What do I mean by Little Paws/Big Training?
There is a misconception that little dogs don’t need as much training as big dogs. When in fact they need just as much training as big dogs. A dog is a dog is a dog and all dogs need training. The style of training will vary depending on the type of dog that you have and trainers will have to make special allowances for the training they do with the type of dog you bring to them.
Little dogs get away with exhibiting bad behaviors far more often than big dogs because of their size. For example, pulling on a leash. Why is it ok for your little dog to pull you around when you would never let a bigger dog do that to you? It’s because being pulled by a 10-pound dog is not so hurtful to our bodies or more powerful than what we can keep control over. The bottom line is walking any dog that pulls at the end of the leash can be detrimental to the dog’s bone structure, specifically to its neck and spine. I had a dog once who was another dog reactive and when seeing another dog she would lung at them. I always had to be one step ahead of her to engage her before she noticed the approaching another dog. One day I was not paying attention and she pulled to get to another dog and hurt her neck. For the rest of her life, she had chronic neck issues requiring chiropractor appointments.
Little dogs get away with more
Why is that? Being pulled by a 10-pound dog is less jarring than by a 60-pounder, but it’s equally detrimental to your dog’s health!
Jumping is another perfect example of a behavior we tolerate in little dogs but would never tolerate in a big dog. Little dogs jump on us mostly because we are lazy and don’t want to bend over to pet them or to deliver a treat. They also jump to get our attention. You need to treat your dog where you want them. So if you want your dog to always jump on you then by all means keep feeding them while their front paws are off the ground. If you don’t want them to jump then only deliver the treat when all four paws are on the floor “4 ON THE FLOOR”. You may love the attention your dog is giving you when they are jumping up to greet you but I guarantee you that not everyone you meet, has come to your home, or small children will appreciate this behavior.
A well-trained dog no matter the size is welcomed into more situations than a misbehaving one.
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