How do you deal with small dogs? Let’s Explore

Is Small Dog Syndrome Really a Thing?

This general term, Small Dog Syndrome, refers to small dogs who misbehave. Their small stature has allowed them to rule over people and other pets because, after all, they’re small. What damage can actually occur? Unfortunately, a lot.

Small Dog Syndrome is not a scientific term, but this phenomenon among small breeds carries some basic truths.

Some of the behaviors associated with Small Dog Syndrome are:

  • Not listening
  • Refuses to follow basic commands
  • Aggression and nipping/biting
  • Growls at people and other pets
  • Pushes ahead through doors
  • Doesn’t want to walk on leash
  • Whines for what they want
  • Begs for food
  • Jumps up on or over people
  • Gets on bed or furniture without being asked
  • There is no genetic reason behind these behaviors. Small Dog Syndrome emerges through these behaviors by being permitted or encouraged, rather than redirected into the desired behavior. The good news is that this “syndrome” is not inherited and it can be corrected. The bad news is that you have a bit of work ahead.

    Managing Aggressive and Dominant Behaviors

  • Question How do you stop a young, small dog from being aggressive to large dogs? Osama Maghawri Professional Dog Trainer Osama Maghawri is a Dog Trainer and Founder of OneStopK9, a dog training service in Miami, Florida. Osama utilizes balanced training methods to teach communication between owners and dogs. He specializes in basic obedience and behavioral issues such as resource guarding, fear-based aggression, and leash reactivity. Osama also helps owners understand the behaviors of their breed and how to continue training on their own in the future. Osama Maghawri Professional Dog Trainer Expert Answer Training your small dog while its young is the best way to prevent aggression and bad behavior later down the road.
  • Question How do you stop a small dog from being aggressive to large dogs? Osama Maghawri Professional Dog Trainer Osama Maghawri is a Dog Trainer and Founder of OneStopK9, a dog training service in Miami, Florida. Osama utilizes balanced training methods to teach communication between owners and dogs. He specializes in basic obedience and behavioral issues such as resource guarding, fear-based aggression, and leash reactivity. Osama also helps owners understand the behaviors of their breed and how to continue training on their own in the future. Osama Maghawri Professional Dog Trainer Expert Answer The key is to consistantly reward your dog for calm, friendly behavior and discourage aggressive behavior. For example, correct your dog when they start to bark or growl. Then, reward them once they become calm again. I highly encourage you to keep your small dog on a leash until theyre well trained so you can monitor their behavior.
  • Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

    translation missing: en.customer.login.title translation missing: en.customer.login.email translation missing: en.customer.login.password

    How do you deal with small dogs?

  • Does your dog rule the roost? She barks, you jump up to do her bidding. She knows shes in charge of the house and you follow her rules. By giving in to her every demand and not correcting any bad habits, youve given her the idea that its her way or the highway. Shes a little dictator who will bully every member of the family—human or animal—until she gets what she wants. At this point, she doesnt listen to the voice of reason (that should be you). Basically, youre walking on eggshells around your dog; the household revolves around what will keep her content and quiet.
  • Is she too good to walk? Why would she walk if she has you to carry her everywhere? Shes so cute and small, and youre afraid shell get hurt, so you scoop her up…and soon, she expects these travel arrangements. But even small dogs need to walk. Daily walks are great exercise for them because they are at risk of becoming overweight. Even an extra pound or two can put pressure on joints, organs and limbs, which leads to expensive medical bills, pain and suffering.
  • Does she bark at every dog she passes? The size of dog doesnt matter—your precious pooch turns into a snarling beast when another dog crosses her path. But the barking is a sign of an underlining issue—that shes unsure, anxious and insecure.
  • Does she growl, snap or jump on people? She could just exhibit one of these nasty habits, or all three. Its a sign of insecurity and shes compensating for her size. Again, this is another way shes showing you that shes stressed, threatened, confused, upset, intimidated, or nervous.
  • Does she beg for food? Okay, a lot of dogs are guilty of this one, but your small dog takes it to the next level. She will sit, stare, whine and cry until you give her whats on your plate. And on top of that, she may start ignoring her regular food in favor of your hand outs.
  • Does she pee all over the house? And this isnt just your house; its any house she visits. The floor, the couch, the walls, the bed—nothing is safe from her piddle practices. This isnt about housetraining; its about control and dominance. And shell do it everywhere—except outside.
  • The good news is that Small Dog Syndrome can be reversed with consistent and positive reinforcement training. I recommend working with a reward-based, gentle trainer, practicing correction techniques several times a day in a controlled area, and ensuring that your pooch partakes in plenty of daily exercise. She may not like the new pack order, but trust me—in the end, youll have a much happier and healthier little dog on your hands.

    Cesar Millan Controls a Small Dog with Big Attitude

    I was sitting in front of a coffee shop drinking an overpriced cappuccino with two friends. At the table next to us sat two women, one who had a Chihuahua with a red leather, rhinestone-studded collar. The dog hovered near her feet and paced back and forth to the extent that his leash would allow, acting in an excited and vigilant manner.

    The pavement next to the coffee shop had the usual collection of pedestrians, but when a young man wandered by with a large, mature Labrador Retriever, the Chihuahua became frantic—barking and lunging toward the bigger dog. The Lab slowed a bit to look at the tiny, noisy dog and then resumed his leisurely strolling pace as though nothing particularly interesting had happened. One of my friends leaned over to me and said in a low voice, “Another example of a yappy, frenzied small dog and a calm and reserved bigger one. It seems like it’s always the case.”

    My friend was expressing a commonly believed stereotype that suggests there are behavioral differences between larger and smaller dogs, with the small dogs being viewed as more excitable and anxious. Some research suggests there may be a bit of truth in the stereotype, with the most recent report coming from a research team headed by Christine Arhant from the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna.

    In this study, 1,276 surveys were gathered from dog owners. For the purposes of statistical analysis, the dogs were divided by size, arbitrarily classifying as big dogs those who were larger than 44 pounds and as small dogs those who were less than this weight. The data show three major behavioral differences between the small and large dogs whose owners were surveyed:

    These results seem to confirm the stereotypes about small dogs, namely that they are less obedient, and more excitable, scrappy, and skittish. However, the Austrian team of researchers next asked the question “Are these differences due to genetic factors or the way that small dogs are treated in comparison with large dogs?”