We took our time introducing them. In the beginning no bones, toys or food was left on the floor. After they got used to each other I started with a water bowl. Gradually, after staying over at the house and lots of walks together I could tell their relationship had grown. They were playful and napped together. So I put Coco on a leash for safety reasons and allowed each of them to chew on their rawhide bones in peace. In a couple of days they were okay with chewing on bones around and near each other. Now they can chew on their favorite bones in either one's house and the Chihuahua even takes bones out of Coco's mouth!
I thought by training Coco to greet dogs the way she greets people she would understand that was how I wanted her to approach dogs. This has worked really well. It is a slow process. The pace I take with her is based on how at ease she is as she is getting used to having dogs in her house and sleeping on her bed or chewing her bones and at how relaxed her posture is and her attention is when she is visiting one of her friends in their house.
We watched a Lhasa Apso a couple of months ago and we went through the same process and by the second or third day they were completely relaxed, playful and napping together. The Lhasa was also a female. There were no problems.
Coco has similar relationships with several other dogs including a Lhasa Apso that lives next door, a Newfoundland and a Cane Corso Mastiff. This video captures the gentleness she demonstrates when she plays with the Chihuahua. When she plays with the big dogs they run with all the speed they can and jump in the air and body slam each other!
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