Adding an addition to the family

Question
Hi, I was wondering if you had any idea of a good breed that would get along well with our Chihuahua. She will be one year old in April and is really sweet and friendly. We want another dog (diff. breed), but I don't want to make a mistake of adding a terrible match to the family. For example: she's been around our cousins boxer, and it was a nightmare! We had a mini schnauzer that she would follow around the house and sleep with(but has now passed), she gets along great w/ my sister's border collie, and she has lots of fun playing with our cat! I basically just want to know of any suggestions. I would like to get a bigger dog than a chi, but I don't want to get one that might be dangerous to her as far as size and temperament! She is a little over 5 lbs.

Answer
Hi Abbey!

This is really a good and difficult question.  I've long heard that Chis love other Chis and that's truly been my experience.  I run a couple of Chihuahua groups on Yahoo and over the years I've been profoundly saddened by some members reporting serious injuries to their Chis inflicted by their larger dogs.  I recall at least two deaths.  

I think that you first have to take into consideration the nature of dogs.  No matter what breed you decide on, dogs tend to be "pack animals" and they will compete for dominance in their pack. You've heard about an "alpha" dog in the family, right?  I sure wouldn't want to be in a situation where I had two dogs trying to be "alpha" and one was only 5 lbs. and the other was 20-30 lbs. and their breed "traits" were in direct conflict.

I don't feel comfortable suggesting a certain breed.  I feel more comfortable asking you to research the breeds that you have in mind and looking for traits that suggest a good and safe match for your little Chi. I would look for traits that are similar to that of the Chihuahua.  

Often times it's difficult to tell how dogs will get along at your house (your dog's territory) when they're meeting & interacting on neutral territory.  For instance, the Border Collie might actually start herding the Chihuahua and displaying dominance over time at your house.  That's a breed "trait" for Border Collies.

Have you ever considered foster homing to see how things will work out?  You have to keep in mind that you must consider who you foster for (a reputable group) and make sure that the dogs are medically sound.  You might also consider joining a Yahoo group for Chihuahuas and seeing what other breeds some of the members have and ask questions about how they get along.  Be sure to take into account things like how long they've had both dogs, what sex they are and if they were raised together as pups.

I hope this helps some and gives you ideas on how to pursue this further!

Jo Ann