CUTE LITTLE DOGS WITH BIG ISSUES –

When people think of little dogs, they think of cute, baby, sweet, innocent, and less work. Little dogs can have big issues, so I want to discuss some of those issues and clear the air about “little dogs are so much easier.” In some ways, they are easier to handle and care for, but it all depends on the pet parent, the household lifestyle, and the pet parent’s expectations of life with a dog. 

Before I continue with the pros and cons of living with a small breed dog, I want to discuss biting. If you do a little research about the pressure of a dog’s bite, you will find that most information leads to the conclusion that the psi or pressure per square inch of a dog’s bite is in the range of two hundred to three hundred pounds. There are many discrepancies and many theories of how a dog’s bite pressure per square inch (psi) is determined. However, for this article, I want to clarify that even the bite of a small breed dog can do serious damage, especially to a child. 

This is a photo of the metal cap from a baby food jar. The bite mark, which has gone through the metal completely, was done by a nine-pound toy poodle. Let me add that it was done in one quick bite and not over a period of time.

When I show this baby food jar cap to a client and ask them to guess how big the dog was that made the bite in it, they usually say a shepherd, a lab, or a golden.

 

Let’s do the pros and cons of having small dogs.

Pros:

1. You can scoop them up and carry them anywhere. 

2. The amount of their urine and stool is smaller.

3. Little dogs can be pad trained.

4. The smaller the dog, the less they eat.

5. They’re less destructive.

6. They’re usually easier to walk. 

7. It’s usually easier to travel with a small dog.

8. Bedding, clothing, and other supplies are less expensive.

9.  If you let your small breed dog sleep on your bed, they take up less room.

10. Smaller breeds tend to live longer than large breeds.

11. Bathing a small dog is easier, and grooming is less expensive.

12. Little dogs like to sit on your lap!  Nice!

Cons:

1. Tiny dogs need more nutritional care, especially as puppies. 

2. They are more susceptible to illness and complications like hypoglycemia and dehydration

3. Little dogs tend to bark more than large breeds.

4. Toy-breed dogs usually do not like to go out in the rain or bad weather or walk on wet grass.

5. Small or toy dogs are easily injured.

6. Sometimes, the smaller the dog, the more difficult it is to train!  Now you’re thinking…why did she say that? 

7. Little dogs can easily cause you to trip and fall.

8. Little dogs can also bite, bark, and terrorize a home.

Don’t get me wrong. I LOVE little dogs and have my own, as you may know. But as a trainer, I get more calls from people with small breeds than large ones. Most of the homes I visit for training have a toy breed dog that is not house trained. I get calls about Toy Poodles, Chihuahuas, and Yorkies that rule the roost, snap, bite, and terrorize household members. When I come into a family’s home with a toy or small breed dog for the first time, they have the dog locked in a crate for fear it will bite me. This is not a joke, and getting bitten is certainly not funny. So, if you have a situation like that, here’s some advice.

Because these toy breeds are so adorable and almost puppy-like forever, people tend to carry them around or pick them up when doing something inappropriate, annoying, or embarrassing instead of correcting or teaching them. In the dog’s mind, he can, or he can’t! (There’s another post about that.)If he does something wrong and is picked up, you validate his inappropriate behavior. You gave him affection for chewing, jumping, biting, and growling.  You told your adorable puppy-forever-type dog that barking and biting your leg was the way for him to get attention. So, he will, without a doubt, keep doing it.

The second thing to remember is that the higher the dog’s head is, the more in control he is. SERIOUSLY! Nine out of ten times, when I go to a home with a small dog that’s terrorizing everyone, the dog’s first instinct is to jump up on the highest part of a couch or chair to be higher than me.

First, put a leash on your dog inside the house and keep him on the ground. His attitude will change as soon as you get him off the couch. He will take charge if you are down on the floor with him in a puppy play position. So, what do you do? Stand up and say “NO.” Use a strong voice if he does something wrong. As soon as he stops, tell him “GOOD BOY” in a gentle, loving tone and pet him. He’ll get the idea.

Little dogs also tend to get less exercise. And “YES,” I believe a bored dog will get into more trouble. Get out there and take that little guy for a walk, play ball with him, and stop letting him make his own decisions. He’s a teenager with nothing but time on his hands, looking for something to do. Well, it’s time to TAKE AWAY THE CAR KEYS! It’s a hard concept for most people to understand, but dogs prefer structure and a place in the family unit. Dogs are very smart, big or small, and if they can get away with doing something, they will keep doing it, just like us!