Small Dog Syndrome is the name given to a collection of behaviors displayed by small dogs that have the effect of overcoming any deficits caused by being small in stature. Typical behaviors displayed include the following:
Growling-If your
Doberman growled at your guest, chances are you would reprimand them since
growling is not appropriate behavior. However, generally when a French
bulldog growls, the guest is simply told to avoid
the dog and it is chalked up to moody dog behavior. There is no way that kind
of attitude would fly with a bigger dog. If your small dog growls at a guest,
you should make it clear that they are not behaving well, just as you would
with a larger dog.
Jumping-If a tiny dog jumps
up on your leg; it is often viewed as an adorable display of affection. It
isn’t. A dog jumping up is their way of saying “I own you.” If you want your
dog to be well adjusted, jumping up cannot be allowed. The same thing goes
for climbing up on your lap. If they can just waltz up into your lap whenever
they want, they think that they are in charge. You need to make it known that
it is you allowing them to be on your lap, otherwise they will start to think
they are the alpha, and start to display more dominant behaviors.
OTHER AGGRESSIVE
BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS-Dogs tend to repeat behaviors that
have a history of being rewarding or providing some sort of advantage. If your
small dog once tried to put off a dramatically offensive display towards a
bigger dog and the bigger dog retreated, the small dog will feel compelled to
use the same strategy next time. In some cases, the other dog doesn't
intentionally leave because he was intimidated by the small dog's display.
He just leaves because he was just heading somewhere else.
What happens here is that some small dogs take a cowardly approach by attacking
other dogs from behind. These dogs do nothing when the dog is in a frontal
position. Rather, they stealthily wait for the big dog to pass by and once his
hind quarters are in plain view. The small dog goes on attack mode. From the small dog's perspective, he was
successful.
Small dog owners often fail to socialize their small dogs
enough. Owners may be over protective, picking their dogs up the moment a big
dog approaches. These under socialized dogs turn out to be good candidates for
fear aggression directed towards other dogs. It's important to seek help for any form of aggression no matter whether its
displayed by a small, medium, or large dog.
Tugging on the Leash-A
big part of training any dog to behave is making sure they are safe on the
leash especially for bigger dogs who might otherwise bowl people over. However,
just because your Dachshund can't knock you over, doesn’t mean they should be
allowed to pull the lead wherever they want.
This
demonstrates a type of dominance which is only going to strengthen in them the
idea that they are in charge. They should never be allowed to pull on the
leash. When on walks, you should be in front leading the way with your dog
alongside or slightly behind you. Teaching
the heel command is a great way to ensure that walks
are an enjoyable experience, and not a contest.
Yapping-Little dogs who
view themselves as the leader of the house will become yappy, which is
essentially their way of trying to give you commands. A small dog with
separation anxiety typically thinks they are the alpha and is upset about being
left by their “followers.” If you make it clear that they are not the dominant
force in the house, the incessant yapping should calm down.
The
"speak" and "quiet" commands are a great way to regain control over your dog's
vocalizations, which can also lead to an adjustment in personality. Submissive
behavior should never be confused with sadness. Your dog will likely start to
carry themselves differently (ears back, head down), but that is because they
are no longer challenging you for leadership. It is a good thing.
"I sometimes wonder if little dogs think they
are big dogs because they’re always looking down at other dogs from the
relative safety of their owners’ arms or purses." (Marty Becker)[i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“Small Dog Syndrome” by Purina
· “What Is Small Dog
Syndrome?” By Sam Bourne
·
“Why Is
My Small Dog Aggressive Towards Big Dogs?” by Adrienne
Farricelli
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