Small dogs don’t have a ‘syndrome’ They need our help.
I love ALL breeds of dogs but I have a particular fondness for the little ones. I find what they lack in stature, they make up for in character and mischief!
Iʼm a dog trainer and an owner of a small Jack Russell called Kiri and a Chihuahua Mix called Bo.
A few years ago I fostered a couple of other small dogs. One of them, Charlie, was a Chinese Crested/Pomeranian mix who was a lovely little dog but suffered with some anxiety issues that I helped resolve over time. Both Charlie and my Chihuahua mix Bo had what many people would describe as ‘Small Dog Syndromeʼ when they first arrived.
‘Small Dog Syndrome’ is a collective name given to a group of behaviours exhibited by little dogs.
* Growling, lunging and snapping at people when approached.
* Barking at and chasing away larger dogs.
* Wanting to be picked up for safety, get up high or hide.
The thing is, I passionately believe ‘Small Dog Syndrome does not exist.
Here’s why.
Any breed of dog, regardless of size can exhibit these behaviours if they feel under threat.
Any breed of dog regardless of size can exhibit these behaviours if they feel under threat, unsure or frightened.
Just imagine for a few moments you are 10 inches tall, (about the height of a chihuahua).
The world would be an incredibly intimidating place.
If you are small then you ARE vulnerable. The odds of being injured or even killed are very real.
Imagine a 30kg adolescent Labrador lolloping over to rough play for example. One playful swipe of a paw or an innocent body slam and you could end up on the Vets operating table. Its no joke.
Everything is huge! Everything.
People, other dogs, objects, traffic. These are all extremely overwhelming.
The other big point here is that being small & fluffy gets you NOTICED by humans. Many well-meaning strangers may think they have the right to reach out and touch you without consent.
This can be weird and scary.
Added to this, people often think that they can do ‘stuffʼ to you whenever they please.
There are minimal consequences. Let’s face it, being ‘air snapped’ at by a 2kg Chihuahua is more likely to evoke laughter by many people versus a 40kg German Shepherd.
Now THAT is a serious incident.
The emotion behind the snap is the same but one is taken seriously. The other, not so much.
So, what is it that makes people want to approach small dogs, invade their space and pet them?
The Cute Factor. Our instinct tells us to reach out and touch.
As primates, our instinct is to want to reach out and grab, hug and squeeze anything that we find attractive. In general, we are very tactile and find touch a positive thing.
Canids (dogs) on the other hand, are not. Touch is very often linked with conflict and if you notice two dogs greeting, they are very ‘paws off’
Its a wonder that we co-exist successfully at all with this communication breakdown between the two species, but we seem to have made it work for thousands of years!
Let’s take breeds in the Toy Group for example.
Many of the breeds we know today were originally selected and bred to be companion animals for nobility.
The little dogs purpose was to sit on laps and accompany the ladies in grand houses or at court.
‘Lap dogsʼ
The Cavalier King Charles is one such breed. Think Queen Victoria and her beloved Cavalier ‘Dashʼ
Throughout this process, dogs were selectively bred for their size, the smaller the better, and along with this, their features became more and more pronounced. The large forehead, big eyes, short limbs, the little waddle.
The sole purpose of these dogs was to look ‘cute and baby-like. And as humans, we find babies hard to resist!
In a study conducted in 2015 at Yale University, psychologist Oriana Aragon and her team found that some people who show higher positive emotional responses to pictures of babies also ‘displayed stronger aggressive expressions’ – think people who want to reach out and squeeze babies cheeks!
Small dogs are not mean, nasty, spoilt or stupid. Small dogs live in a land of GIANTS and sometimes struggle to cope. They try to protect themselves the only way they know how.
Here’s how you can help your small dog feel safer.
- Get down to their level for a few seconds. See what they see.
You won’t feel stupid I promise! Try and imagine what its like to feel literally inches tall.
2. Keep them away from things that scare them or trigger reactivity such as large dogs. The biggest thing you can do for them is advocate for them. Be their Hero.
Don’t walk into trouble.
Move and increase distance if you see anything up ahead that may potentially be scary or overwhelming.
3. Its okay to pick your small dog up out of harm’s way if they have been taught that picking up is a GOOD thing.
Don’t listen to that person in the park that says your dog is spoilt or that you molly coddle your dog. Picking your dog up could save them from injury or worse.
Tell that person No. Not today.
Be polite but straight to the point with strangers who want to touch your dog.
Tell them NO. Not today. Don’t let people randomly touch your dog, either when on the ground or in your arms.
They have NO right to do this.
4. Learn to look for signs that your dog is feeling uncomfortable.
Lip licks, tongue flicks, lifting one paw, turning head away from something such as a hand, or randomly yawning.
These are all subtle signs that your dog is uncomfortable or unsure.
5. Training. Enlist the help of a force-free trainer or behaviourist if you have any concerns at all.The tiny ones need training too! Many of them are little superstars and love to work!
Small dogs are ‘different’ than larger dogs and they do need our protection.
However, this does not mean we are spoiling or babying them.
Small dogs don’t have a syndrome. They need our help. They are special little souls so let’s try to understand them a bit more!
