Move over big dog 'cause the little dog's movin' in

March 25, 2017 8:18 PM

Great Dane vs. Hyper Dachshund Puppy [vet waiting room noises]
posted by Johnny Wallflower (29 comments total)

😍 Dachshund! 😍
posted by slater at 9:12 PM on March 25, 2017 [4 favorites]

Awww super tolerant big dog!
posted by gorbichov at 9:14 PM on March 25, 2017 [6 favorites]

This is all adorable, but isn't it an easy way to spread illness??? Am I a jerk (I would agree with yes)
posted by armacy at 10:01 PM on March 25, 2017 [1 favorite]

This is all adorable, but isn't it an easy way to spread illness??? Am I a jerk (I would agree with yes)

The whole concept of communal waiting rooms for sick pets and also sick people always gives me the jibblies.
posted by Space Coyote at 10:05 PM on March 25, 2017

That Great Dane had exactly the same body language as my husband when little kids decide they want to hang out with him.
posted by lollusc at 10:06 PM on March 25, 2017 [3 favorites]

More evidence that supports my theory that every dog thinks they are as big as the dog they are looking at.
posted by dazed_one at 10:36 PM on March 25, 2017 [30 favorites]

We had a dachshund when I was a wee lad. I always heard it pronounced "Dox'-un" growing up and I think I was about 16 before I realized that "dachshund" was the spelling of the name. I guess I always thought "dachshund" was some German breed I'd never seen...cause that word sure wasn't "Dox'-un!"

Git along little (and big) doggies; good stuff.
posted by CrowGoat at 11:09 PM on March 25, 2017

This is super cute and sweet but people that let their dogs meet other dogs on leash, especially in that setting, drive me crazy. Obviously neither of them mind, but on leash dog meeting is so iffy. 99% of the time my great dane is great with other dogs but you never know and the time you definitely don't want to chance it is with a stranger's tiny tiny puppy.
posted by Marinara at 11:23 PM on March 25, 2017 [7 favorites]

Incredibly trusting humans. I dunno maybe I am just uptight but I would have been so nervous.
posted by bleep at 2:07 AM on March 26, 2017 [2 favorites]

Came for the cute doxie/dane interaction; stayed for the nervous pugs in the background who REALLY want to play too, but damn it, just can't get up the nerve to join in... classic pugs.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 3:37 AM on March 26, 2017 [17 favorites]

I am choosing to ignore my concerns about this not being the very best environment for dogs to meet and play this way, and just freaking love this video so much. When the great dane rolled over I just squealed with joy.
posted by obfuscation at 4:03 AM on March 26, 2017 [2 favorites]

"[vet waiting room noises]"???????
posted by jonathanhughes at 5:14 AM on March 26, 2017 [1 favorite]

Aw, so cute! I love Great Danes (especially blue merle ones!) and am tolerant of Dachshunds, but puppy Dachshunds are definitely super adorable.

I'm trusting the parents know their pups and from a quick glance in the comments, the pet parent says that their Dane was indeed a gentle giant so they knew he'd be good with the puppy, and if he didn't want to play, he would have moved away from the pup instead of showing interest in and engaging with the other dog. Most dogs are generally a little more tolerant of puppies anyway, since y'know, puppies.

I didn't see anything to be worried about in their play behavior, and the Dane rolling over was definitely a sign of "I'mma let this cute pupsqueak think he's won!" playful submission. Honestly, it was perfect play behavior even up to the moment the Dane stood and was like "okay, time to take a break!", and I'm happy the puppy got a chance to experience it with such a big dog (especially since Dachshunds, while cute, are also generally some of the more, ah, neurotic when it comes to other dogs, at least in my experience working with dogs).

Also these dogs could be at the vet to get a booster on their shots and may not necessarily be sick. I know that doesn't necessarily stop the "ick" factor of being in a communal area at a doctor's office, but it is why I assume the pet parents didn't mind them playing together. Another quick glance at the comments confirms this, as the Dane was there to get his nails trimmed and the puppy was there for a check-up.

(Sadness spoiler alert: per the yt comments by the pet parent, the Dane aka "Shadow" passed away months ago.)
posted by paisley sheep at 5:22 AM on March 26, 2017 [5 favorites]

> "[vet waiting room noises]"???????

I had a cat snoozing on my lap, so I appreciated the warning to turn down the sound before loading the video!
posted by Westringia F. at 5:32 AM on March 26, 2017 [1 favorite]

I also noticed the puppy rolling over on its back a couple times early on, which showed that it also was basically respectful of elders.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:30 AM on March 26, 2017 [2 favorites]

The one move the dachshund kept doing, the jumping up to jab it's muzzle at the dane's muzzle, is a common puppy behavior with some interesting origins. In its original form it was "Hey big parental-type canine! You're back from hunting! Do you have any partially digested meat for us little ones who are too small to leave the den?" After this prompting, the adult canine would yak up a bit of yak (or deer or elk or whatever the pack had hunted) for the juveniles to chow down on.

