Dog Owner Chat! (for-fun poll added) (new chat)

[renki]

Personally my size preference is based off of how a dog looks. In neighborhood I lived in I have need a dog that looked and sound mean to ensure safety. When you go into the hood, people think twice before messing with you. This is why we chose a bullmastiff, they were lazy, sweet, and kind. One look at them and if you didnt know, you wouldnt mess with them. We spent a lot of money on costume mad spike collars and harnesses, anything to give her an edge in looks. For we wanted a sweet dog personality wise, and we hit it on the mark with bella. Only time I have ever see her show aggression to a person was when someone was in our house yelling at us, she was pacing and growling. There was a guy I brought home, and I let him in before bella saw him; she knew someone was in the house because she was walking up like her normal dopey self when greeting new people. She quickly freaked and started growling, I placed her out back and took him to the game room where my sister was. She had the door open but the screen shut, and bella sat there outside the screen the whole time growling. Then there was a time me, my sister, mother, and grandmother came home; I had to use the bathroom and slipped past everyone. Bella was distracted and didnt see me come in I guess, because everyone was in the kitchen when I came out. She didnt know it was me and took one step in the kitchen and jumped over the back of the couch to come after me. She snapped out of it, and noticed right away who I was in mid-air. If time came I knew she would protect us, but at the same time anyone could walk through the door. I dont know what it was about the guy I brought home, he came in and it was like any other time we brought someone new into the house. The guy that was yelling was working on our house, and she liked him to the point of laying by his feet while he worked. Then came time he was mad about the money problem, which wasnt our fault. We paid his boss who in turn was supposed to give him his cut later. Well, he wanted his cut then and there; even though we told him to go to his boss and get the money.
Also, on the size thing again recently I have gotten a back injury. I find it more uncomfortable to bend for a short period of time and long periods of time doesnt cut it for me. I like the smallest to be as small as a cocker spaniel, that way I dont have to bend all the way a lot. If I were to food lure I can bend slightly where as something like a chihuahua, I would have to bend more often with a more drastic bend.

[Saracirce]

Actually, there is a reason other then the dog being tired to carry it around in a purse. A lot of people don't effing watch where they're stepping and don't look for the little dogs. Little dogs can also easily be missed when they're in large crowds or in places like stores. It's simply safer to carry them in situations where people aren't actually proactively watching for dogs.

Also, a lot of big dogs haven't been socialized with little dogs and they think they're prey items. Or maybe they just don't understand that since the dog is SO MUCH SMALLER then them so they should be much gentler then usual. One bite from a 40 lbs dog can kill a 5 lbs dog. Seriously, all it takes is one bite. When I've got a massive dog straining at their leash to get to my dog, whose whole head can fit into their mouth, I am most definitely going to pick her up so that I can keep myself between that dog and her. I'd rather get bit myself. (I pick up Lolita anyway when there are other dogs around because she's fear aggressive and will bite. I simply don't want the dog approaching at all, 'friendly' or not.)

As far as the JRT, terriers are prone to Dog Aggression. They just simply are. Also, big dogs can be pretty intimidating for little dogs. Just the size difference alone. Dog parks should really be split up into 'small dog' and 'large dog' areas and people should stick to that.

All that being said, I prefer large dogs. I like to cuddle with them, rough house with them in a way you can't with little dogs, and they just generally make me feel safe, which is important for me with my anxiety. I have lived with a chi-doxie mix for the past 14 years though so I understand the point of view of a little dog and why the world can be a super scary place and how it's more dangerous for little dogs.

EDIT: I think I'm going to offer to help the people I babysit for with their dogs. I got up the courage to ask last night why the dogs never go for walks and they told me that one 'acts all crazy' and the other slips out of her harness. I figure I could help them but I'm worried that even if they ask/accept my help, they won't listen and it will just end in frustration all around.

