Yorkies and Large Dogs?
 

Hi all! I'm new, and I've been reading posts for some time and I love how friendly and helpful everyone is, so I decided to join. After doing a lot of research and thinking carefully about the decision, I have decided to get a yorkie. However, I have one major concern that is holding me back...

I currently own a Doberman. He is a very sweet dog, and shows no aggression whatsoever...but he does not always realize just how large he is. Now, I would NEVER leave him unattended with the Yorkie, but I wonder if they'd ever be able to interact safely under any circumstances.

So I was wondering if any of you have an odd couple like this, and how it has worked out for you. Thanks!

No help from me, I'm afraid - because I'm afraid! A friend had a Jack Russel and a lab that were buddies, but the JR was a terror and finally, after 5-6 years, the lab just picked him up and threw him (he deserved it!) but it killed the JR. So sad, but it just happens. I just can't bear letting my yorky around big dogs unless I'm right there, and she is usually on a lead.

He has been trained and is very obedient, but he tends to (like most large dogs) play a bit too rough. I would ALWAYS supervise their play-time, but I wonder if it would stress out the Yorkie to be around such a large dog...

In addition to Teddy I have 2-100 plus pound Labs
and they all get along fantastically. You just need
to look out for the little ones because sometimes
they don't realize how small they are.

Hi, Its a very good question to ask. I would take your Doberman to play with a small pup first. You want to make sure they get along well. We have Princess our Yorkie, Poncho our Chihuahua, and Mandy our Rottweiler. They are all best friends. Big & Small can get along. but you need to make sure they do before ever leaving them alone. I do have a lot of friends with Big & Small, and have had no problems. But I also heard stories about some that didn't get along.
I treat all ours the same, they all live inside, get lots of One on One. And if Mandy wants up on my lap, well that's where she goes. (my poor legs!!! LOL)
Again, I would take him to see a small pup, and if he's game, I'd say go for it. :D

i have a large dog and she gets along great with my yorkies. :)

We have our yorkie, and our Choc. lab mix Rusty. They are best friends! :D

LOL, I feel your pain...I have a lap dog trapped in a Dobie's body. It was probably not the best idea to let him sleep curled up on my chest as a puppy...It's more painful than it is cute these days. Thanks for the suggestion, I will definitely get him more used to being around small dogs before making a final decision.

We have 2 yorkies, a shih tzu and a chocolate lab and they all get along great. I totally trust her. They are the best of friends. I'm also always close by to make sure things don't get too rough.

We have 2 yorkies, and three HUMONGOUS dogs (mixed breeds, rescued). They all get along great. But, at first, just be careful to see how they do. I would put them together gradually and very supervised. :p

I have a Yorkie and a hundred pound clumsy Weimaraner, in my situation they get along great, but from early on my Weimaraner showed no interest in wanting to play with the Yorkie, it's as if she's just too small for him to have any fun with. She also learned to stay out of the big dog's way so she didn't get stepped on. They do cuddle up and sleep together so I know they love each other :p

Hello and Welcome. Theres a lot of small and large dogs that get a long great with each other. But Like you said they have to be watched while playing.

A perfect harmony

I have a yorkie, lab and pit . They all live together in harmony. I belive the pit thinks of the pup as her own the lab just jumps up on the bed when he doesne want to be involvedin their horseplay . So i would say with careful monitoring dog of any size can live in harmony.

Your GSD is breathtaking! Of course so is your other baby in the pic!

Katie and Me

You got great advice about trying a test run. We have 2 Labs and a Great Dane that get along just fine with the yorks, but it is an individual dog thing. As a breeder I have a return policy that allows you to return your yorkie for a full refund if the adjustments don't go well with other dogs already in the home.

I have two GSDs and a Bulldog, My Yorkie is the youngest. I dont think the big dogs look at Katie as part of their pack. They think of her more as a cat! But they are all friendly together, in fact she steals food and toys from them all the time and the big dogs just look at me like " Did you see that!?" But I never let them run outside together (we have an acre). I know the bigger dogs chase instincs could overwelm them and Katie could end up killed. At very least trampled! But in the house she knows how to stay out from under their feet very very well. I think you would all get along great! Everyone needs a little diva dog to dress up and take shopping in stores, big dogs just cant fit that bill!!!!

Katie and Me

Here is a picture of Regee and Aimee. Regee belongs to the man who is owned by Aimee's mom. Aimee loved her and would sleep next to her and on her all the time. I think it depends on the individual dogs. These guys get along great and Regee thought Aimee was hers. Good luck.

