Why are small dogs allowed to run amok?

OwnedByBCs

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#21
Because a little dog behaving like a jerk is not as dangerous as a large dog. It's easier to shrug off their bad behavior. You're in deep doo-doo though if you have a german shepherd snarling at people.
The small dogs at work are always the worst... we are constantly muzzling chihuahuas and min pins and whatnot, but the large muzzles don't get taken out as often.

Even with my own dogs, some of the things Lucy does that I just say "whatever" about, I would NEVER allow from Juno.
This, and I also think that the general pet dog market (BYBs, puppy mills) really does see a higher demand for small dogs. Not that all little dogs are poorly bred, I just see way more "I bought it from a pet store" Chihuahuas, Yorkies and Shihs.

I personally adore small dogs- and I meet a lot of nice small dogs too. Actually, after working at a grooming shop, I changed my mind on Shih Tzus. I used to really dislike the breed, but I meet so many nice ones. The thing is, if my BC jumps on someone, it is a problem. If a Great Dane jumped on someone, it could cause injury. If a Pom jumps on someone, its annoying. You also have to keep in mind the average, run of the mill pet owner will only train their dog if there is a specific problem that needs to be fixed, and like I said, a bigger dog can be a liability if it isn't well behaved.
 
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#22
I like all dogs if they have competent people behind them ;) teacups or tiny sized dogs aren't my thing at all but I've seen some fabulously behaved ones (a handful of them) and those I really appreciate.

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.

If the small dog in question came up to me and jumped up on my lap or against my legs or something I'd be less annoyed than if it was offleash, terrorizing myself and my dog - with it's handler doing absolutely nothing to restrain it, and even perhaps impervious to the fact that allowing it to be a public menace is WRONG :rolleyes::doh:
 

Laurelin

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#23
My dogs jump, especially Summer. It doesn't bother me at all and isn't an important thing for me to fix. Mia mouths too. Again, not important for what I need in a dog. most people invite Summer to hop up anyways.
 

Cali Mae

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#24
My dogs jump, especially Summer. It doesn't bother me at all and isn't an important thing for me to fix. Mia mouths too. Again, not important for what I need in a dog. most people invite Summer to hop up anyways.
This. I can see how a lot of people would assume how Cali isn't too well-trained simply because she's so excitable around people, she just absolutely loves attention.. perhaps a little too much. She won't necessarily jump on people, but she'll go and lick their toes.. roll over on their feet and wait for a tummy rub. She's gotten a bit more calm about meeting new people, but it doesn't stop her from going up and trying to get some attention.

However, that's only if somebody actually comes up to her, if she seems someone ahead of us.. she'll get excited but she's usually able to just walk by them without a fuss.

I agree about small dogs misbehaving not seeming like a problem to a lot of owners though.. I've had that in mind quite a bit since I've gotten Cali. I definitely didn't want to be the "stereotypical" small dog owner. I do wish that I was able to get her involved in dog sports.. but that's just not possible due to where I live.
 

Emily

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#25
My dogs jump, especially Summer. It doesn't bother me at all and isn't an important thing for me to fix. Mia mouths too. Again, not important for what I need in a dog. most people invite Summer to hop up anyways.
Keeva likes to sucker punch people with her hard little Corgi paws and then bark. :rofl1:
 

Doberluv

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#27
Because some of the things little dogs do don't have the same result as those same things done by a big dog. If you were to come in my house and sit on my couch, you'd have Chulita (not Jose`) leaping into your lap. She'd come quietly. You wouldn't know she was coming and it might startle you. LOL. She loves people and loves it when someone visits. She would sooner sit on your lap than mine because you're someone new. She wouldn't ask for much...just that she can sit on your lap. Oh...she might give you some licks on your hand too. Jose` would probably go find a toy to bring to you.
Now a big, heavy dog jumping into your lap when you're not expecting it could be problematic. It's a little embarrassing when out of nowhere, a Chihuahua springs up into a visitor's lap. But I don't see it as a terrible behavior. I would never allow it from a bigger dog...even a somewhat bigger dog. But she only weighs 5 Lbs. And neither one of them is hyper or excitable with the exception of when you first come through the door because they think it's just the coolest thing that someone is coming to visit. Then they settle right down.