[lynxandstars]

All that being said, I prefer large dogs. I like to cuddle with them, rough house with them in a way you can't with little dogs, and they just generally make me feel safe, which is important for me with my anxiety. I have lived with a chi-doxie mix for the past 14 years though so I understand the point of view of a little dog and why the world can be a super scary place and how it's more dangerous for little dogs.

I totally agree. I have lived with a large dog my whole life until recently and I felt exactly the same way. I used to enjoy cuddling up to her and when she was able to jump onto my bed I didn't mind because I felt safe. When she got older and her hips went a little she would sleep beside my bed or the entrance of the bedroom all night long and that comforted me.
When I was younger I found it hard to fall asleep if there wasn't an animal in the room. That's just how it was. Less now, but when there is a cat in my room I do feel a lot better and I fall straight to sleep.
I miss having a big dog to cuddle up to when I'm down and I never really thought I would get a small one, but I did and I do love her.
She surprisingly is not yappy, but she is extremely bouncy, a lot less big and elegant as my last dog, but the change is also nice.
I am enjoying training her and she is very cuddly but sometimes I wish I could just bury my face into her fur, which I can't because she's just not that sort of dog sadly.
She isn't as small as some breeds but she is still pretty low to the ground and sometimes when I walk her I feel strange, like I'm walking a fox or something. Haha. (Compared to my last dog).

She can easily trip people up though but she has learned not to get in the way, (we have wooden floors and her fur color blends in completely), and she does do that thing of trying to look bigger than other dogs. I'm not surprised though because like you said, they are looking at us from a completely different perspective.

[northy.]

it's so annoying when people accuse small breeds of dogs of "not being real dogs" or being "wimpy" "prissy" or "weak".

no, a small dog can be just as much of a "dog" as a large one. ene

I've never been a small dog person. Even though I find some absolutely adorable and see nothing wrong with them, 35 pounds is the smallest I could probably own. I just prefer owning larger dogs and always have. But I completely agree.

At the same time though, you sometimes can't blame people with that mindset when so many idiots treat their small dogs like they're helpless. Carrying them everywhere, whether in purses or in their arms, treating them like accessories, letting them get away with biting or growling 'cause its "cute", or in general just not training them, etc.

I totally agree with you both!

[FuzzyThePunkCat]

it's so annoying when people accuse small breeds of dogs of "not being real dogs" or being "wimpy" "prissy" or "weak".

no, a small dog can be just as much of a "dog" as a large one. ene

I've never been a small dog person. Even though I find some absolutely adorable and see nothing wrong with them, 35 pounds is the smallest I could probably own. I just prefer owning larger dogs and always have. But I completely agree.

At the same time though, you sometimes can't blame people with that mindset when so many idiots treat their small dogs like they're helpless. Carrying them everywhere, whether in purses or in their arms, treating them like accessories, letting them get away with biting or growling 'cause its "cute", or in general just not training them, etc.

This. I'm fine with small dogs, but when people let them get away with things that bigger dogs can't get away with, I just want to slap sense into the owners. And the thing about being carried in a purse or something. Yeah, maybe I get it when the dog is tired, but otherwise there's no exuse for it. And it does make the dog look weaker which REALLY bugs me.
Sometimes though, the dog itself bugs me. Often at the dog park when we take Indy there, she went up to a JRT to sniff it and that stuff and it started barking at her and getting all defensive when she had done NOTHING whatsoever. That also happened a few other times with other small breeds. That's why my respect for little dogs has crawled down a bit- but I'm not saying they're weak or any less of a dog.
The smallest breed I'd own would be a pomeranian (but they are too stubborn and have tendencys to be yappy) and a sheltie. (I'm not saying shelties are a toy breed. I'm saying that's the smallest I'd go.)
So to sum that paragraph up- it's basically the owner's fault that small dogs are seen as yappy and prissy and etc.