Hope this doesn't spoil for anyone the nuzzles and face licks the family dog gives when you've been gone from the house for a while. Just because that's the origin of it, it doesn't mean that your pupper isn't saying "I love you and missed you" in that moment too.
posted by radwolf76 at 7:03 AM on March 26, 2017 [3 favorites]

Love is a bellyful of partially digested meat.
posted by I-Write-Essays at 7:14 AM on March 26, 2017 [11 favorites]

Having made many vet visits with our five hounds of late, I will say that even in an environment where there are lots of dog owners who you think would be more cautious, the peer pressure is there to "let dogs be dogs," on or off-leash, whether you think it's a good idea or a bad idea. There seems to be little thought about the high anxiety level (by definition) of dogs placed in such a situation being compelled to "meet" or "say hello" to other equally anxious dogs. I'm no dog expert other than having lived with dogs most of my adult life, and of course I love watching these sorts of videos, but the idea that this is always or even mostly an okay thing to do (especially for the sake of getting a cute YouTube or Facebook video) seems fraught with potential problems. The vet's office isn't a dog park.
posted by blucevalo at 9:54 AM on March 26, 2017 [2 favorites]

The video seemed to indicate the humans in the room had already been conversing a bit, so I would expect they had already established a comfort level regarding doggy interaction. This is usually the norm at my own vet- people with iffy/temperamental dogs keep them separated or otherwise make it clear that interaction is not a good idea right then.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 9:55 AM on March 26, 2017 [1 favorite]

I came to bitch about feeling bad for the Great Dane but it does seem like the owners were all okay with it. Nonetheless, as the owner of a rescue Great Dane, I hate it when people at the dog park think "ha ha your dog is so big and mine is so small isn't it funny that mine keeps jumping and nipping at your dog's [extremely sensitive] ears?" She's an 11-year-old Dane and at this point I would do anything to protect her for even minor annoyances, so it's turned me into a real downer about puppies and their people.

I'm also a recent volunteer at the humane society and they are hyper vigilant about never letting strange dogs interact in any circumstances because it only takes one bad encounter to set a dog up for fearfulness or aggression that can be hard to shake. Vet's offices are super stressful for a lot of dogs so it's always surprising to me when other dog owners are so lackadaisical about keeping their dogs close and distracted from the other pups in the waiting room.

But okay yes, I made high pitches noises and forced my girlfriend to watch when the doxie and the Dane were both laying down in ultimate cuteness. 5/5 stars would coo at again.
posted by the thorn bushes have roses at 11:03 AM on March 26, 2017

The whole concept of communal waiting rooms for sick pets and also sick people always gives me the jibblies.

I know! Every time I go to the doctor I just stand outside and smoke.
posted by sexyrobot at 11:08 AM on March 26, 2017 [3 favorites]

I love Danes so much! Every one I have ever met has been sweet and patient and just a cuddle-butt.

I miss my old neighbors, who had a lovely Harlequin named Brutus. Brutus was an escape artist, and used to come over to my house when he got out. He'd press his nose to the living room screen and wuffle. I would invite him in, and let him out to my back yard to play with my Hounds.

Brutus' Dad was always mortified and apologetic. I never minded his visits, he was a well mannered fella who adored my Pibble to distraction and raced the Boxer mix with joyful abandon. Watching them together was better than TV!
posted by MissySedai at 11:16 AM on March 26, 2017 [4 favorites]

My boyfriend just called me a "puppy nerd" for watching this (he's one too). I will gladly take that title.
posted by darksong at 11:34 AM on March 26, 2017 [1 favorite]

Hey, I'm pretty sure that's my vet's office! Plainfield Veterinary Hospital!
posted by Made of Star Stuff at 8:04 PM on March 26, 2017 [3 favorites]

I used to work with a guy who rescued Great Danes. He bought dog food by the pallet; it wasn't unusual to see his truck in the back lot loaded with food. He said that for the most part, they're just giant babies, but they will make sure that their smaller humans are well protected. And that they're very good dogs, butnyou knew that already.
posted by azpenguin at 8:34 PM on March 26, 2017 [1 favorite]

I don't think it's quite enough for a new post, so I'm gonna put this here:

"Just saw a dog eating rain out of a car window..." (twitter video, no sound)
posted by moonmilk at 8:41 PM on March 26, 2017 [3 favorites]

Some days I am the Dachshund.
Some days I am the Great Dane.
Often I am the Pugs.
posted by not_on_display at 9:55 PM on March 26, 2017 [4 favorites]

Reason Nos. 0-999 why I will never have a Dachshund ...
posted by oheso at 4:17 AM on March 27, 2017

The whole concept of communal waiting rooms for sick pets and also sick people always gives me the jibblies.

Whenever I've had to take my pup in to get checked out for something possibly contagious, the clinic asked ahead of time to leave the dog in the car and only bring her in once they're ready to see her. No mingling allowed
posted by cnelson at 7:56 AM on March 27, 2017