Do dogs know that little dogs are dogs and not rats, mice or cats?

This question might sound stupid. But the other day a small dog somehow got into our yard, my dog (who loves other dogs) was chasing her up and down our yard. I think she was just playing and whenever my dog sees something run, she goes for it. But usually with dogs, she just plays.





Woulds he have known this small dog was really a dog.Do dogs know that little dogs are dogs and not rats, mice or cats?
Yes... he would have been able to smell the dog and realise it was a dog even if it did look like a rat... but the thrill of chasing it would have been to much for him... we had a English Bull Terrier that used to activly hunt small rat dogs... it took all of my strength one day to stop him killing one... because he just couldnt help him self... the dog was fine apart from some shock....Do dogs know that little dogs are dogs and not rats, mice or cats?
I have large dogs and so do many of my friends and we have a weekly doggie social group. We do it for fun but also for the constant socializing of the dogs, many which are Pit Bulls, Rotties, GSDs, Akitas, and Labs. Some of our friends have small dogs (who are always the problem, many small dog have behavior issues because owners do not treat them like dogs). Any way many of the dogs treat them llike any other dog and they discipline them as they do big dogs. So for the most part they know.. However my Lab HATES really small dogs (toys breeds only) I really do not think he knows what they are. I have had that problem with many dogs with the toy breeds especially if they were not raised around them. I also think many of those dogs do not behave like dogs or at least physiologically sound because their owners do not treat them right. Many of my dogs try to correct their unstable weird behavior.
possibly by scent, depending on what kind of dog yours is though, he may just instinctually chase smaller animals
Sure, it's only some stupid people that don't know the difference.
Dogs know other dogs. Size doesn't matter, an Alpha dog is an Alpha dog, no matter what there size is. I am a Police K-9 handler with a 75 lb Belgian Malinois. My wife has a 5 lb pomeranian that bosses him around. Your dog was probably playing. I wouldn't worry about it thinking its a rat or squirrel.
Sometimes not. It's a function of the breed and their socialization.





It's not so much the size. Raise a St. Bernard and a Chihuahua together and they'll be fine. And almost any other breeds you can think of.





But a common problem with many rescue greyhounds is that all of their life they may have been exposed to only other greyhounds. So the first time they encounter a different breed, they may freeze or try to flee. That's because they don't recognize the other breed as being a dog.





Additionally, some sight hounds will react to all small running critters that they haven't been socialized to. So a whippet or a decker rat terrier who sees a running yorkie for the first time might think ';wow--weird squirrel--I wonder what it tastes like?';.





But in all of these instances, it's about socialization. If a dog is raised or exposed to another breed growing up, it will recognize that breed as a dog.
Agility mans answer is excellent.