Small Dogs Are More Agressive

[Helly]

I'll bet this will go down a storm with the small dog owners. An american study but interesting reading all the same

 

Why a small dog is more likely to give you a nip than a Rottweiler

[Laurel n Hardy]

Di, my Cliffy has taken a chunk out of me, and twice bit my ex girlfriends daughter

 

He no longer does it, well maybe once (tried & failed) when he was in a real foul mood

and I tried to clip the lead of for a walk.

 

Bet when he was at yours last year he was good as flipping gold

 

I think the article is fairly accurate in respect of the size relating to bites though

 

btw for those who dont know Clifford, he is a bossy minature wirehaired daschund

[Helly]

Cliffy was an absolute darling when he was here last year. not a grump or growl out of him the whole time.

 

I think one very valid point though is that stats on dog bites are based on reported incidents and a larger dog could inflict more damage thus requireing treatment. I know from all my bites in this job, the majority have come from smaller dogs and have been treated at home. The last nasty bites needing treatment here were by a large x breed, a border collie and a gsd. the 20 or so smaller bites went unreported.

[estweyn]

I think some of the problem is that some uninformed owners with small breeds seem to think it amusing that their little dog will take on the world, then when the little dear starts to bite folk the problem has gone too far.

 

If it was a bigger dog doing the snapping and snarling it would be given appropriate training at an earlier stage (either that or the owners would dump it in rescue for someone else to sort out )

[celeste]

I think some of the problem is that some uninformed owners with small breeds seem to think it amusing that their little dog will take on the world, then when the little dear starts to bite folk the problem has gone too far.

 

If it was a bigger dog doing the snapping and snarling it would be given appropriate training at an earlier stage (either that or the owners would dump it in rescue for someone else to sort out )

 

Couldn't agree more.

[Rileyroo]

I think some of the problem is that some uninformed owners with small breeds seem to think it amusing that their little dog will take on the world, then when the little dear starts to bite folk the problem has gone too far.

 

If it was a bigger dog doing the snapping and snarling it would be given appropriate training at an earlier stage (either that or the owners would dump it in rescue for someone else to sort out )

 

I remember at Bowood show last year, the winner of the Dog of the Year competition was a Yorkie who'd taken a chunk out of a bloke who'd tried to rob his little old lady owner. While I can see the 'brave dog defending its owner' thing, I also bet that had the Yorkie been a Staffy or a Rottie then it would have been an entirely different story and no way would it have won!

[ranirottie]

I think that a lot of small dogs are babied, not trained or reprimanded and are allowed their own way a lot and that is why they bite because they are spoiled. You simply would not tolerate the same behaviour from a bigger dog. I am sooooo glad that rotties are way down he list. But I also think individual temperament has an awful lot to do with it. Dogs of the same breed can vastly vary in their temperament so one could be snappy and yappy and one could be laid back and easy going. Again I think its Deed not Breed. x

[boosboss]

Mine can be a bit snappy sometimes, but despite them being small dogs I jump on them at the first sign of aggression. Their size makes no difference to me. Snapping or growling is a no-no.

It's not just some owners that think it's funny though. I've had people saying "Oh it's OK" when Gyp's had a go at them and I'm chastising her. Well it's not OK, if it came to legalities the size of the dog has no relevance.

[yena]

I've got a JRT and a Yorkie/poo don't think they are more likely to bite than my others. Personally I think it now they are taught and not what breed they are.

[GoldenOldie]

I think that a lot of small dogs are babied, not trained or reprimanded and are allowed their own way a lot and that is why they bite because they are spoiled. You simply would not tolerate the same behaviour from a bigger dog. I am sooooo glad that rotties are way down he list. But I also think individual temperament has an awful lot to do with it. Dogs of the same breed can vastly vary in their temperament so one could be snappy and yappy and one could be laid back and easy going. Again I think its Deed not Breed. x

Couldn't agree more. I don't currently have any littlies but until last year had never less than 2 or 3, all of which lived to ripe old ages, all rescues. They were always exercised daily, off lead and with my other dogs, medium to large! People either don't know or realise that most of the small breeds, if not all, are working or hunting dogs and need as much mental stimulation and exercise (size appropiate!) as the larger breeds.

Dachsies are very intelligent and strong willed dogs and are challenging to train but are certainly top of my favourite list . People sadly treat littlies as 'handbag' dogs and they become frustrated and bored which fosters behaviour problems; I think this will become evident from the High School Musical films in which a lead character carries a chihuahua around in a trendy bag like an accessory.

[Mrs Mop]

It is too easy to pick a small dog up to control it than train it, it doesn't matter if the dog likes being picked up or not. Many small dogs bite because they don't like being picked up but owners insist on doing it.

 

On the rare occasions I needed to pick Gracie up when she came, usually to put on the vet's table, she would bite, now she can't get picked up quick enough to be carried up and down stairs It is only since she has got older and has problems that she is carried up and down stairs and it was on vets advice.

[suzeanna]

I think its down to the individual dog. I brought up and trained all my pomeranians exactly the same way, but the smallest, my little shadow Misty, would snap at anyone except me who tried to stroke her or pick her up. It always made me smile when we were walking her and our dobe..people would avoid the dobe, who loved being made a fuss of and was very disappointed when she was ignored, and try to fuss Misty, who loathed it and tried to take their fingers off! she even used to go for my OH if he had the cheek to remove her from his chair/pillow whatever, much to his annoyance. Yes, he did tell her off and tap her, which only made her worse. It was a happy day for him when the last of her teeth fell out

[EAD]

Owning both a westie & rottie/dobie x I wont tolerate naughtyness from either of them now.

 

Lily (westie) was spoilt as a puppy and let away with more whereas I was strictish with Kyla from day one and she will certainly listen better to me now.

[BillyMalc]

Replied to article:

Interesting article, but WHY does this have a cute drawing of a Dachsie as an illustration? Surely in line with the Daily Mail's previous reports about "dangerous dogs" this should have featured a snarling Dachsie/Chihuahua, foaming at the mouth? Or is the Daily Mail of the same opinion as all those people who have got bad mannered small dogs, because they think that "they are so cute and wouldn't hurt anyone" (and thus do not need training and socialising!)! My vet told me that the only time she was seriously bitten it was a JRT, NOT a Rottweiler, Dobermann or Staff.

It's like so many people have already said: no matter what breed of dog you have, their behaviour is a reflection of YOUR qualities as an owner. If YOU don't train and socialise your dog well YOU will create a dog that is a potential danger, regardless of their size! It's not the dogs that are dangerous, it's their ignorant owners with a bad attitude.

[Pingu]

an interesting observation I made last night at agility.

 

in the class were 3 rotties several BCs and a couple of cavs

 

one cav was yaping all the time and the owner seemed oblivious

 

some of the BCs were doing what BCs do and getting hyped and all excited. some of the owners were keeping an eye on their dogs but others just seemed to think it was funny and did nothing

 

all 3 rottie owners were watching their dogs and correcting them if they got out of hand at all.

 

which to me says its a lot to do with the handler\owners attitude.