If you stopped to chat when on a walk and bent down, she'd probably put her feet up on your knees and ask for a pat. Otherwise, just standing there, she wouldn't be apt to...doesn't jump up when people are standing. With my bigger dogs, I wouldn't like them to put their feet up on you. They are too heavy and their nails might dig into you. The Chi's feet are weightless. My niece calls Chulita's feet "little Q-tip feet." LOL.

When people come over, they bark their little heads off. But after a moment, they stop. They're never aggressive, always friendly to everyone. If they're asking for too much attention, I tell them, "away" and they go off and lie down somewhere.

So, imo...the same rules don't all necessarily apply to small dogs as they might to big dogs. There are reasons for that. No, they shouldn't be bothering people or being really obnoxious, but some of those things have a different result than those same things committed by bigger dogs.

Jose` was a bit reactive on a leash toward other dogs...barking, straining at the leash. We use to live where he didn't see that many dogs. But I've been working on it and he is 100% better. He turns his focus to me and hardly barks at all anymore at other dogs. Other dogs are the cue to look at me. I keep him near me when we walk...it's a loose leash walk on a 6 foot leash and if he wants to investigate something, I go with him. He stays within about 3 or 4 ft. of me. I don't go for those flexis where the dogs are a huge distance away from their owner IF other dogs or people are near by. It's fine if you're by yourself somewhere. I see so many dogs on long leashes on the sidewalk where cars go by. How dangerous is that?!?! They could step right out in front of a car!

I see people letting their dogs go into peoples' yards when they walk down the sidewalk. The dogs are on long leashes and they allow them to walk into yards a little ways. I can't believe my eyes sometimes...the nerve! I'm glad I have a fence out front now. But this can be small or large dogs. Someone with a Doberman mix lets that dog walk way up into neighbors' lawns...way up. Incredible!

So, there are dog owners who are clueless, inconsiderate, non-thinking about dangers or about bothering people. They own both large and small dogs. But I think some, not all behaviors that small dogs do don't have the same effect as those behaviors done by bigger dogs.
 

Dekka

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#29
I don't notice, around here, little dogs being bad. Its the random off leash large dogs. Like the large well bred looking GSD that trotted into my field as I was leading a green horse up. Thankfully it took being charged by Dekka quite well as I am not sure what I would have done if it had objected to small snarky loudly swearing in dog JRT. They sniffed and then it left.

But even large off leash dogs tend to be rare. In pet stores its people with retrievers that seem to want to let their dogs walk up to yours without asking or paying attention. That drives me nuts!! I don't care if your dog loves all other dogs. Mine doesn't.. keep your dog to yourself.

That said manners is an individual thing. You come to my house you will get jumped on by the smaller dogs. I don't care so meh. The BC won't jump on you.. he's too big. Simply a size thing. A 10 pound JRT bouncing at you isn't likely going to knock you over, a hurtling bullet of excited 40 pound BC is a different story.

As for size. Dekka has fantastic manners, but she is dog reactive. If she was fila sized I likely wouldn't take her out in public. Even if something happens and someone's out of control off leash dog runs up to her and she does bite it before I could defuse the situation chances are she isn't going to do damage due to her size. Can't say the same for large dogs.

I agree with the person who said that large unruly dogs likely just don't get seen in public. One of my best friend's dad has an akita. He has had akitas all his life, but this one is SHARP and he is now a senior. He can't control the dog out and about.. so he doesn't. Therefore you don't see out of control akita (thank goodness...) but if he had gotten a basenji (his daughters were trying to convince him of that) even if it had horrible manners he could still physically control it to take it out in public.

Really it boils down to the owners, not the dogs. My least fave breed to see coming along the sidewalk are labs. Most owners think that their lab will love everyone and everydog and that everyone will love thier lab. When I was teaching obed heavily.. most obnoxious dogs were always labs due to this mentality. And it was only when their lab was full grown and out of control did they decide to come to classes.
 

