Our Tatum is SO alpha!
 

My husband was a bit embarrased by "his" dog's behavior last night. A friend of his was at the house and they were out in his big paint shop (a bit of a distance from the house). His friend had brought his pit bull, Abby, with him. Well, Abby and Stormie (our Aust. Shepherd - this is who I am referring to as "his dog") always get along very well BUT I do not trust Abby to be around Tatum. Abby is a big quivering baby in most circumstances BUT I don't think I have to explain myself here regarding how careful we have to be with our Yorkies around any large possibly agressive dogs, right? So, I was inside and Tatum was whining at the door to go out so since Abby was in the shop with her dad, I let Tatum out and was "standing guard" while she pooped. While I was waiting, I saw Abby slinking closer to the yard. I had my eye on her the whole time and put myself between where Tatum was squatting and her. Well, Abby then started to run into the yard and Tatum, thinking the monster that she is, goes charging at her and barking her fool head off. I'm telling Abby "no" and hollering at Tatum. Well, Abby drops to the ground wanting to play just as her dad hollers at her to "come". All was fine and I told her dad that she wasn't being bad, it was just that Tatum wanted to eat her up. Then a little later after they had left, my husband comes back to the house fussing how Stormie is so very, very submissive to Abby and always rolls over when Abby comes near but little Tatum is a blood-thirsty little bi*ch when she's guarding "her house". I told him that it's because Tatum was here first and is the true alpha. Stormie eggs Tatum on all the time running from her and going real slow so Tatum can keep up but then she'll roll over when Tatum gets right on her. I think it just eats him up that "his dog" is so submissive. He understands the alpha thing but I think he's just embarassed that his Stormie is so submissive. I think it's funny! Anyone else have bigger dogs around their Yorkies that are submissive to the little ones?

Zippy tries to be alpha, but the other dogs just end up ignoring him:grin2:

Penny is the alpha here, and she let's my son's pitbull know it. The poor big guy trys to hide from her.

ALL of my dogs are submissive to the littlest one.... (Sunshine, all 4.8 lbs of her) I am a teddy bear artist and I also make dogs sometimes (out of mohair). Anyway, this lady came over and brought her dog with her that she wanted me to make a dog that looked like him. The dog was a HUGE australian shepherd mix. He has to be waist high to me. I answered the door holding Sunshine in my arms and decided to walk outside rather than bring the other dog in because all of mine were barking like crazy. I thought nothing of cRRYING sUNSHINE OUT WITH ME. wELL, LET ME TELL YOU, IT WAS ALL i COULD DO TO HANG ON TO sUNSHINE SHE WAS BARKING HER HEAD OFF AT THIS DOG (oops) and her legs were going a mile a minute trying to get to him. I ended up on the ground trying to hold on to her and laughing my head off. Her husband was in the car laughing so hard. I mean his head was bigger than TWO of Sunshine and this dog was backing up so fast and pulling his owner on the leash trying to get away from her. poor thing lol
Sonya

Yep, I figured there were others out there with our same situation. I just feel bad for hubby because his big dog is so submissive to the "baby". It's just so funny to watch Stormie tease Tatum and run from her with something (like the ball) that Tatum wants. She runs so slow so that Tatum can keep up but then gives up the prize as soon as Tatum catches her. They're great sisters! I guess someone has to be the alpha - it's just funny when it's the much smaller one. ;)