# Can and Chi and a Lab live together?



## Lab Lover (Oct 12, 2008)

My wife and I have a 4 year old black lab named Jake. We both love Jake very much. My wife and I have often discussed getting another dog. We both have agreed that a Chihuahua would be a great addition. We never pursued the second dog; but yesterday, a friend approached us with their pick of the breed, a female, produced from her male Chihuahua. 

My wife and I both like the female, 8 week old Chihuahua. We are considering keeping her, but we need to know if the fixed male lab and the chi can co-exist. My wife, lab and I (no kids) have achieved a nice balance. After training the no addition, will we be able to find that balance again? Will the 2 dogs be happy together? There is no doubt that we will be happy, if the dogs get along, play together, and live in harmony.

Thanks in advance for any advice!


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## ShamBam (Oct 7, 2008)

Hi  I just wanted to say that I believe any dogs can live together if they're introduced and socialized correctly. I don't think you'll have a problem! I have an english mastiff and I'm getting my Chi in a few months. My guy is big, but he's the most gentle dog ever, and I know they're going to get along great (he adores little dogs too).

Good luck!


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## KayC (May 3, 2005)

Hello and Welcome to chi ppl. My American Staffordshire (Max) and Zoey get along great. I never leave them unattended tough. I'm afraid Zoey might hurt Max ;-).


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## cocopuff (Mar 27, 2004)

Hello! We have a 13 year old lab/cross and 3 chi's. After their initial intro they have been fast friends. Spot has always been a gentle dog and has always accepted whatever we have brought home.

Here are Cotton and Spot sharing the water dish...


















and here is Spot telling Cotton a story...


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## freedomchis (Jul 28, 2007)

i would agree with what everyone else says a lot of members here have big dogs with their chis 
we are planning on either getting a bullmastiff or a great dane next year 

PS cocopuff can you please post more piccies of those beautiful dogs i would love to see more they look soooooooooooo cute the narrating was great too


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## CHI'S AND ME (May 7, 2006)

I have 5 chis and 2 labs, we all get along great. My choco lab is out of the game right now, he had acl surgery, and he misses them desperatly. The smallest chi is 3 lbs, the labs are 92 lbs.
All is good.


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## Yoshismom (Jul 6, 2005)

How is your Labs prey drive? Does he seem to do well with other smaller animals? These are things to consider. I would say if he/she gets along with other dogs and smaller animals than everything should be fine, just introduce slowly and only allow them around each other supervised as labs can be very high energy and may accidentally hurt a Chi;-)

With that being said...I have a Great Dane, Weimaraner, Sheltie and 2 Chis


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## cocopuff (Mar 27, 2004)

Yoshismom said:


> How is your Labs prey drive?


I know what you mean. Spot was used to catching rabbits and mice. So when we first introduced CoCo to Spot many years ago she started to drool. We had to make sure that she knew that CoCo (and now Cotton and Tinker) were her friends not a snack.


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## BABY BABS (Feb 5, 2008)

I have a labmix a shepherdmix and a chi. They cohabitat together just fine. The other members have certainly mentioned some great things to think about and I would add to think about whether you are the pack leader or the lab is. If things are going well now, you probably are the pack leader and therefore adding a new member is your decision and your lab will accept that with little or no questions. Good Luck and enjoy your new family member.


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## catalat (Apr 21, 2008)

My boyfriends parents 2 goldens and lab get along great with Chloe... and my boyfriend just got a german short hair pointer and the two are best of friends.

You just have to moniter them a lot.. as the bigger dogs can be innocently trying to play and hurt a chi very easily.


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## jesshan (Sep 15, 2005)

I used to have a Rottweiler with the Chihuahuas – guess who was boss. All I would say is never leave them alone together and as long as you are sensible at feeding time, there is no reason at all why they wouldn’t get along together.

A larger dog, like previously stated, can innocently injure a Chihuahua easily – just be vigilant.

I wouldn’t however take one at 8 weeks old, I would ask to take one at no earlier than 12 weeks (which if you are in the UK, is what all of the breed clubs recommend). Because of taking one this age, you are more likely to know its full adult weight. (12 weeks, double the weight and that gives you the rough adult weight.) If you explain this to your friend surely she would keep the dog just that month more.


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## 1chi4me (Jul 28, 2008)

Most definitely! Abbey and her big boy brother, Hunter are perfect together.


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## Chiforus (Oct 14, 2008)

I have a houseful of dogs. I'm not at all concerned about the labs w/ the chi. They will be more than excited to have a new member to the family. They absolutely love the small members of our family. I will be more cautious of my alpha terrier. Big dogs are much easier introducing a little dog into the family than small dogs are.


