It all depends on what we consider trouble. For me, for example, neither a ton of sand and mud brought home after each walk nor the incredible amount of hair lost throughout the year (both of these charms are typical for, e.g. long-haired German shepherds) is a problem. On the other hand, it would be worse for me to care for a micro dog – I would have to be too precise. When feeding a sheepdog – I throw a cup of food. 10 peas, more or less, do not make much difference. Meanwhile, for a york, these 10 peas are almost a day’s dose of food! When I’m in a hurry, I can reward a large dog with a piece of something I’ve just picked up from the fridge. For a chihuahua, it is necessary to grind the food and serve it carefully. Then, when my sheepdog doesn’t catch the dog cookie thrown for him – I can show it to him because I see it! The mini cookie for a micro dog would be hard to find on a colourful carpet.
Of course, it’s all a matter of habits. It is true that there were always big dogs in my family home. However, it would be tiring for me to be careful not to hurt the Min Pin accidentally. After all, the trauma of such a baby is much more significant.
My problem would also be barking. Firstly: quantity (smaller dogs are often barking more than large ones, although not all of them), and second and more important to me: the sound. The barking of a small dog is much more tiring for me than the barking of the big one — the high-pitched, drilling sound drills into my brain. I am fine with dealing with my clients’ micro dogs. Two hours a day, it’s not a problem. But I certainly wouldn’t risk that such a sound would wake me up on Sunday morning…
Of course, something different is important for everyone. That is why carefully selecting a dog for a specific person or family is so important.
I do not deny that there are situations when the small size of the dog actually makes life easier.
– Certainly, a small dog is less expensive to maintain – you will definitely have to spend less on both food and treatment (the dose of drugs is converted into a kilogram of body weight);
– Certainly, travelling with a small dog is easier: transporting it is not a problem – it will fit on your lap. Bernardine, for a change, occupies the entire trunk of a small car and almost the whole medium one. It is also much easier to get permission to come to a rented cottage with a Pin Min than a Doberman. Even if both are Pinschers.
– It also comes to my mind that a small dog brings less sand and mud into the house. Well… If we compare the two pinschers mentioned above, it will be accurate. If, on the other hand, we compare the Pekingese with the Dalmatian, it’s not necessarily true anymore. With the long coat of a “low-floor” dog, the mud sticks sensationally 😉
Further points favour that a small dog is a less troublesome result – unfortunately – primarily because it is more convenient for a man to ignore a small dog’s needs than a large one. I wrote about this years ago on the blog “MÓJ KUMPEL PIES, czyli MÓJ PIES KUMPEL” (“MY BUDDY DOG, or MY DOG BUDDY”.)
I pasted its fragment (translated into English, obviously) below.
It is said that:
– “a small dog is easier to control” – you can always take it in your hands in case of trouble, and the problem is solved. If it did not want to go where a man decided to go, everyone could pull him to the “right” track by force. If you approach it this way, disagreeing is challenging. It is easier to drag a york somewhere than a rottweiler forcibly. However, it seems sad to me if the walk consists mainly of forcibly dragging the dog along a route planned by a man. After all, a dog goes out for a walk not only to do its toilet but also to meet another dog and, above all, to sniff, sniff and sniff. A quick ten-minute walks three times a day is a substitute. It can not satisfy the dog’s needs.
Let’s add that some micro dog owners never, or rarely, let their pets off the leash. Why? Because it’s easier… Of course, the official explanation will be: “because he doesn’t come back when I call him”, “because I’m afraid that he will get hit by the car”, or “because I love him very much and I’m afraid that some other dog will hurt him”, etc. It seems to me that the problem results from the lack of awareness of how important a part of a dog’s life is walking and free sniffing. The second reason is our human laziness.
After all, it is possible to teach a york or a miniature schnauzer to return to the summoning. They are very clever dogs. It’s just that training takes time and consistency. It is easier to fasten the leash and pull harder if necessary (which, in the case of micro dogs, does not require any effort).
– “A small dog does not have to run as much, so walks can be shorter.”
It is a colossal mistake if someone thinks that the dog’s size determines its need for movement. For example, a huge St. Bernard dog is unsuitable for long hikes or crazy runs with his colleagues. When he reaches two years old, he will probably be sedated and slow, although he will feel like running from time to time, just for a while.
Meanwhile, Jack Russell Terrier is a small but full-of-energy dog. If we do not allow him to run, to sniff, we do not give him the opportunity to work – we are in real trouble! Jack led all his life on a leash, will probably start stealing various objects, digging up the garden, destroying the apartment when home alone (it will have nothing to do with separation anxiety), barking at everything that moves, chasing cyclists, runners, birds, etc., eating any rubbish found, etc. Of course, it is unlikely that the lack of decent walks will cause all these behaviours altogether. Jack will choose one or two of them, but I assure you it will be enough to disturb the caregivers’ peace effectively.
– When we think of an aggressive dog, the first thing that comes to mind is usually large breeds. That may be why we believe that all little dogs are cute angels. It is not true that small dogs do not show aggressive behaviour. It’s just that it’s easier to ignore them. If the Doberman jerks on a leash and barks at people he passes, he will quickly become a terror of the street. If the york behaves exactly the same way, no one will pay special attention to it. It will not be pleasant if you get bitten by your friend’s Dachshund, but great harm is unlikely to happen to you. It is different if you get bitten by a larger dog, e.g. a Dalmatian.
Does this mean that Dalmatians are more aggressive than Dachshunds? No. It only means that the small dog’s problem is easier for us to underestimate. I wrote “dog’s problem” because aggression – in the vast majority of cases – is caused by the fear felt by the dog!
Shortly: if a small dog is less troublesome, it is only because it is easier for a person to ignore a small dog’s problems than the problems of a large one.
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