It seems like this has turned out to be a really good decision for Argus,
he adores her and she is really well behaved puppy.
He leads her outside to potty every time, stopping to make sure she is following (kind of annoying since his huge butt blocks my path but its cute). I tried to sleep through her scheduled outing once and he would not let me.
He loves to wrestle and I was really really worried about him crushing her, but after a few reminders he seems to be doing pretty good. He will lay down and let her wrestle with his head instead of getting his big paws involved. He lets her bite his lips and I have no idea why he is okay with that but he is always wagging. He lets her chase him around the yard, but he backs off off when she runs to a corner for a break.
They actually cuddled in bed yesterday.
And also yesterday - omg. I started letting them go outside alone because they were doing so well, but I watch from the security camera. Of course my video feed lagged and while I was restarting the app I heard her start *screaming*, horribly screaming. My boyfriend was closer and he ran out and found Argus on top of her growling. He shoved Gus out of the way and she had her little head stuck through the gate posts and was caught. Freed her and they all came running inside.
Re-watched the video feed... when she stuck her head through the gate, Argus stood up from where he was lounging on the deck and started watching her very closely. When she pulled back and couldn't get out, he ran down to her side. When she started to whimper and flail he *
grabbed her collar* in his mouth and started tugging on it, growling.
He was trying to save her!
Argus is our spoiled baby and we really only got a puppy because he wanted one so bad, lol. But she is also much calmer, cuddlier, and more obedient than he has ever been. Very much a relief for mama.
Only issue so far is that he keeps wanting to eat all the food (and he wants her little toys because they are new, but he doesn't mind if she plays with his old stuff instead). She won't eat if he isn't eating, but when he finishes his he starts on hers. He has always been free fed and naturally limited himself, but now he's eating 3 times as much as normal from trying to clear both bowls.
I read about how important it is not to let your puppy dominate or bother your older dog but it's kind of adorable - if I tell him to leave her food alone and he ignores me, she takes that as permission and starts barking at him and trying to swat him away with her tiny little paws.