big dogs....little dogs...
- Thread starter hsnepp
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Shouldn’t the pros & cons be obvious, heh?
I never really been attracted to small dogs for my personal household because little dogs that bark relentlessly thinking they are the baddest dog in town kind of annoys me. I just want my Rottie to chump on their little heads, bwahahaha. Anyways, little dogs seem so much more into cuddling. I love my girlfriend’s dachshund, he cuddles a lot! He kind of reminds me of seal with his short stubby legs, I can outrun the litte guy.
I never really been attracted to small dogs for my personal household because little dogs that bark relentlessly thinking they are the baddest dog in town kind of annoys me. I just want my Rottie to chump on their little heads, bwahahaha. Anyways, little dogs seem so much more into cuddling. I love my girlfriend’s dachshund, he cuddles a lot! He kind of reminds me of seal with his short stubby legs, I can outrun the litte guy.
i grew up with great danes and due to that worked predominantly with large and giant breed dogs while volunteering at a shelter. i was part of a group who trained dogs in basic obedience before they were adopted out, which increased their chances of finding a new home.
after my first own dog died, i was "dogless" for a while and mulled over a short list of large breeds for my next pick. it didn't come to that, since about 6 months later i found an abandoned 8 week old wirehaired dachshund and kept her. she was tiny as a puppy and topped out at 20 pounds as an adult - about 1/5 of the size of the dogs i was used to.
had anyone asked me if i ever wanted a small dog before i got her, i would have laughed in their face. now i know better. she was from german working lines and had a terrific personality but despite her high drive she was well behaved.
all i can say is look for the proper temperament that you want in a dog and socialize and train it properly. a small dog doesn't have to be a neurotic, nervous, yapping annoyance just like not every large breed is automatically mellow, stable and quiet.
make a list of what you expect from a dog and what you want to do with your life. don't just pick a breed for looks.
when i was looking for a new dog 4 years ago, i had completely different requirements from my previous dogs. i used to live in fairly rural areas of germany, with few restrictions on where you could take your dog, exercise off leash and so on.
now i live in L.A. and own a house, but my back yard is fairly small so i find it unfair to have a dog who is too large to feel comfortable. i also own 5 cats, so a dog who wouldn't be able to coexist with them peacefully is out of the question. in my free time i like to go camping and on road trips, another area where size is important - i want the dog to be able to travel in the car comfortably and many hotels and motels only allow dogs of around 25 pounds or smaller.
the dog i ended up adopting fits all my requirements to a T and he topped out at 30 pounds. even tho going strictly by taste i prefer large dogs, he is perfect for my current situation.
as i have gotten involved with different breeds of different sizes in the past 25 years, i can appreciate them all for their different traits and personalities. my "list of breeds i'd like to own at some point" ranges from small (i'm a huge terrier fan, especially jack russell, border and german hunting terrier) to giant (giant schnauzer, black russian terrier, irish wolfhound, mastiff), but my first determination will always be what kind of living condition i can offer them and how fair it is to the dog.
last but not least, keep in mind that the larger the dog, the more you will automatically pay for everything: food, care, veterinary costs etc.
after my first own dog died, i was "dogless" for a while and mulled over a short list of large breeds for my next pick. it didn't come to that, since about 6 months later i found an abandoned 8 week old wirehaired dachshund and kept her. she was tiny as a puppy and topped out at 20 pounds as an adult - about 1/5 of the size of the dogs i was used to.
had anyone asked me if i ever wanted a small dog before i got her, i would have laughed in their face. now i know better. she was from german working lines and had a terrific personality but despite her high drive she was well behaved.
all i can say is look for the proper temperament that you want in a dog and socialize and train it properly. a small dog doesn't have to be a neurotic, nervous, yapping annoyance just like not every large breed is automatically mellow, stable and quiet.
make a list of what you expect from a dog and what you want to do with your life. don't just pick a breed for looks.
when i was looking for a new dog 4 years ago, i had completely different requirements from my previous dogs. i used to live in fairly rural areas of germany, with few restrictions on where you could take your dog, exercise off leash and so on.
now i live in L.A. and own a house, but my back yard is fairly small so i find it unfair to have a dog who is too large to feel comfortable. i also own 5 cats, so a dog who wouldn't be able to coexist with them peacefully is out of the question. in my free time i like to go camping and on road trips, another area where size is important - i want the dog to be able to travel in the car comfortably and many hotels and motels only allow dogs of around 25 pounds or smaller.
the dog i ended up adopting fits all my requirements to a T and he topped out at 30 pounds. even tho going strictly by taste i prefer large dogs, he is perfect for my current situation.
as i have gotten involved with different breeds of different sizes in the past 25 years, i can appreciate them all for their different traits and personalities. my "list of breeds i'd like to own at some point" ranges from small (i'm a huge terrier fan, especially jack russell, border and german hunting terrier) to giant (giant schnauzer, black russian terrier, irish wolfhound, mastiff), but my first determination will always be what kind of living condition i can offer them and how fair it is to the dog.
last but not least, keep in mind that the larger the dog, the more you will automatically pay for everything: food, care, veterinary costs etc.
