Hi everyone... ok now I know this is a working dog forum but I really didnt know who else to ask for oppinions <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> . I was inquiring about a little dog I seen at my cities dog pound web page. The dog is a chihuahua that isnt up for adoption yet since they have to wait for owners to claim it and tempermant test it etc. So I called to get more info like when the dog will be up for adoption. They said they couldnt give me and exact day other than it would be well into next week before they knew whether it passes the test etc. The lady did warn me that most of the little breeds they get are vicious. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> In fact she said they come across alot of "mean little critters" compared to all the large breed dog s they get.

So my question is why is it that it seems little dogs are so "mean" or"unfriendly" or not "famliy suitable"....at least pound puppies that is. Im not talking from a breeder.

I was really interested in JRTs but all the ones I have found in shelters say that they arent good with children. So since it doesnt look like Ill be getting a JRT then I was leaning more towards a chihuahua or poodle type.

We fell in love with my Mother in Laws Chihuahua and would like to get a little lap dog for in the house. But I also dont want to pay $300 for a pound puppy or rescue. Thats a little steep for me. Im leaning more towards the pound since they arent a No Kill shelter and I see poor puppy faces dissappearing off the web page. So even though I know shelter and rescue dogs need a home too I'd rather get one from the pound before its put to sleep.

So can anyone shed some light on this? I know the little dogs may have been abused etc... but so may the large breeds. Why does it seem that smaller dogs are harder to find in a rescue that arent aggressive or bad with children? I even went to petfinder.com and alot of small dogs came up and ALOT were also metioned not to go to a home with children.

Any ideas?

I think the reason so many little dogs have aggressive problems and aren't good with children is that people think because they are little so the same rules don't apply as with big dogs. They are afraid their kids are going to get bit by big dogs and so they get a small breed. Unfortunatly, small dogs bite just as much or more, I think. No one ever hears about it because they don't maul people's faces off or cause casualties like large dogs are capable of. I think they are prone to biting more because
1)their pain threshold may be lower since they are smaller and more delicate, which would cause them to bite rough children
2) they have small dog mentality- More easily threatened and caused to defend themselves because of their size. Intimidated more easily.
3)people are more prone to train a large dog to prevent it from being uncontrollable when it reaches 100 lb and to be good with the family.
4)Training helps to prevent and control dominance, tempermant problems, and aggression. People might think these probelms don't affect small breeds- but they do just the same as large breeds. If they don't train and socialize, thy end up with a dog who is bad with kids, bites and thinks they are the pack leader.
Come to think of it, I have worked mostly around large dogs and I have never been bitten by a large dog, though I have had my hand and arms ripped open badly by several very small dogs(poodle, a chih, cocker spaniel, shih-tzu). Their owners treated them like stuffed animals with no discipline or training.

I don't think there would be as many problem small dogs if they would put them down. When we took my husband's dog to puppy school there was a toy dog in the class. The dog was seriously pissed when he was expected to walk on the floor. It's hard for a dog to know his place when people don't let him act like a dog.

hahaha "put them down" - my first thought was "isnt euthenizing them because they are small a lil harsh?".

Yanno, it was not even a week ago when I made the comment to a friend of mine with a 116lb 10 month old Great Dane ... "It's so weird to me when I see people pick up their kick dogs". When I walk down the street with Cujo, some small dogs start pulling and barking - so what do the owners do? They pick the dog up, and its something I am so unaccustomed to that its almost amusing to me.

I echo the above...

People think that small dogs automatically learn to be tiny pieces of furniture, They do not realize that the same pack and dominance issues apply to small dogs as any other size dog. Small dogs are not trained, they are spoiled, treated like humans, and the result is a dominant little beast without manners. I saw the same thing in my sister's daughter - behavior people thought was cute when she was 2 (small and cuddly little girl) was reinforced by adults. The exact same behavior when she was seven was considered obnoxious. The result was a confused, spoiled, tantrum throwing little girl, who could not understand why people no longer laughed at the "cute" things she was doing. Dogs that are raised wrong when they are puppies (or not raised at all) end up being tantrum throwers, and dogs throw tantrums with their teeth. Small dogs seem to fall into this pattern more often than large breed dogs, because they are *really* small and cute to begin with (if you find that cute). It is a pity, but a reality.

Agreed, as well, on the above.
Another good reason small and toy breeds are snotty little tyrants? People pick them up and carry them on their level, all the time, and then wonder why little Fifi is a dominant little crumbsnatcher <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />.

And Jeff, do you notice that people with well behaved dogs generally have well behaved children as well <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />?

Laura- I totally agree with your comparision!

Chastity,
Alot of the time some of the nicer dogs, big and little that are brought into the shelter and gone quickly. Often before their picture and description even make to say...Petfinder. Sometimes it just being in the right place at the right time. An elderly neigbor of mine who is nuts about dogs, had a hard time finding the right match. Granted, she was a bit picky (thats OK) But she went to the shelter several times a week. Finally a real cute JRT mix came in, they called her, she stopped in, and she now has the dog.
Yes, the shelters are full of nice dogs who never had the benefit of discipline, structure and socialization. Its just "too much work" for the average schmoe, to do right by their dog during the formative months, the shelters seem to have alot of adolescent and young dogs, esp males. I know, I adopted a dog about 8mos ago. She sat in the shelter for several months, and was a wreck in there. She could not go to an active home with kids. Needless to say, I'm learning alot about an unsocialized dog, she has some "baggage." Its been alot of work, but the rewards are so worth it!!

Good Luck and please do consider adopting a homeless pet.

Regards,

Linda

I will deffinately adopt froma shelter or pound... just waiting for the right one. My mother in Laws Chihuahua that she adopted from the shelter is a father now. The female stray he was with (a JRT) was pregnant and had puppies so Im looking into finding out more about her and if shes not suitable for my family then maybe one of the puppies. The Vet where they are said they would go up for adoption in about 4 weeks. So in the mean time I will keep my eyes open at the local pound and shelters.

Heres a question though... what will be the best way to introduce a new dog/puppy to the exhisting pets? Kane (GSD) had showed some dog aggression there for a while at the training club where I go and me and my trainer quickly nailed that in the bud. He behaves fine when we train. Then my Mother in Law brought her Chihuahua over and hes a fiesty little thing. He barked and raised hell at the sliding glass door and Kane reacted with barking aggressivly back.So I went out there with a prong and made sure he realized that wasnt exceptable. He quickly settled down and everytime the little yapper would come to the door and bark he would look up at me for approval. I then leashed both and brough Kane in the house and the whole time the Chihuahuha yapped and Kane behaved very well ignoring him. My question is did I handle this right? Obviously the Chihuahua wasnt mine to correct but otherwise?
I know I could handle the same situation again if that were to happen but what about outside potty time? I know they will need to be saparated and all that good stuff and that fine but sometimes when a puppy has to go it has to go now and I may not have time to take kane and lock him up. Who should be on the leash? Kane or the new dog? I mean Ive watched Caesar Milan and Ive seen how he makes the more aggressive dog stand there while other dogs check him/her out. Is that the approach I should take? Should I have Kane on a prong and make sure he pays no mind to the dog/pup? That way if he does I can correct him? My main concern is with the new dog being so much smaller than Kane. Any advice or idea would be great. I dont have a new dog yet but the more I can prepare ahead of time the better! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />