When it comes to big dogs, it can seem that the don’t realize their own size sometimes. It doesn’t matter if you are playing with them or if they are playing with another dog, it can be too easy for them to get a bit too rough and hurt someone.

If you have a larger dog and you are worried about introducing a smaller dog to them, there are some easy steps that you can take to ensure that your big dog becomes considerate of smaller dogs. Here are a few steps that you can take to help your bigger dog be more considerate of smaller ones:


1. Keep both dogs closely monitored whenever they are together – When you first introduce your bigger dog to a smaller dog, you want to make sure that you do not leave them unattended at all. This means that you or someone else needs to be there at all times. By monitoring both of them together for a while, you will see just how much work you will need to do to get your bigger dog to realize that the other dog is smaller and more fragile.

2. Let your large dog know when they are being too rough – As you are watching the two dogs together, if you notice that your larger dog is getting too worked up or too rough with the other dog, you want to immediately stop the play and tell your big dog “no”. Do this in a firm voice but don’t be mean. Tell your larger dog “no” and “be nice” and use the same command whenever you need to. Once your larger dog is calmed down a bit, you can let them go back to playing together. Just make sure that you are keeping an eye on them and stopping any rough play.

3. Separate them if they cannot play nice – If you notice that the two just will not play nice together, separate them for a period of time. This means that they need to be completely apart, not just across the room. Put one outside and leave one in, or have the other dog go home if they live somewhere else. Tell your larger dog that they were being too rough and that they were not being nice which is why play time is over. You can try another play time later on after both dogs have had some time apart.

4. Praise your big dog when they do right – When you notice your larger dog being nice to the smaller dog, praise him or her. Let them know that they are being good and give both dogs a treat. Reinforce to your larger dog that they are a good dog for playing nice.

5. Keep the smaller dog calm at first – When you are first getting the two dogs together, make sure that you keep the smaller dog calm and don’t allow them to play too rough. Keep in mind that if the smaller dog gets too rough, the larger dog will follow suit. By keeping play time calm, both dogs will learn their boundaries and be able to play together well.

Simply follow these easy steps and you will easily show your bigger dog how to be considerate around smaller dogs.