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

[KillerGramcracker <3]

I really wish I would have caught that on video XD
I was sitting in my room, singing Black Veil Brides to myself, and Daisy decided to join in on the singing. Not a single note right, but I had not the heart to stop her. She looked like she was having fun, barking and howling, butt wiggling everywhere XD

[Lupen]

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.

[blue;]

Hello, i have not posted in a while.. hehe.. well long story short, i have a dog,her name is Grizz(short for grizzly bear). and my family is unsure of the breed. i am thinking she is alaskan klee kai mix but i have no dang clue. we might get her tested if we dont find out soon. could you guys help and try to find out by the looks of what type of dog she is? ill give you some info about her:
she loves snow
her tail is curled upon her back most of the time
she has brown eyes
she is black and white with a bit of tan on her face and legs
she is very hyper
she is almost 2(birthday is jan. 16th)
she loves snow
she is a bit yappy
she is very smart and learns tricks a bit easily/
she is about...mm 31 cm tall
anything else you want to know about her? pm me please
here are some pictures i took of her:

[Saracirce]

How much does she weigh? Can you give us some better pictures straight on from the side? (Similar to this)

[FuzzyThePunkCat]

I groomed all my dogs yesterday. It took 2 hours x.x

[sorbetkitty]

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.

[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!