@JacksonsMom
I really like seeing all the stuff you do with him. You along with some of the other posters in this thread are really the ones that have kind of opened me up to a smaller dog.
As much as I still love big dogs, and want one again someday, I have to admit to myself that I've REALLY become a little dog person. I just love the portability ... everything just tends to be less messy, less money, less food, less poop, LOL... but he can still do everything a big dog can do! Hiking, swimming, camping, running in the snow, walking long distances, running, such and such.
He's obviously a terrier, but I always just raised him like that. I never restricted him from anything... always encouraged exploring. If there's a fallen tree trunk, jump on it! Benches/tables? Climb on it! Go for it, check it out. I always had that kind of attitude and made everything fun. I'm pretty sure would be hating life if he was confined to a house as a 'lap dog'. He would never tolerate it! lol. He's extremely agile. Things he does that I don't even notice anymore, people are always like 'Wow he just jumped on that?!" lol... I'm like, oh yah that's so normal for him.
Most people that meet him that originally didn't really like small dogs are always impressed by him and like 'wow hes the coolest little dog I know!' I think people just forget that they are dogs too and for the most part can just do as much as the big guys! I admit, I personally wouldn't want to go under 10lbs though, just for the sake of our lifestyle. He, at 16lbs, is the PERFECT size to me. So portable, easy to pick up out of trouble, still sturdy enough to be around kids and bigger dogs without extreme worry, etc.