Wow!...What beautiful dogs you have! They are both gorgeous! :)


Francie

I think it really depends on the dogs personality. But i would still supervise them . I wouldn't let them alone together when going to work.

Before my divorce in September, my husband and I had a 65 lb black Lab named Tilda in addition to our 3 lb Yorkie, Gracie. Tilda and Gracie were the best of friends. Tillie never once was anything less than perfectly gentle with Gracie. Gracie, on the other hand, had no idea she wasn't as big as Tilda! I have video of her biting Tilda's tail and swinging side to side!

My brother in law has two German Shephards, 125 lbs each, and they are sweet as pie to Gracie too.

I think it just depends on how well the dog has been raised!

I am also new to YT. I have an Australian Shepherd and I am getting my Yorkie tomorrow. I have exposed my Aussie to small dogs and he seems to do just great with them. Wants to play but has forgotten about his "larger" paws though. I will definitely keep them supervised. But I am glad to see that others have had the same concern and there have been wonderful success stories.

Happy to hear
 

Just sent you a message. I have 2 males left, and am waiting on a phone call from someone wanting both. Wanted each to have their own families, but maybe not in the cards. Kirk 620-664-3099. Baby Girl is going to ansas city Friday, her new owners son is coming down to Hutchinson from Chicago and taking him back to his mother in KC. I still have Tiny, but will be hanging on to him for at least 12 weeks since he is 9 weeks and about 1.7 pounds. They are all AKC and 8 out of our last 9 were found here on YT. @ went to Wichita Falls, 2 to Washington State, 2 to Colorado, 1 to mcPherson , one to Wichita, and 1 to a friend local. Figured I would let you know. Good luck with your new addition. ....justus

There are pros and cons to this story. We had a mini schnauzer female that killed one of the cutest yorkie males we've ever had. they got along fine for months then one day just out of the blue they was chewing oin same bone and the mini picked him up and dropped him killing him. So please do be careful.

I have a yellow lab (Maddie) and then of course my yorkie (Sadie). They get along great. I did and do have to watch that Maddie doesn't get too rough with Sadie. She forgets how much her paws weigh. But I have to watch out for Maddie too because Sadie chews on Maddie's ears, tail, feet, and hind legs. Last night Maddie had a ball and Sadie wanted it, so she was running behind Maddie biting her back legs. She was just waiting for Maddie to drop the ball so she could run and pick it up.

They are really fun to watch. But I do watch them carefully.

Big vs. Little
 

The test is really sound advice. Simon and Delilah get along great, but he's learned to be very swift and out of the way, but oocassionally still gets stepped on - by myself as well lol.

I feed mine separately because he has to wiggle in a bit harder to get at the chowline, but our little babies are very adaptive to their much larger family members.

Hope it all works out!

Jeni

We have a German Shepherd and a Cocker Spaniel and then my baby(a Yorkie- Diesel). The Cocker wants no part of Diesel and he knows that so he doesn't bother him. The German Shepherd and Diesel are like long lost brothers. They play tug of war and play fight all the time. Diesel has no idea just how little he is! We do have to watch the two of them close tho. The Shepherd is only 16 months old and still a pup so he tends to get rough before he realizes it. All in all they get along really well.

I wanted to add that when it comes to food and his bones the Sheperd is more than willing to share both with Diesel. What is so funny is that the Shepherd will NOT share with the Cocker. I think a lot just depends on the dog. Good luck hope things work out for you.

I actually wrote in a few weeks ago about the same thing. I have a female 5lb yorkie (Lilly) and I was planning on adopting my mom's perfect little angel of a golden. My mom and I had it set up so that I could have a trial period. and if it didn't work out, she would take the golden back. Our family loves this dog so much, but my parents are traveling a lot....so they want Bailey (the golden) to have a permanent home. So anyways, I picked her up on Halloween. I was so worried, and listened to everyone's great advice on YT. So I watch them closely and they do everything together now. They are inseperable. I am getting a camera next week and I will post a pic of my babies. Seriously, they crack me up. Lilly pounces on Bailey and bites her ankles. She even takes toys and bones out of her mouth. (Lilly is learning how to share). But only once out of this whole time has Bailey growled at Lilly for taking her bone. And I am monitoring them the whole time, but I think it is a good thing that she is growlling at Lilly. Lilly needs to learn that she can't take other doggie's toys and bones while they are in the middle of chewing on them. They will become instant best friends. You will see. Good luck!