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I had always had big dogs, 2 Boxers and a Rottie (who was enormous) and was never that 'into' small dogs. Because the house we live in now has a very small garden I thought it unfair to have a big dog, so opted for a small dog, and have never looked back. She is not at all yappy or neurotic, and is everything that my big dogs ever were, just in a smaller body. Because she is so compact she comes everywhere, and I mean everywhere with us, and to be honest I don't know that I would own a big dog again. BTW, she is a French Bulldog and is a perfect size and character.
I agree with Mordy and frenchboxer. The first thing to consider (IMO) is 1) the space you have to offer you new pet . The reason I say this is that it will directly affect ( or should) your choice of dog.
I love big dogs too but at the moment my backyard is small and couldn't accomodate a large breed, sooo when I did get a dog I chose my boy - Cocker Spaniel.
He is happy with the area provided, he is not noisy at all and for me is the most loving companion.
In any event , alot depends on what you have to offer the new member of the family.
I love big dogs too but at the moment my backyard is small and couldn't accomodate a large breed, sooo when I did get a dog I chose my boy - Cocker Spaniel.
He is happy with the area provided, he is not noisy at all and for me is the most loving companion.
In any event , alot depends on what you have to offer the new member of the family.
I am a big dog person, without a doubt. When picking a dog, it is important to consider the size of your house and yard. But I think it's more important to consider the dog's energy level. For instance, a great dane is a better apartment dog than a Jack Russell terrier.
Here are a few pros and cons. These are just generalizations; there are always exceptions, and each breed is different.
Big dog pros:
-A better deterrant/protector.
-Can be safer to have around children (active children are much less likely to hurt a big dog)
-Are generally more people-oriented; can be more accepting of strangers.
-Are generally better at obedience. Most large dogs are working dogs, bred to interact closely and take direction from people.
Big dog cons:
-More expensive to medicated, feed and board.
-Must be obedience trained/have good manners. You can't always have physical control of a 150 lb dog, so training is a must.
-Usually have a shorter lifespan.
-Generally need more exercise.
-Stay in the destructive puppy/adolescent stage for much longer than small dogs. Small dogs are generally mature by 1 year, some large dogs aren't fully mature until 3 years.
-More "destruction potential". If your pekinese chews, it will destroy your shoes. If your rottweiler chews, it will destroy your couch.
Small dog pros:
-Are usually more suited to apartment lifestyle.
-Require less exersize.
-Are more portable: more places will let you carry your small dog into the store with you.
-Live longer.
-Are easier to control. If your little dog is naughty, just pick him up.
-Are very devoted, more one-person or one-family dogs.
Small dog cons:
-Can be more reserved around strangers.
-Can be more fragile. You don't want a toy poodle and a four-year-old alone together.
-Not always as receptive to training. A breeder I saw on TV described it best: "Big dogs are bred to please. Toy dogs are bred to BE pleased."
-Can be good watchdogs, but not always good deterrants/protectors.
-Can't always withstand vigorous exercise, like backpacking.
Phew! Sorry for the long post.
Here are a few pros and cons. These are just generalizations; there are always exceptions, and each breed is different.
Big dog pros:
-A better deterrant/protector.
-Can be safer to have around children (active children are much less likely to hurt a big dog)
-Are generally more people-oriented; can be more accepting of strangers.
-Are generally better at obedience. Most large dogs are working dogs, bred to interact closely and take direction from people.
Big dog cons:
-More expensive to medicated, feed and board.
-Must be obedience trained/have good manners. You can't always have physical control of a 150 lb dog, so training is a must.
-Usually have a shorter lifespan.
-Generally need more exercise.
-Stay in the destructive puppy/adolescent stage for much longer than small dogs. Small dogs are generally mature by 1 year, some large dogs aren't fully mature until 3 years.
-More "destruction potential". If your pekinese chews, it will destroy your shoes. If your rottweiler chews, it will destroy your couch.
Small dog pros:
-Are usually more suited to apartment lifestyle.
-Require less exersize.
-Are more portable: more places will let you carry your small dog into the store with you.
-Live longer.
-Are easier to control. If your little dog is naughty, just pick him up.
-Are very devoted, more one-person or one-family dogs.
Small dog cons:
-Can be more reserved around strangers.
-Can be more fragile. You don't want a toy poodle and a four-year-old alone together.
-Not always as receptive to training. A breeder I saw on TV described it best: "Big dogs are bred to please. Toy dogs are bred to BE pleased."
-Can be good watchdogs, but not always good deterrants/protectors.
-Can't always withstand vigorous exercise, like backpacking.
Phew! Sorry for the long post.
Research,research,research. My favorite are the large breeds the are so loving and mine have always been more calm than the smaller breeds I have owned. However Maggie is so easy to take in the car and it is nice to have her on the lap. The main things is to consider everything everyone has suggested and read about the breeds you are interested in to make sure you find out the pros and cons of the breed, how it will fit into your lifestyle. Good luck