[Snuggles]

I have two small dogs. Sometimes I have gotten the comment "why don't you get a real dog". Small dogs are not DOGS.

 

[Abbylynn]

Quite the opposite actually. The mail person decided not to befriend my two little white Schnauzer/Poodles when they were pups. They Loathe the mail person. She has told everyone they are the two meanest little dogs she has ever seen!

Hey ... I even supplied the treats! :/ .............

 

[lil_fuzzy]

Haven't gotten that specific comment, but some family members have sort of commented that small dogs can't be trained, don't know anything etc. Like when Pixie showed off her high five to a visitor, she commented "I guess that's all she knows?" It feels extra good to have them both trained to a high level of obedience, and they know loads of tricks and basic agility. One time we were out walking Pixie was walking off leash about 20 metres ahead of me, and we approached a dirt road that's normally really quiet, but this one time there was a car coming so I told Pixie to "wait" and she sat on the spot and didn't move a muscle until I caught up and released her. The people in the car stopped at a picnic area nearby and by that time were pointing and talking among themselves. When we came back the same way they started pointing and talking again. And other times we've passed people on the path who have kids and the dogs completely ignore them and just keep sniffing the path, that usually gets comments too, because it's very unusual for a dog to not lunge at everyone/everything here.

My dogs are usually the best behaved and most focused in any training class we go to as well, which is extra fun because they're small and no one expects small dogs to be trained.

 

[w8ing4rain]

The worst I've had is someone calling my dog a "feeder dog".

 

[ThoseWordsAtBest]

I can't think of a time it has happened, but I'm sure it has. All though, Jonas is the last dog any one would insult.

 

[deege39]

Someone hadn't asked me, but in-fact told me that "small dogs are useless, there is no point in owning one,"

M'kay. NOT!

 

[Rowdy]

I've never told someone their small dog was useless, but I have commented that I have cats that are bigger than their dog. But that was a fact, not an insult.

 

[georgiapeach]

I get the opposite reaction. In fact, we were traveling yesterday and I opened the back hatch of my Rav 4 to let the dogs out of their crate to potty, and a woman standing next to her truck next to us starting gushing over them, saying how adorable they were. I hate to admit that I used to find small dogs useless myself, but I've matured over the years and realized that different dogs appeal to different people and their circumstances. We now live in a small house with a small yard, and small dogs make more sense.

 

[Brydean]

I've never told someone their small dog was useless, but I have commented that I have cats that are bigger than their dog. But that was a fact, not an insult.

I did have someone tell me with a dog that small I should just get a cat. I already do have a cat.

My cat is 14 lbs. My dog is 9 lbs!!

 

[Fuzzy Pants]

I only get rude comments like that and worse from large dog owners that can't/won't even train or hold onto their own dogs.

 

[kieranlavin]

I've had that comment before. It doesn't bother me. I'm the kind of guy though that wears a pink shirt to a construction site to stir up sh*t I love our two small toy poodles. Probably the funniest comment is my father-in-law (who has a toy poodle himself) always asks our smaller girl (5 pounds) when she's going to grow up

 

[flipgirl]

I haven't had that comment made to me about my dog but I have heard it. I'm not really a small dog person myself but I have come to appreciate Kiri's size because she doesn't cost much to feed, groom and meds costs are at a minimum. Ibdobt think I could do a smaller dog but I would never say anything to an owner. It's their choice. Dogs are dogs and they all have a purpose whether it be guarding, herding, pointing, or companionship. Kiri isn't an obedience champion but she's not too bad. She's trainable but I'm lazy. She learns quickly too. She goes potty in command, plays dead, waits, knows to tap a tambourine hanging from my patio door to tell me she needs to go out. Sometimes I am awed about how cute she is and how small and sturdy she is. And I can pick her up and give her the biggest hugs.

My next dog will hopefully be a bigger dog but hopefully while I still have Kiri. I think if someone made that comment to me, I would train Kiri to pee on their shoes.

 

[Daenerys]

The worst I've had is someone calling my dog a "feeder dog".

