Chinchillas and dogs.

[LingLing]

My lone male Ling Ling seems to enjoy antagonizing my German Shepherd through the cage. Now, I don't know chin body language too well, but he does his very best to get the dogs' attention, and then runs and jumps all over the cage after he gets the dog to follow him, and stops every few seconds to make sure the dog with still right there. It looks like he's having fun, the dog, of course, wants to eat him but I think Ling is oblivious. He seems to have a ball every time he gets the dog to follow him - if the dog stops he'll get to his level and stare at him chirping until he springs up and follows him back and forth again.

I'm just wondering if it's a usual thing for them to do, I've always thought it was pretty odd, most small animals don't enjoy a loud big animal following them around. He also tries to get my small dog to chase him when he's loose with her, but she knows better and doesn't. He also tried to get my squirrel to come visit with him every time it was in the house.. being a grumpy squirrel though, he didn't want anything to do with another animal.

The other chinchillas don't like the dog, they just go in their hut if he goes to sniff at them. They've lived with other chinchillas their whole lives though, and Ling hasn't ever been around other animals before I adopted him last year.

 

[AZChins]

Chins love to antagonize dogs. Mine do it all the time, the dogs don't even go near the chins anymore. (Which is a GREAT thing! those little chihuahuas used to get into the hay, now they won't go in there and make a mess...)

Some chins do take it to an extreme with taunting the dogs. I don't know why they do it, you would think they'd hide from something larger than themselves...something that could eat them.

 

[Prophet of Frida]

Frida does the same thing to our dog, who is incredibly patient about it. She's even taken to running up to him and bumping against him when she's out, like she's tagging him. That's when he sighs dramatically and leaves the room.

 

[Chinmama]

ZZ completely ignores the dogs, but Marble has a fit and starts kacking at them if she thinks they are too close to her cage. She thinks she's the boss of the house. (and she's probably right...)

 

[e.murphy518]

I actually have been wondering this as well because my roommate has a 5 month old beagle/min pin mix and she LOVES the chins. She kept trying to lick them through the cage so I put up a pet gate around the cage so that they wouldn't be stressed out. Recently though I have walked into the room and Bubba will be jumping all around his cage following Ava and if she gets distracted he just stares and chirps at her! I am wondering if it would be a good or bad idea to remove the pet gate so that she can go right up to the cage? I don't want to freak any of them out though

 

[Stackie]

I have one that does something similar but in an aggressive manner. My dog got too close to the cage one evening and my chin bit my dog's ear. It was a tiny cut but it bled for days. Now the chins have a pet gate blocking off their room.

 

[Cuddlebug]

You said the dog is part min pin. Did you know that min pins are bred to hunt mice and rats. It is ingrained in them and they will kill any rodent. This is why I do not allow mine around the chins. If a chin is out, the dog is put up, no ifs ands or buts. I have seen my dog kill a rat in a heartbeat. It was snap, flip, dead rat. That quick. Keep the dog away for the chins. It is better safe than sorry.

 

[FutureUntold]

You said the dog is part min pin. Did you know that min pins are bred to hunt mice and rats. It is ingrained in them and they will kill any rodent. This is why I do not allow mine around the chins. If a chin is out, the dog is put up, no ifs ands or buts. I have seen my dog kill a rat in a heartbeat. It was snap, flip, dead rat. That quick. Keep the dog away for the chins. It is better safe than sorry.

yup my chocolate min pin Hennessy has snapped at Chancho twice. he is always put away. But boy can he hunt, he brought me a dead mousse from outdoors, i turn the corner and hes sittign there looking at me like, hey dad i did good. I did praise him for it since i do want him to kill mice that enter the home. My other dog Blackie is a Japanese Chin and did great, chancho would walk up to him smell him then walk away, Blackie the dog would follow him slowly, not chasing and smell him, and a couple times tried mounting Chancho haha.

 

[Jenn]

My chin and chihuahua actually love running up and down the length of the playpen together - on opposite sides of course! I think my chihuahua is amazed there is someone smaller than she is, and maybe my chin thinks she is another chin! They have a great bond. My doberman doesn't even glance her way, and she isn't bothered by him, nor taunts him either. I guess it all depends on the personality of the chin. Your chin sounds like he has quite the fun personality!!!

 

[Riven]

The chin is antagonizing the dog, I would not allow the dog near the chin, while it seems fun and safe, all it takes is one time of that cage door not getting fully latched and the chin is gone because that dogs is just waiting for that opportunity.

 

[3CsMommy]

Nope, don't let him near the cage. Chins are fragile, and bite like crazy if they want to. Virtual "chase" through the baby gate is more than sufficient for both of their sakes.