Shai

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#30
^^ not so funny when my dog does that. lol
^This. I had bruises all over my ribs after Mira did that to me once. Course she meant to do it...I was handling like a fool on an agility course (long story) so she turned and body slammed me out of frustration. I got the hint but with a little dog I wouldn't have been black & blue. And she's only 53lbs.

Or the time we were practicing recalls and she jumped up right as I leaned to reward and had to explain my swollen, bloody lip at work the next day...

I mean my sister's dog is a zoomie crazy jumping bean who constanty body slams people...but she's 7-8lbs. So it's considered cute or at most annoying. She's not exactly going to land an elderly relative in the hospital!
 
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#34
Haha the great powers of Mira! Sloan was measured at 23". Interesting!
:)
That's pretty neat that two dogs of completely different builds can be the exact same weight and height. Sloan is a lot bigger than I thought she was. I would have figured even with all her wiry muscle she wouldn't top 45.

Traveler and Mira were about the same height, he's closer to 22 and he's 39 lb.

So funny to me.

ETA: Traveler completely misbehaves and does flying leaps into people's arms. I do try and not allow it (with other people, I personally enjoy it) but his default "OMG I"M SO HAPPY" has become getting as high on people as he can over and over and over again.
 

Shai

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#35
Haha the great powers of Mira! Sloan was measured at 23". Interesting!
:)
Funny how a different body type, color, drop ears, and hair can make such a difference in appearance, eh? Lol

Though I'm guessing our bruises resembled each other pretty closely...but I am grateful don't have to worry about the bitey end!
 

Shai

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#36
That's pretty neat that two dogs of completely different builds can be the exact same weight and height. Sloan is a lot bigger than I thought she was. I would have figured even with all her wiry muscle she wouldn't top 45.

Traveler and Mira were about the same height, he's closer to 22 and he's 39 lb.

So funny to me.
Yeah just looking at them I think Mira had an easy inch on Trav, but I was really so surprised bu his height. Always pictured him around 20" for some reason. But his bone structure is but finer and his chest, while masculine, is much lighter than the broader retriever build. Even her hips bones were wider. Just a totally different body type.

Which is good because if Mira leapt into someone's arms, she'd kill them lol!
 

Kilter

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#37
I find a lot of small dog owners have it in their heads that their dogs require a lot more attention and everyone will just love them in their faces/laps, without asking. And that the aggression is cute or has a reasonable explanation that has nothing to do with the dog being a jerk or aggressive (you're too tall, he doesn't like earrings). And as far as dog-dog issues, it's ALWAYS the bigger dog's fault because Foofooprincessbear is just such a sweet cute thing.

I'm a bit annoyed, the MIL had dinner last night, the BIL brought a girlfriend and she's a little dog person to the T, even saying that people should fix their pets and not be irresponsible but 'feefee' just needed to have two litters out of two other breeds....
 
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#38
Yeah just looking at them I think Mira had an easy inch on Trav, but I was really so surprised bu his height. Always pictured him around 20" for some reason. But his bone structure is but finer and his chest, while masculine, is much lighter than the broader retriever build. Even her hips bones were wider. Just a totally different body type.

Which is good because if Mira leapt into someone's arms, she'd kill them lol!
That's kinda why I was so surprised that Sloan was the same height and weight. She looks like such a small thing and I figured was built very similar to Traveler.

Also, you can't know how tall Traveler is, he never got out of ball crouch with you :rofl1: But I do think you're right I think she's a bit taller than him.
 

Shai

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#39
Well we had. Brief chance to compare and socialize in the parking lot before the retrieveable objects came out and they all lost their ability to think about anything else lol!
 
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#40
Well we had. Brief chance to compare and socialize in the parking lot before the retrieveable objects came out and they all lost their ability to think about anything else lol!
Ah yes, I forgot about that fleeting moment.
 

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