small Dogs to BIG Dogs

[SheltieLover234]

Originally posted by KYS:
BIG DOGS KICK LIL DOG BUTTSS!!!!!!

>>>>>>>>>>>>&g t;>

Lets not sell little dogs short.
Not all little dogs are cream puffs.
I use to have a alpha 13 lb. Terrier (terror)
that bossed my Akita around.

[/B][/QUOTE]

That`s funny my Cat bossed my GSD around too!

[Sophies Daddy]

Originally posted by summerskkye:
...they are sweet, brilliant, fun, and just overall companions...you can take them for walks, take them camping, and when you hug them...well, it's just heaven :=) !! You can't truly hug a small dog (I know this cause my roomate has 2 chihuahuas). You can cuddle them, but you can't truly hug them...big dogs rule :=) !!!

I don't know about your inability to envision small dog abilities, but I have done everything you mentioned above with my small dog except the camping which I will have to try sometime. My little 9lb. dog and I regularly go for a two mile walk that loops back to my condo and she is always ready for more even though she is not high energy indoors. My little dog has all of the personality trait you mentioned as well and moreso than any big dog I have met. The hugging is the best part as you can lift them off the ground to do it!



[This message has been edited by Sophies Daddy (edited November 17, 2000).]

[ktreva52]

Well, I've been around all sizes and how you couldn't hug a small dog is beyond me. I used to thump on my little JRT just like I did my 40# cattle dog mix when I wanted to pet her and she took it very well. If you are tripping over your dog, it's time to teach heeling so the dog will learn to get out of the way. My mother went from Viszlas to Border Terriers because they were "easier to handle now that I'm getting older..." and they are great little dogs, but the Viszlas were fantastic dogs, too. When I had a big bed, I had three dogs and a cat or two sleeping with me and I never squished one. All I can say to you big dog afficianados, don't knock the little guys until you've tried one -- they don't know they're little and we aren't telling them.

[RachelJ]

Originally posted by ktreva52:
When I had a big bed, I had three dogs and a cat or two sleeping with me and I never squished one. .

Sleeping with dogs is just the BEST. When my two curl up with me every night, I say to myself, Heaven can't be any better than this. A dog trainer once told me I shouldn't let Hannah sleep in the bed because this reinforced her sense of being in charge, but I'm sorry, this is one aspect of living with my dogs that I won't give up. We are so in tune with one another at night.

[KYS]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ktreva52:
Well, I've been around all sizes and how you couldn't hug a small dog is beyond me.>>>>>>>>>>

I agree, I love them all, no matter what size they are.
Of course since I am getting up
thier in years and lack of strength,
I am considering a different/smaller breed next time around.
I used to share my bed with the big dogs, but I got tired of all that dog hair on the bed. So now only our little dog is allowed on the bed.
Just have to love them all whether their pint size or Jumbo.

[Sophies Daddy]

I love having my dog in bed with me at night too. As for the dominance thing, there are certain rules that should be followed if you want to keep a dog in bed with you.

Since wolves, our dog's true identities, are social animals, they often sleep closely in the pack. The alpha is generally the only one who gets to choose where they sleep and the others fall in based on pack hierarchy; the closest dog being beta, etc.. Nonetheless, they are used to sharing a bed (sleeping area) and their inability to do so represents disfavor with the pack. This means that keeping your dog away from you in sleeping arangements may make the dog believe that they are Alpha (they have a choice after all if they have the run of the house) or like an outcast.

In a home with children, however, things get a little strange. If you allow your dog to sleep with you, your dog will feel that it is above your children in the pack order. Some behavior problems can arise from this. In these cases, the dog should sleep with the youngest child old enough to handle the dog.

If this is not the case, however, the only thing to worry about is that the dog does not sleep or lie on your pillows. The closer the dog is to your head, the more power it believes it has in your household. Allowing your dog to share your pillow is tantamount to declaring it Alpha or co-alpha!

I let Sophie sleep in my bed, but she is at least half way down the bed from me. The one time I caught her on my pillow, I gave her a mild verbal reprimand. That was all it took to get her to not do it again, and when I caught her, the look on her face told me that she knew that she was doing something wrong (sort of like trying out the boss's desk and chair and getting caught)!

[Kendall2]

I prefer big dogs, but it's a good thing that some people prefer little dogs or there would be an awful lot of homeless little ones. But if you go to the shelter there are always more large dogs than small.

[Angels3]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Sophies Daddy:
[B]Most definitely small dogs! There are so many more benefits to small dogs over big dogs including but not exclusive to:
.
* Small dogs often have big dog
personalities (lots 'o' fun!)

Sophies Dad & Pam covered all the benefits of owning a small dog. Tibetan Spaniels bear out all those points...but especially having big dog personalities in a small body. Our Tibetan Spaniel amazes people with how intelligent & well-trained she is...people expect small dogs to be airheads. She was nominated for a canine hero award this year (up there with the big dogs!) for alerting people to a tiny child who'd strayed onto a busy road. She also does pet therapy work & is especially good at working with very ill children because of her size & her intelligent, confident personality. In the East, tibbies were known as the lion dog because of their strong hearts & minds...not because of their size.

[Genia]

Angels3, your dog sound like a true hero. What is her name? I am putting my Pug Bandit in the pet therapy program because he is such a loving sweetheart. I posted a few weeks ago about how a little poodle helped my daughter when she was hospitalized after an accident. I think it is wonderful when someone has their pet participate in such a positive program. Three cheers for you and your girl!



[This message has been edited by Genia (edited December 27, 2000).]

[Angels3]

Genia, our tibetan spaniel's name is Angel. Your pug sounds like a perfect pet therapy dog. The smaller pet therapy dogs are good when a child is very ill or suffering injuries. But big dogs do pet therapy, too.

[SheltieLover234]

Angels3,

I`m think of putting my 4 month old Border Collie in Pet therapy where can I do that?

[Angels3]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by SheltieLover234:
[B]Angels3,

I`m think of putting my 4 month old Border Collie in Pet therapy where can I do that?

Hi, I notice you're in Florida, so you'd need to know something about the Pet Therapy scene in the United States (I'm from Australia). I've just found the forum topic that Genia started called Dog Who Heal (under Dog General). It's all about pet therapy & has some useful U.S. information in the many posts. So that would be a great place for you to start finding out where to get into pet therapy in your country.

Pet therapy in my country Australia is probably very much like that in the U.S. At our dog Angel's children hospital, they have 5 dogs of varying sizes...one for each day of the (working) week. 2 are german shepherds, 2 are small tibetan breeds & 1 is a medium-sized mixed-breed. The small dogs are good for small children & can snuggle up gently with very ill children. The 2 huge, gentle shepherds are good for the children who can walk & play...the kids tumble over them & the dogs love it.

So there are places for all sized dogs in pet therapy. I guess your border collie would eventually be a middle-sized dog. I hope you find how to get into this volunteer work with your dog. A border collie would be so quick & clever to learn, too.

Pet therapy is very rewarding & can be done in a variety of settings. For example, our Angel's litter sister is a full-time pet therapy dog in a nursing home for the aged.
Best wishes.

[Daisy's Mom]

Hmmm what to vote for... I of course think my Basset Daisy is the best but I really can't decide if she id a big dog or a little one! She has a big dog body and head... but little dog legs! LOL I guess I will have to cast my vote for medium!

[bubbles]

both for me little dogs live longer

[*BaSim*]

me perspnally I like big dogs such as Rotties Pit Bull german shepherds dobermans and much more i feel safer with abig dog because they can protect you. little dogs are that strong ....... i feel really safe having Simba around me...

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*.:;BaSim;:.*