Evening!
This afternoon I brought home a 6mo puppy (mini poodle) as a foster pup, with the view to keep permanently if he and my resident dog (13mo standard poodle) get on.
Never had any issues with IcePup before, other than being super excited with dogs and wanting to play. I've pup sat for friends, most recently a whippet, and they played well together a it was obvious play rather than anything else (with the odd bit of air humping which was curtailed, because hello hormones)
Tonight, once the heat died down a bit, they got to sniffing and trying to play.... well at least IcePup did, MiniPup growled when he had enough of being nosed and sniffed, and IcePup took notice which was good
I appreciate it was daunting to be new people/new house/nee dog etc.. so I'm not expecting miracles immediately.
I had zero qualms tonight until DP mentioned the possibility of a rough paw + spine could be a break, hefty vet bill, or PTS.
I know people who have multiple dogs of differing sizes... with no issues.. including IcePup's breeder!
However, he has been play biting around the neck (very much play and light, not hard at all), and when MiniPup lay down or walked past, there have been IcePup's paws on his back/head, some lighter than others, none hard enough or with the intention to hurt. One relatively amusing one where I said sit, IcePup did immediately, and MiniPup didn't, earning a paw just above his tail, almost in a "this is what we do"
How realistic is the risk that IcePup could seriously injure MiniPup?
Have I been a complete idiot?
Would it have been more realistic to have a mini and then introduced a standard?