Size does matter

Duane has emailed me twice complaining that I am not being fair to big dogs. However his main argument is to insult little dogs and their owners.

My problem is not with big dogs. I love big dogs. My problem is with people who think it would be neat to own a really big dog and then they go out and get a large breed with no realistic idea of what they are getting into.

It’s kind of like buying the biggest muscle car except a car doesn’t need to be exercised regularly or taught to be a good citizen.

Any responsible breeder or owner of a large dog breed would agree with me. They don’t want a dog to be bought by someone who would give their breed a bad reputation.

I’m not sure what your problem is, Duane. Personally, when I see a man walking a small dog, I think “Confident, sexy, secure, not trying to compensate or impress.”

Choosing a dog. A dog should not be chosen to impress other people. One of the greatest things about choosing a dog is that we can research and select from a wide variety of sizes, intelligence, breeds, temperaments, and genetics to fit our personalities and lifestyles.

When the children were young, we had an Old English Sheepdog named Schopenhauer. We did a lot of hiking and exploring then. Many hunting dogs would have been off on their own little adventures, but the herding instincts of the OES meant that Schopi circled her flock on the trail to protect us and keep us together.

If one of us got ahead of the others, she would perform an illegal block to the back of the knees to slow us down. A judicious and well-aimed goose to the rear with her nose kept children from trailing behind.

At this point of my life I find it easier to maintain my alpha dogdom when I can physically pick up a dog (or loom over it) at the time of transgression, look it in the eyes and explain in logical terms why that behavior pattern is not acceptable (I do prefer dogs with strong verbal skills). Since I weigh 110 pounds (almost) I’m kind of limited in the size of dogs I can actually pick up (or loom over).

And since most of us have little need to hunt lions or defend our dwelling from conquering hoards of barbarians, we may not need a dog that has been bred to do these things.

Size does matter. More to people than to dogs. Many small dogs picture themselves as fearless guard dogs and many big dogs see themselves as cuddly lap dogs.

Comments

[threecollie]

Good post Jan, an ill fitting dog is a sad thing and they are simply not one size fits all. I love my medium-sized smart guys but there are advantages to every breed.

[Denny]

I think you’ve got it properly analyzed. It’s like guys who have a jacked-up diesel pick-up with monster tires. They’re suffering from an insecurity called penis envy.

[Sam]

We all know guys like Duane, pretty pathetic. I am the proud owner of two Poms and wouldnt trade them for any breed.

[schnoodlepooh]

The sad thing about many large dogs is that they don't live very long. I think that the lifespan of a great dane is 8 - 10 years. I'm hoping to get 15 good years out of my standard poodles. And you know something, I can lift them too (up to the grooming table).

[jackie]

I see some muscled up guy with wife beater t-shirt and a pit bull dog with a spiked collar..the first thing i think of is:little penis...

[Elizabeth]

I agree with jackie and denny. I think Duane must have a teeny weiny.

[Faith]

I love large dogs in fact I prefer them over small dogs (it's a personal preference nothing wrong with small dogs at all) AND I absolutely agree with you.

Too many people (coughguyscough) go out and buy a big dog to look macho and cool then don't know what the heck to do with them.

It's sad.

[teetotaled]

Big or small, you have to be devoted to training and loving your dog. You are right, people really need to take more consideration when choosing a dog so they end up with the right fit for them and the dog! :-)

[sheila]

Your point about size is well stated. I'm thinking about getting another dog but I tend to like English Springer Spaniels and will probably find one of these if I can.

[chandira]

Exactly.. I knew a Great Dane that would sit in my lap like a baby, he was no macho dog.. lol The most licky soft girlie-dog ever. And you try giving a Dachshund any crap! Then you'll see what smaller dogs are capable of! Yikes.

Dogs are like cars in the way men behave around them sometimes. Trouble is, us women see right through that one. ;-) Robert thinks nothing of walking his step daughter's fluffy Papillons! There's a real man.

[Coll]

The other day at the dog park my girl friend and I met this very large guy walking with his very small pug, named Daisy. It was obvious that this man loved and was very proud of this little dog. It was also obvious that this little dog had no idea that she was a little dog. She trotted along with the best of them. After my friend and I left them to continue on our walk we both commented on the man's attitude and how very attractive it was. If more men realized just how impressed woman can be by this kind and unpretentious attitude.. a lot more men would be walking little dogs. :-)

[Matt]

It takes a strong person to handle a big dog. I was at a dog expo, and someone had a Great Dane that came up the their chest. The dog was of course excited about the new environment and wanted to run around and explore. Unfortunately, the dog's owner wasn't strong enough to hold the dog back, and the dog knocked over several displays.

[pam]

I'm not sure why commenters here are dissing Duane for expressing his preference.

I do happen to prefer small dogs now. Schopi was the last large dog in my life. I loved her, but she was much more eccentric than other dogs I've ever known. In summer, her favorite place to sleep in the house was ... the bathtub. It must have been the single coolest nap spot. I remember one of the kids' chores was cleaning that bathtub, which got so muddy from her fur.

[George]

I don't know Jan. Teeny weeny wieny, maybe. All of my dogs have been smaller dogs, but not small dogs.

Anyway, most of my dog experience is with the small to midsize dogs. A lot of the TWW label has to do with the person making the assessment. The new Chihuahua next door yips at us constantly. That is OK I guess, but does get tiresome. I know that it is never going to get used to us and stop. The larger black dog (breed unknown to me) and the white toy poodle on the other side of me may bark at us from time to time, but do stop as soon as they recognize us as the friendly family next door. My dog I had when I was a little boy (queenie) was part spitz the veterinarian said one of the few times she ever got to go to a Vet. The dogs that we adopted when we were first married were Sam, a part beagle who didn't really have beagle ears and Sally, who was part terrier were also medium to small dogs with Sally being the smallest. Later our youngest daughter Malinda started with true beagles although not registered or anything fancy like that. First there was (can't remember her name - senior moment) who got hit by a car and now resides in our pet cemetery in our back yard. She was followed by Max and Erma. Max also got hit by a car, but Erma is still with us although she lives with our Malinda these days. I may have had a point when I started, but I am sure that I will never remember what it was. Once again, I find myself lost in the details.

[PennyMichelle]

Yes, I worked in a pet store on weekend promoting higher end dog food, and would talk to people about their pets - did they know what they had gotten themselves in for? it was amazing to me how many people did NOT do ANY kind of research before purchasing their dogs!!! people always comment on how beautiful and adorable my babydog is, and i tell them it's true, he is the most wonderful dog in the world, but unless you are prepared to make walking for at least a half hour in the morning and nights part of your daily lifestyle, forget it!! get a pom!! anyway, yes, good points and everyone should make their pet decisions based on the type of breed needs!!
yaaaay! i love your blog!!!

[Jan Parrish]

Jan, Love your blog. I am looking into getting a dog and have been researching. I have two obsticles, the first is a MIL who has a bad hip so I'd like a smaller dog that wouldn't be able to knock her over if he jumped on her. The second is that I have allergies but am willing to get allergy shots to overcome this. We have a good size house and yard but not tons of time to walk a dog twice a day. What type of dog do you recommend?

[jan]

In case anyone thinks I am rude, I emailed a lengthy reply to the commenter about choosing a dog.

[Steve Bartlett]

I have a 9-pound Eskipoo and an 80-lb black Lab. Does that make me confused?