Omg THIS. I have a small dog (Kiba, the Papillon) and people always assume she's a little yappy dog that I carry in my purse and "paper train" and some people even say she doesn't count as a dog. She does just as much as my bigger dogs, acts no different, doesn't yap, goes to the bathroom oupside only (like any dog should), I pretty much NEVER carry her unless I'm cuddling her or playing with her (I lift my Akita more than I lift her, I always let her walk because she hats being held especially in public), and she would much happier go up to a huge dog than a small dog (small dogs annoy her and I think they kind of scare her, but she has no fear of large dogs whatsoever). Treat them like you'd treat a big dog and they'll act just the same, treat them like a child or a toy or an accessory and they'll act like a brat just because they can. I wasn't a small dog fan until I got Kiba and found out they can act normal, but nobody allows them to. I also hate when people act like an aggressive small dog is no big deal. To me, it's just as big a deal as an aggressive large dog. There's nothing my big dogs do that Kiba doesn't do, she even wrestles right in their with them and trust me, they don't play gentle just because she is small lol but she is tough and loves it!

[Vriska Homestuck]

Today Ally goes home to my aunt I'm going to miss her.
Oh I forgot to tell you guys that she and Bear are like best friends, they get along great.
Anyway if anyone wants to know Bear is going to the groomers to get all nice and clean c: We don't always go to a groomer we just give him a bath, brush his fur, and all that but we wanted to try something different today.

[FuzzyThePunkCat]

Today Ally goes home to my aunt I'm going to miss her.
Oh I forgot to tell you guys that she and Bear are like best friends, they get along great.
Anyway if anyone wants to know Bear is going to the groomers to get all nice and clean c: We don't always go to a groomer we just give him a bath, brush his fur, and all that but we wanted to try something different today.

Marty goes to a groomer to have his hair cut into a Cocker cut every 3 months, but other than that I do everything myself. I clerkish my digs with scented dog perfume and brush their teeth daily. Once a week iuse the deshedder on them each. Once a month I clip their nails (I only trust myself to do this because groomers have cut Misty and Marty's quicks in their nails before and now clipping their nails makes them very nervous, but I've never cut the quick on any of my dogs or my rabbit), I clean their ears (I'm the only person Marty lets clean his ears anyway), trim Kiba's paws and butt fluff (I let the groomer trim her butt fluff once and they did a HORRIBLE job x.x), bathe them (the adults with shampoo and conditioner and the puppy with puppy shampoo), blow dry them while fluffing their fur with a soft bristle, and use the deshedding on them.

[Keletheryl]

So, it used to be really cute when Piper would go in between my legs and look up at me, but now.. she's too big and she rams into my no-no area.
I really hope she grows out of it, or that's what I heard, but literally every single time I go down there, or even when COMPANY comes over, she'll ram her nose into their no-no area, and you can guess what that's like for the poor GUYS that come into our house.

I have to put her outside when any male company comes over now because she's hurt, lets count off the list...
My boyfriend
My neighbour
My uncle
My other neighbour
A kid who was selling bottles
A friend of mine
Another friend of mine
More neighbours


And I don't completely understand why she's doing it even?
Is she just missing looking up at us, and accidentally ramming into our bad parts, or is she doing it on purpose, like is it some dog thing?

I honestly just want her to stop, not only would the guys thank me but also I would praise cheesus if I could come downstairs in the morning when i'm still pretty much asleep and not have a dog jumping all over me and ramming herself into me.

[Saracirce]

I'm pretty sure ramming their nose into your private bits is simply a thing excitable dogs with poor manners do. Try this (it should work for you and your family too) If you're also having problems getting her to be calm in general, Kikopup has a video on how to teach a default settle and how to reward calm.

[Keletheryl]

I'm pretty sure ramming their nose into your private bits is simply a thing excitable dogs with poor manners do. Try this (it should work for you and your family too) If you're also having problems getting her to be calm in general, Kikopup has a video on how to teach a default settle and how to reward calm.

Thank you for this!
We haven't really seen it as a problem until now, when it's getting too much.
It'd be a lot easier to deal with her if she was calm, especially when greeting guests!