Why are small dogs allowed to run amok?

[Laurelin]

I'm going to be a horrible person and have more rules for my future bigger dog than Mia and Summer about certain things. My dogs right now would probably horrify some people. Summer pogo-sticking to look over the counter at petsmart. Mia hurtling at you from the top of the couch. Mia standing on your shoulder or hitting you on the head...

The fact of the matter is there is a difference between an 8 lb Summer jumping on you and a 65 lb retriever jumping on you (just an example, thinking of my neighbor's dog). You talk to Summer and reach down to pet her, she's going to put her feet up on you.

[Emily]

Originally Posted by Laurelin

I'm going to be a horrible person and have more rules for my future bigger dog than Mia and Summer about certain things.

Me too! Well not about Summer and Mia, but yeah, same. Future black dog will have some more rules, not many ( ) but some.

[OwnedByBCs]

Originally Posted by Laurelin

I'm going to be a horrible person and have more rules for my future bigger dog than Mia and Summer about certain things. My dogs right now would probably horrify some people. Summer pogo-sticking to look over the counter at petsmart. Mia hurtling at you from the top of the couch. Mia standing on your shoulder or hitting you on the head...

The fact of the matter is there is a difference between an 8 lb Summer jumping on you and a 65 lb retriever jumping on you (just an example, thinking of my neighbor's dog). You talk to Summer and reach down to pet her, she's going to put her feet up on you.

See, that doesn't bother me. My Border Collies drive visitors crazy because they are so in your face- but I like that. Riot sits on the back of the couch and rests her head on my shoulder, and I love that. Sadie feels the need to be in a lap pretty much any time one is available. Wesley wants to lick-attack everyone- especially kids. Fiona pretty much never gets reprimanded for ANYTHING because when she is she does this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkR5Rp_MOx8 . Luckily she is exceptionally well behaved naturally, but yeah she doesn't really get corrected.

Really- behavior is what matters to you as an individual. The only thing that can be up for discussion is public behavior- and honestly I don't care if the dog is 6 lbs or 106 lbs- if they come at my dogs I will be incredibly upset.

[Shai]

Originally Posted by Laurelin

I'm going to be a horrible person and have more rules for my future bigger dog than Mia and Summer about certain things.

Why does that make you a horrible person?

Heck my dogs have different rules for the arbitrary reason that I have different competition goals for them. Safety is a much more sensible reason.

[Red.Apricot]

Originally Posted by Laurelin

I'm going to be a horrible person and have more rules for my future bigger dog than Mia and Summer about certain things.

Elsie and Zobby have different rules, for the same reasons.

He's allowed to be on guests' laps, if they invite him. She's not. He's allowed to put his paws on people's legs to say hi, she's not. He's allowed to crawl from one sofa to the other over the arms, she gets told to use the floor. He's allowed up on the dining room chairs uninvited, she's not.

[Renee750il]

Originally Posted by Laurelin

I'm going to be a horrible person and have more rules for my future bigger dog than Mia and Summer about certain things. My dogs right now would probably horrify some people. Summer pogo-sticking to look over the counter at petsmart. Mia hurtling at you from the top of the couch. Mia standing on your shoulder or hitting you on the head...

The fact of the matter is there is a difference between an 8 lb Summer jumping on you and a 65 lb retriever jumping on you (just an example, thinking of my neighbor's dog). You talk to Summer and reach down to pet her, she's going to put her feet up on you.

Big difference between letting small dogs stand up and put their feet on you or sit on the back of the sofa and whack you on the head than in letting them bum rush other people and other dogs snarling and snapping

[Laurelin]

I was just responding to this. 'Horrible' was said tongue firmly in cheek. I will shamelessly have a double standard for my dogs' behavior.

Originally Posted by StephyMei1112

I don't know - perhaps I'm just a more stringent person on that level but I'm very particular about manners in any size dog in my charge. No jumping, lunging, mouthing, or mobbing - that goes across the board from a 2 1/2 lb poodle to a 200 lb Ovcharka. Again - that's just me though.

[Lyzelle]

Yeah, I can't stand rude dogs of any size. I don't care if they get all wild and crazy during play, but every.single.dog is going to have manners in my house. In fact, I wold probably require more of small dogs. Only because I generally find them more annoying than big dogs.

But that is why I have big dogs. And rats when possible. Small dogs just aren't my thing.

[Dogdragoness]

I agree it's the owners not the dogs, I am lucky my breed really isn't 'that' misrepresented that I have seen so no grievences there.

What really rubs my fur the wrong way is ppl who are so quick to give up on their dogs for what are simply solved behavior probs.

[Barbara!]

I believe sometimes though, it can be the dogs. I have owned, and seen, so many bat guano crazy smaller dogs due to bad breeding, it's ridiculous. Of course they got that way BECAUSE of people, but not much can be done. I've seen it really bad in back yard bred "teacup" varieties, where they bred small unsound dog to small unsound dog and got completely unstable and fearful mess. Poor doggies.