked the little one. Maybe it was because the little one was wriggling around and a light bulb went off in the larger dogs head - like hey! that looks like a rat! And I'm supposed to kill rats!

No one really knows why this can happen with dogs that have lived together peacefully for years. There was no conclusion in the article about why. I wish I could find it.

It scared me because there is a ten lb size difference in my two dogs.

I don't mean to scare anyone else! But something we all should be aware of ~ it had nothing to do with training. Just a fluke.

Scared makes us think and be safe.

We run a 87 pound difference and a 80 pound difference and a 70 pound difference and a 30 pound difference and yes we have anywhere from 3 to five dogs here and pups depending on our shows and litters.

I have one dog that I watch like a hawk as he sometimes forgets himself but I never let anyone out alone at play. I with them and if I am not with them only big go with big and little with little. Except the sister that are one bog and one small.

I'd like to see the dogs that attacked the others I am thinking that other things where going on medically or that they may only have been co existing and not liking each other.

JL

Amoureux · 07-18-2010, 10:40 PM

I agree with you that dogs should be able to play and get along with any size dog. That is as you say you KNOW what you are doing in training them to respect each other, but how many people actually knows what the danger signs are and then to often it is the smaller dog that pays the price.

paris pancake · 07-19-2010, 09:19 AM

I have a huskie, bichon and we just got our Yorkie puppy this year. We introduced them with me holding her and then after a few days with them on a leash ( I know Milan would say not to introduce two dogs on a leash ) then we made sure to take walks together everyday so they understood they were a pack. After two week we let them play with supervision at all times, now they are inseparable. Just like children if they get playing and it gets carried away (yes the yorkie starts most of it) I step in, but they have seemed to figure it out. Always supervise and praise for good play. Huskie's do have a prey drive but they need to learn that dogs no matter the size are not prey!

YorkieMother · 07-19-2010, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amoureux

I agree with you that dogs should be able to play and get along with any size dog. That is as you say you KNOW what you are doing in training them to respect each other, but how many people actually knows what the danger signs are and then to often it is the smaller dog that pays the price.

Wise person wanting to put their dogs together would maybe educate themselves by looking into Brenda Aloff's book on dog language or maybe Turid's book called On talking terms with Dogs. Then turn down the sound on Caesar's TV show and watch all the dog language that he misses to practice until one felt comfortable with what one is seeing. Then put it into practice with safe dogs and then add in the bigger ones.

JL

daniellealberta · 07-21-2010, 10:39 AM

Spike and I have been going to the off leash park since he was five months old. There, we encounter dogs of all shapes and sizes. My theory, right from the start, was that Spike is ALWAYS going to be the smallest dog, so he might as well get used to it. He needed to learn how to behave around big dogs as much as they needed to learn how to behave around him. I decided that when we met other dogs, I would stand with my feet apart so he could have a place to "hide" if he needed to, but that I wouldn't intervene by picking him up unless I thought he was in danger.

In three years, the only problem we've had is that he got stepped on once by a bigger dog who was looking to play. He wasn't injured. I have never had to pick him up. He's met numerous Huskies, Pit Bulls, Great Danes, St. Bernards, Mastiffs, Rottweilers, and he's learned how to behave.

If you're not comfortable, then just supervise them when they're together. But they need to work it out for themselves. They need to determine who is the "pack leader". It might be your dog, even if he is smaller!

OhRomeo · 07-23-2010, 12:48 PM

My 9-month old puppy played with a month old siberian husky/alaskan malamute this week and it was perfectly fine. I think it depends how trained the other dog is. My friend also has a smaller dog that the husky/malamute is used to playing with so Sparticus (the husky/malamute) was able to be gentle with Romeo because he was used to being with small dogs.

Make sure the other husky is well trained and gentle, it should be fine then.

07-18-2010, 10:40 AM	#16
Ringo1 Ringo (1) and Lucy too! Donating Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: On the Edge of Glory Posts: 3,447	Has anyone heard of predatory drift? I read an article on this and it really scared me. I have Ringo - my 16 lb Westie and Lucy - my 4 lb Yorkie. Basically this article said that anytime dogs are playing that have a 10-15 lb difference or more, that the larger dog can to into predator mode. Even with dogs that have lived together for years . . . something triggers the larger dog to see it's smaller companion as 'prey'. It happens in a second and can be over in a second. Just watch the dogs together and make sure everything is ok. It's always the little dog that loses when things go wrong. __________________ Mommy to Lucy, Ringo, and Matthew

