Living With Small Dogs
When it comes to living with small dogs, there are some challenges that most people are not aware of.
Sure, there are the obvious ones:
- Small dogs are short so it’s too easy to trip over them. This can be serious for an elderly person with easily broken bones.
- A small dog does not perceive the size difference between itself and a St. Bernard. One bite is all it would take!
- It’s too easy to lose them in the bushes and tall grass.
- For the really small ones, you have to be concerned about flying predators such as hawks and owls.
And the list goes on, but you get the drift.
The one challenge that is not obvious, the one thing that is at the root of most all serious small dog issues, is perception. It is our visual and emotional perception of a small dog that enables us to treat them as less than a dog.
Psychologically, every time we see a “small” being; be it dog, cat, bird, or even a person of very tiny stature – we have a tendency to interact with them as one would a small child.
For a small dog, this is a real problem. An adult Yorkshire Terrier that weighs 4 pounds is every bit as much a dog as the 200 pound Mastiff living across the street. Their demand for discipline, exercise, and a pack leader is just as critical to their well being. Yet invariably 90% of what small dogs get is affection without leadership or structure.
Like it or not, a small dog is an animal first and foremost. They are not human, they are not babies or children – dogs are animals. The sooner you accept that simple truth, the sooner you and your small dog will be on the path to a happy and well balanced living arrangement.
This means you need to accept some basic rules and responsibilities as a pack leader! Here are a few concepts to seriously consider.
Small Dogs . . .
- do not express, comprehend or experience human emotions, so stop pretending they do. Dogs understand the “energy” behind emotions as positive or negative, nothing more – nothing less.
- do not possess human “moral values”, so stop expecting them to know “right from wrong”. A $5000 Persian rug appears the same as any other rug – if you had actually taken them on a walk this morning they might not have urinated on it!
- do not intentionally misbehave. They are not “out to get you” or “teaching you a lesson”. A dog does not think “I’m angry that my owner left me home so I am going to chew up her prized Gucci leather shoes”.
- demand a pack leader. If you are not willing to step up to the plate, then little Pookie over their most certainly will! And if Pookie is not predisposed to being a leader, you are going to have one very unhappy dog taking on YOUR responsibilities!
- need to be mentally challenged. This is a big one; too often people deliberately choose a small dog thinking they won’t require as much attention as larger dogs. The truth is they need to be mentally challenged with games and training exercises just like any other dog.
- need structured exercise. No, a five minute potty break in the back yard does not count! Structured walks are a requirement to a healthy relationship. These walks help to build a leadership bond between you and your dog, provides physical exercise and mental stimulation – a “run” around the house accomplishes none of these important goals.
The most serious challenge you will face when it comes to living with small dogs is respecting their species as a canine animal and not treating them like a human. Every day, I review these thoughts when dealing with my small companions:
- Express the calm, assertive energy of a leader – no yelling, hitting or biting!
- Employ patience, lots and lots of patience – take a deep breath and don’t give in.
- Do not be so protective. Put your canine companion on the ground, after all, why do you think they have four legs? They may be short, but they are still legs!
- Seek avenues of socialization – give them the freedom to interact with their own kind, without your interference!
- Learning commands like sit, stay, quiet and lie down will mentally challenge your dog, providing an outlet for excess energy.
- Taking daily walks (properly!) will reinforce your pack leader position and strengthen the bond between you. Plus the exercise is another outlet for excess energy.
Practicing these techniques and placing emphasis on your dogs state of mind over yours will reap the rewards of a well mannered, non-destructive animal that will be welcome everywhere you go.
Are you serious about having the best relationship
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| A personal message from Mae Campbell
For years I refused to even consider the basic principle of alpha leadership with my dogs, thinking that it would place a distance between us – boy was I wrong. Not to mention selfish and unfair to my canine companions! My Affenpinscher was one year old when I brought home a three month old Shih Tzu puppy. What I did not realize then, but do now, is that the Affen ruled the house. For the next 7 years she made the Shih Tzu’s life miserable. No one was allowed to play or have fun of any kind without immediate physical repercussions. It had gotten so bad that if we left the two dogs alone together the Affen would physically subjugate the other dog. We actually had to separate them when leaving them alone in the house or car. The Shih Tzu slept beside (more like on) my pillow every night for protection. Placing the dogs well being over my own feelings, I jumped at the opportunity to move my Shih Tzu in with my mother when her Pug of 14 years passed away. If any of you have ever had a Shih Tzu, you will understand why I cried for three days, but I remained strong for them. After all, this change was for the dogs benefit, not mine! Even though the Shih Tzu hogs the pillow and snores, both are exceedingly happy. It was at this time I decided to take action and learn more about what being a pack leader could do for my household. My goal was to reunite the family. By this time my Affen had become a neurotic, unsocial, noisy, controlling, overly dependent and unhappy dog. It was obvious she was very much out of balance! So, I did my research, read some good books and gave it a shot. I was absolutely amazed at the transition of my 11 year old Affenpinscher. I had her sitting on silent command within 48 hours, courteously waiting for me to go through the door first and the most miraculous of all was her level of relaxation. Two weeks earlier, if I pick her up and she’d go stiff as a board – now she completely relaxes and accepts all the lovins I want to give. I learned that a true crime had been committed against my dogs, and I was the guilty party. My refusal to embrace their canine origins and work with them in a language they could understand caused them over seven years of misery. I am ashamed of myself and I am committed to never letting it happen again. I have learned that being firm is not being cruel. Being cruel is losing my temper and yelling at them for bad behavior that I was directly responsible for. An unexpected side benefit is the enrichment of my own personal life. Since practicing calm, assertive leadership towards the dogs, I have become more balanced myself. Just ask my family and coworkers – they all emphatically agree that I have become a much easier person to spend time with! |