UGH! I have had people say this to me, too! My fiance is very much into reptiles and he has a friend with a large reticulated python, and that friend calls EVERY small animal a "feeder ____", so to him Legend is just the feeder dog, the cats are feeder cats, etc etc. It really makes me mad because it gives reptile owners a bad name! We have a boa but we don't go around calling everything small enough for him to eat a feeder animal! It just comes of as being an ass.

 

[deege39]

I hate to admit that I used to find small dogs useless myself, but I've matured over the years and realized that different dogs appeal to different people and their circumstances. We now live in a small house with a small yard, and small dogs make more sense.

I used to think small dogs were useless too, but that was when I was in my teens, and dreamed of getting a "really big" "really mean" Doberman. *rolleyes*

But after growing up a lot and realizing there are just as many purposes for small dogs than big dogs, I'm totally cool with my "really small" "really not so mean" Chihuahuas. They make just as much racket for an intruder as a Doberman. lol!

And yeah, I live in a two bedroom two bath apartment, in the city of course, so my little dogs serve as foot warmers just as well and take up a fraction of the space.

 

[PackMomma]

I love all size of dogs, for different reasons, they all have their pro's and con's in my opinion. I've never had rude comments about any of my dogs, other then most people think they are both puppies of much larger breeds of dogs when in fact they are full grown lol. Neither are tiny dogs, but they are more small/medium sized. Some people think Thumper is a Doberman puppy, and some think Cash is an Akita puppy or something lol.

For now, I like the more 'medium' sized dogs, I get kinda the best of both worlds sometimes.

 

[bgmacaw]

My cat is 14 lbs. My dog is 9 lbs!!

Our largest cat, a Maine Coon, is 25lbs and our dog, a Chihuahua, is right at 7lbs. She does outweigh our Persian, who's about 6lbs.

As for what people say, I've only heard comments from our redneck relatives who'll say stuff like "Where did you get the rat?" and such.

 

[kafkabeetle]

I've never had rude comments about any of my dogs, other then most people think they are both puppies of much larger breeds of dogs when in fact they are full grown lol. Neither are tiny dogs, but they are more small/medium sized. Some people think Thumper is a Doberman puppy, and some think Cash is an Akita puppy or something lol..

Ha, I get that too. Well, they never mention what breed they think she is, but people assume weirdly often that she's a puppy. Probably because she's pretty lanky and might be mistaken for a dog that's still growing, but that's just the way she is. I also do a lot of training with a clicker on walks so I bet they think I just recently got her. Although I'm not complaining. People are probably more tolerant of her misbehavior thinking she's young, while in reality she just turned 5. ;p

I don't think anyone's really been rude to me, but they do mention her size almost every time I meet someone. Probably just an attempt at some awkward conversation. ;p Most of my family is probably slightly in favor of small dogs so I don't get any flack from them, although I hear plenty about what a nuisance she can be. But ya know, I never force anyone to come to my house and it's not like she's absolutely wild. A lot of people just don't want dogs to do ANYTHING. Just lay down and sleep when people are over or something.

 

[Hambonez]

I have a small dog. He should be in the 20-25 lbs range full grown, but he's only 5 months now. I woman at the pet store recently said very accusingly "I don't understand why everyone is getting small dogs!!!" and I explained that we chose a dog that would fit well into our lifestyle. He isn't even super small, IMO.

I do wonder, however, why some people with small dogs don't treat them like dogs - don't train them or socialize them or take them outside to potty because they're "small." I've known more neurotic, fearful small dogs than I have large dogs. I do think if you're going to have a small dog that never goes outside, and can't be around other dogs, and doesn't like people other than immediate family -- a cat might have been what you're looking for, companion wise.

 

[Laurelin]

I've gotten the 'why don't you get a real dog' comment a few times. Or the 'I don't like small dogs' comment. Or the 'my dog could eat your dog' comment. Or the 'why don't you just get a cat?'

People are stupid.

 

[Kayota]

I only get rude comments like that and worse from large dog owners that can't/won't even train or hold onto their own dogs.

This... Today my stepbrother told me there's no point to having a small dog, but if you open the door and let his Lab and my dog out loose, my dog will come when called and his will have to be chased down...

I agree with the latter part of your post, Hambonez... People like that make responsible small dog owners look bad. :\