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## lovemychi4ever (Oct 15, 2008)

I have to say, that my CHI and my sherard mix were best friends. I just lost my sherpard mix last week and my little chi is so lost. He used to lay by him all the time and Lucky would clean his face and ears. so yes, they can live to gether and get along just fine.


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## JS122685 (Oct 16, 2008)

*Yes!*

I have a 10 month old chi and just got am Am Staff Terrier (yes a pit-bull) and they are already best buds. We introduced them and with in the first hour they were running around playing. When we got Bina the amstaff she was smaller then ginger (chi) and Ginger would mess her up lol playing of course. Now Bina is bigger and Ginger is still the one beating on her. But when ever it gets a little to quite I go and check on them and every time they are cuddled up TOGETHER sleeping on the couch. If anything getting a bigger dog was better for ginger and gave her better socialization skills.


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## JS122685 (Oct 16, 2008)

*Yes*

I have a 10 month old chi and just got am Am Staff Terrier (yes a pit-bull) and they are already best buds. We introduced them and with in the first hour they were running around playing. When we got Bina the amstaff she was smaller then ginger (chi) and Ginger would mess her up lol playing of course. Now Bina is bigger and Ginger is still the one beating on her. But when ever it gets a little to quite I go and check on them and every time they are cuddled up TOGETHER sleeping on the couch. If anything getting a bigger dog was better for ginger and gave her better socialization skills.


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## Strangerous (Oct 15, 2008)

I've had good experiences with a lab and pomeranians, but the lab was fixed, old, and was abused. (rescue)

Now, my aunt has a long haired Chihuahua named "Chachi Gizmo". Chachi, the long haired Dashound (named Luda), and a Weimaraner<sp> (named Duke) were all playing in the back yard.

My aunt thinks what truly had happened was that Duke was standing in an ant bed and began to get bitten on his hind legs. Duke, looks back and sees Chachi standing close to him, thinks Chachi was hurting him, and went on the attack. Keep in mind that these dogs have been with each other for years and there has never been any kind of aggressiveness between the two. After Chachi was able to get away, Duke, without being scolded besides being yelled at to stop, went into the deepest mode of depression that I've heard of any animal going into. Days after the incident, Duke was found a new home with a Captain with the Greenville County Sheriff's Office here in SC.

The following is a picture of what the end result was. Multiple punctures and loss of left eye. Chachi still has bright spirits, and is still a little cutie pie. Even if he doesn't have his left eye anymore.


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## randiik (Jul 7, 2008)

I went to look at a american bulldog yesterday and i took joey with me.
OMG! joey was absolutly horrible to that dog.. all the dog wanted to do was lick and smell joey but my baby chi turned into a snarling, biting, and barking this high pitched bark that made everyones ears hurt! joey had never acted that way toward anyone or any other animal. 

needless to say.. i didnt get the dog.. joey really let me know that no way was he letting that dog in the house!

he acted really strange the rest of the night too.. very needy and he would cower whenever i would talk to him..

he is better today but i dont understand why he acted that way. i am going to get another dog ( bigger) and i am not sure now if i should not look at dogs full grown but puppies. 
he might accept a puppy


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## BABY BABS (Feb 5, 2008)

Suzi is actually a lab mix, but it looks like their getting along just fine. I think you have to have matching sweatshirts. lol


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## Dixie's mom (Jan 3, 2007)

We have a lab and when dix is out and she wants to play with Harley , he don't want nothing to do with her , or he just does his own thing ! So i think they can coexist ! See pic above


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## majic (May 9, 2008)

I have a chi and two greyhounds, and they get along really well (although I never leave them unsupervised together).

Check out my chi and greyhound video in this thread http://www.chihuahua-people.com/showthread.php?t=33838


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## Dixie's mom (Jan 3, 2007)

that is so funny , the grey doesn't want to be bothered and here the chi is licking away , trying to get him / her to get up !


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## iluvmychi's (Oct 23, 2008)

I have a 7 yr old lab,Toby
and he gets along wonderful with the chi's.
he is their body guard,he watches over them when they are outside.
he doesnt get much peace tho,when they are doing zooooom doggie around the house..i swear there are times i have seen him roll his eyes


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## furriefriend (Jul 25, 2008)

I agree with whta others have said. We have an 18mth old gsd and 6mth old chi/pom. It has been hard work only because of his size not his temperment (the gsd.) Baby gates have been agod send and also little ones crate as the weeks have gone by they are becoming good friends and play together. I will always have to supervise as Whispa weighs 40kg (90lbs ish) bt yes I would happily have another pom or chi with him. Sounds like if you have the time and inclination you will have great fun times ahead.


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