07-18-2010, 06:14 PM	#21
Ringo1 Ringo (1) and Lucy too! Donating Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: On the Edge of Glory Posts: 3,447	I'm not saying big dogs and little dogs shouldn't play. The whole 'predator drift' thing scared me because the whole article was about dogs that had gotten along all their lives and suddenly, for no reason, the big dog attacked the little one. Maybe it was because the little one was wriggling around and a light bulb went off in the larger dogs head - like hey! that looks like a rat! And I'm supposed to kill rats! No one really knows why this can happen with dogs that have lived together peacefully for years. There was no conclusion in the article about why. I wish I could find it. It scared me because there is a ten lb size difference in my two dogs. I don't mean to scare anyone else! But something we all should be aware of ~ it had nothing to do with training. Just a fluke. __________________ Mommy to Lucy, Ringo, and Matthew

07-21-2010, 10:39 AM	#26
daniellealberta Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Alberta Posts: 186	Spike and I have been going to the off leash park since he was five months old. There, we encounter dogs of all shapes and sizes. My theory, right from the start, was that Spike is ALWAYS going to be the smallest dog, so he might as well get used to it. He needed to learn how to behave around big dogs as much as they needed to learn how to behave around him. I decided that when we met other dogs, I would stand with my feet apart so he could have a place to "hide" if he needed to, but that I wouldn't intervene by picking him up unless I thought he was in danger. In three years, the only problem we've had is that he got stepped on once by a bigger dog who was looking to play. He wasn't injured. I have never had to pick him up. He's met numerous Huskies, Pit Bulls, Great Danes, St. Bernards, Mastiffs, Rottweilers, and he's learned how to behave. If you're not comfortable, then just supervise them when they're together. But they need to work it out for themselves. They need to determine who is the "pack leader". It might be your dog, even if he is smaller! __________________ Lose weight with the ViSalus 90 Day Challenge! http://danielleburns.myvi.net

07-18-2010, 05:12 PM	#20
Chatugian Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Hiawassee, GA Posts: 47	There's an excellent article on "bite inhibition" on this site... changed my perception of letting Dante mouth me. (And BTW when he was trying to get a bite of a "big boy treat" I held for another dog, he punctured my thumb... and let me know that when he'd previously "chewed" on my fingers, he WAS inhibiting his bite). I agree with YorkieMama... supervised play between the pups is fine. Right now I'm in the 8th day of dog-sitting my son's American Mastiff pup, who at 18 weeks is near 50 pounds. My 16 week old Biewer Yorkie is 3 1/2 pounds. Yes, I scoop Dante up a lot if Dozer (the mastiff) gets rambunctious. And if Dozer tries to "pounce", I grab his face and tell him "NO!" in a loud voice. I won't lie - it's tiring to be so eternally vigilant! And the mastiff spends a lot more time in his crate than he would if I didn't have Dante, because when I can't focus on them (fixing dinner, for example), I have to crate him. But the two dogs will spend a lot of time around each other over the next 15 years (I hope!), so we want them socialized - to each other, and to all kinds of other dogs they may meet. Sorry for the rant.

07-18-2010, 10:40 PM	#23
Amoureux Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South Africa Posts: 77	I agree with you that dogs should be able to play and get along with any size dog. That is as you say you KNOW what you are doing in training them to respect each other, but how many people actually knows what the danger signs are and then to often it is the smaller dog that pays the price.

07-19-2010, 09:19 AM	#24
paris pancake Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Michigan Posts: 58	I have a huskie, bichon and we just got our Yorkie puppy this year. We introduced them with me holding her and then after a few days with them on a leash ( I know Milan would say not to introduce two dogs on a leash ) then we made sure to take walks together everyday so they understood they were a pack. After two week we let them play with supervision at all times, now they are inseparable. Just like children if they get playing and it gets carried away (yes the yorkie starts most of it) I step in, but they have seemed to figure it out. Always supervise and praise for good play. Huskie's do have a prey drive but they need to learn that dogs no matter the size are not prey!

07-23-2010, 12:48 PM	#27
OhRomeo Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: United States Posts: 22	My 9-month old puppy played with a month old siberian husky/alaskan malamute this week and it was perfectly fine. I think it depends how trained the other dog is. My friend also has a smaller dog that the husky/malamute is used to playing with so Sparticus (the husky/malamute) was able to be gentle with Romeo because he was used to being with small dogs. Make sure the other husky is well trained and gentle, it should be fine then.