Why??

I was at Petco yesterday, and I saw a lady with a little mixed breed dog. It looked like a Pekinese mix or something. Anyway, Zeus being Zeus, his tail got all waggly and he tried to approach it. The owner kind of went pale and pulled her dog back. I reassured her that Zeus was friendly, and she said "It's not that, my dog doesn't like other dogs." Sure enough, the dog was starting to growl. I told Zeus to stay and complimented the lady on her dog, because it was pretty cute. This dog then lunges and growls at me! The woman picks up her dog and said. "I'm sorry, he doesn't like other people either." She kisses the dog and said "Oh well, he's so small it doesn't matter." The dog snarls at me, she smiled and says "Doesn't he have the cutest little roar? He tries to be a big dog!"

Why in the heck did she bring a dog like that to Petco???

Why doesn't it matter whether or not a small dog is vicious?

Was this lady dropped on her head at birth?

Sorry, I just had to rant. I don't know why a big dog growling is terrifying, but a little dog growling is cute.

Wow that's wierd...

I hate how people think just because a dog is small means it's harmless. A pomeranian killed a baby a few years ago. Poms are teensy little dogs.
I have brought Tippy to PetSmart and she is somewhat aggressive towards other dogs. However, she obeys excellently, we are working with this problem and are progressing well.

Well, there is no excuse for a dog being nasty toward people. Dog aggression is another matter. However, most people I know would put their foot up your dog's nose if you let it get close and try to sniff their dog. I really do not know many people that would want a strange dog that is unknown as far as vaccinations etc near theirs. Of course, no one I know would take their dogs to such places to start out, lol. Too many "bugs" floating around out there.

I know one lady that when she goes to a show the dogs stay in the motor home until ring time, are then wisked into the building, judged, then have their feet sprayed with bleach water before going back into the motor home!

I can't stand it when people are so ignorant. She is only encouraging her dog to act that way by kissing him and coddling him as he growls at you and Zeus. And she thought him growling at you was cute?!?! She has a lot to learn.

Imagine if that dog would have been a GSD or a Rottie! See, it's not fair! Just because the dog is small

Some people just airn't that bright.

If that peke were 40Lbs heavier it'd have been put to sleep for aggression a LONG time ago! Urgh! I hate how little dogs get away with so much!

Because she's an inconsiderate idiot.

She doesn't think it matters because she's an inconsiderate idiot.

I wonder how cute she will think it is when the little brat bites her, or bites some toddler and she gets sued.

Ummm see I have the kind of little dog that growls at strangers that pester him... Does that make me an inconsiderate idiot, to bring him places and keep him in my arms?
And, you know what, he is still alive today because of his small size. I don't give a crap what people say, about it making no difference whether an aggressive dog is large or small... It does make a difference to those with small dogs who have aggression issues. A small dog that is a biter will never do as much harm as a large dog. Never. Ripley cannot even get his mouth around many people's fingers much less their arms or legs. He will never be able to kill or seriously injure anyone.
I see where you guys are coming from, but it is NOT the same thing with a small dog. It just isn't. Yes, aggression should be frowned on in any dog, but "unfair" as it may be, tiny dogs can get away with that behavior because they cannot seriously hurt someone. (Babies excluded - but anyone who leaves ANY dog unattended with a baby is a complete moron and they don't deserve the dog or the baby.)

I still completely get where you're coming from, and it infuriates me when I see people encouraging such behavior.

Manchesters,
So no one you know wants their dogs to meet others? I ask because I am trying to get Luna socialized to other dogs and people keep suggesting having her hang out (with me of course) at the park, around the pet store, at the grocery, so that she can "meet" other dogs. But, if most people don't want their dogs to meet someone else's, how is socialization accomplished?

I think most people dont mind, I my self try to stay away from new dogs simply because of the nature of my dog...

Rip's YOU don't encourage Ripley to act like that. That's why you're not an inconsiderate idiot. You keep him under control - that's what sensible people do.

The woman is really fortunate that Zeus didn't decide to protect Gem when the Peke lunged at her! I wouldn't guarantee that mine wouldn't have, although I doubt they would have actually hurt it or done anything more outrageous than scaring it silly . . .

I agree! See they think all these big dogs are mean, but people don't realize that little dogs can mean too!!! Not all big GSD, Rotties, or Dobes or Pits are mean, and most little dogs are mean! (nothing against little dog owners , your little dogs aren't mean).

Any dog can be nasty.I have a big dog and a small one,GSD and Miniature Pinshcer.I do not praise him if he is nasty to other dogs and yes he can be because he was attacked by a Rottie when he was a young pup.He wont start anything but if another dog acts aggresive with him he will stand up for himself.Small dogs tend to be a little tenacious though,they dont all think that they are small lol.It is too bad that that person would bring a dog like that to a store where other people and dogs will be.She is creating those issues in her dog by praising that behavior.

In the case of socialization vs keeping them in a safe, bug free environment always remember, vastly more dogs die from behavioural problems than from any viruses they can pick up when they're out.
I agree, little dogs have a GREATER propensity to aggression problems! Partly becasue alot of owners coddle them and think their aggression is cute, and partly because they feel threatened on account of their size. I do hate it when people make excuses for their pets behaviour, especially when it is most often them that caused the aggression in the first place! But, my puppy gets bossed around by chihuahua's a fifth of his size, lol!

I personally am more cautious of small dogs than large dogs. Only because I have seen people do this same thing. Encourage their little dog to be mean, because it "doesn't matter, he's little." Heck yea it matters! Train, socialize, train, socialize, train!!!! 3lbs on up to 200lbs. Every dog needs to know that it is not in control, the owner/human is. Not to the point of abuse, never that... But to the point of stern voice training and an occasional thump on the snoot. That is what has worked with my dogs. None have ever bitten another. But, I also do not ever allow strange dogs near them. Too obsessive compulsive about germs, or the other dog biting!
Spud is more aggressive than Precious. Roxy more than Spud. No, they do not have problems. But it did take longer to train them into trusting other people/animals than it did Precious. I think that largely has to do with size. Precious has never ever been scared of anything. Spud was a little cautious and Roxy was just scared in the first few weeks. But I took her around everything imaginable to desensitize as much as possible. And thus far, it has worked!

Right!

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Yeah, right. Another ridiculous pontification. It has been my learned experience that the majority of dogs "die" because nobody gives a fiddler's fart about them, or because the owners were too ignorant to recognize problems, and nip them in the bud. It is people that are responsible for the dogs killed. No one who lived thru the development and spread of parvo is willing to deliberately risk their dogs' wellbeing around strange dogs of unknown status. And most of us have enough of our own dogs that they are well socialized to being around other dogs and people.

Rocky's dog-aggressive... and he kind of fear barks-- but we're getting a trainer in September to help with both of those.

Sometimes I want him to get out of the house and kind of socialize even so. I try to keep him fairly far away but I can't help when someone wants to get so close to me for no apparent reason when they can't wait 3 seconds for me to move and then I get a dirty look for my dog barking at them.

But it was stupid of her just to say that kind of behavior is cute and acceptable. And then ENCOURAGE it!

I say NO when he does it and when he's eyeing somebody in particular and not barking I praise him-- also I'm hopefully getting a trainer to help.

So see, I TRY not to be an inconsiderate idiot!

hi 621 mum , hows luna?
i wouldnt pay too much attentiion to manchesters attitude, she is like that, im on her "bad" list or ignore list for some reason i dont even know , dont worry about it