Small Dog Syndrome: How to Stop a Small Dog from Misbehaving

Little dogs or lapdogs or quilts, as they were called in their day, have a very long history, spanning several thousand years. Small breeds were often kept by the nobility and given as gifts to royal figures. Small breeds were also thought to be good for health. Pekingese, pugs and King Charles Cavalier Spaniels are three examples.

Many dog ​​owners have a preference for small dogs over larger breeds, and for many different reasons. However, by virtue of their diminutive size, these dogs are much more affordable to keep, require less exercise relative to larger breeds in general, and are easy to transport, for example.

Smaller breeds are avoided by many owners of larger dogs, and often those considering caring for new dogs, due to perceived differences in their behavior relative to larger dogs. It is thought, and of course wrongly, that smaller dogs are naturally barking, aggressive, possessive, overprotective and demanding, etc.

If this assumption is not true, why do so many small dog owners experience problems with their dogs behaving aggressively towards other dogs and humans, displaying possessive, demanding behaviors, etc.?

To gain an understanding of the problem, we have to start at the beginning. All the puppies are cute and cuddly, even the largest breed was small and cuddly at the same time. However, small breeds tend to retain their puppy-like appearance and size, long after the cute Rottweiler puppy has grown and gained 50kg in weight, for example.

Researchers have discovered that humans have developed a biological response to ‘cute’ things, especially baby animals. The need to nurture and protect perceived helpless creatures is believed to be automatic.

This is where the problems often start; the owner overprotects the dog, can lead it, let it sleep on the bed or jump on the furniture whenever he wants, and picks it up in the presence of strange dogs and gives in to their demands for attention. This is often done through the mistaken notion that the dog needs protection, by virtue of its size and “baby” qualities.

So how does all this work in the minds of dogs? Although our domestic dogs are very different in many ways from their ancestors, the wolf has inherited much of the instinctive behavior of its ancestors. Alongside this instinctive pattern comes the desire to be part of a group or pack. Although most dogs are more than happy to be the followers of their human pack, if there is no obvious leader, or if the dog receives cues from his owner that he is the pack leader, then the dog will not have no choice but to fulfill the role, since that is how life unfolds in the world of dogs.

Over time, the dog may display behaviors that, to the experienced eye, would be considered dominant; however, to the dog owner, these behaviors are considered breed-specific, eg, “that’s just what chihuahuas are like,” or part and parcel of dogs. personality, eg ‘he’s always been like this’. This type of behavior would be cause for concern if seen in a larger dog, but is somehow overlooked or not considered serious in many smaller breeds.

There are a number of behaviors that are common to small dogs that act in a dominant manner, so much so that this type of behavior seen in smaller breeds has inherited the label ‘small dog syndrome’ or ‘small dog syndrome’. Some of the common behaviors that characterize ‘small dog syndrome’ are listed below.

• Your dog has developed the habit of sitting on you, or jumping on you, or next to you, whenever he pleases.

• Your dog won’t let you get close to him when he’s eating or has a toy he’s playing with
• Barks excessively to get your attention.
• Your dog is overprotective when other dogs or humans approach you.
• Your dog growls when you try to get him out of his favorite resting place.
• Your dog is usually beaten and refuses to follow the commands given to him.
• Your dog exhibits an overreaction to being left alone, characterized by constant barking or destructive behavior.

Much can be done to reverse this problem, however, owners must first consider the role they play in encouraging this type of behavior in their dogs. Owners need to realize that their small breed dogs are, in fact, animals and not little humans.

Second, owners need to understand that it is natural for dogs to be part of a “pack” and, more importantly, a pack where they would rather be followers than leaders. Understanding these two concepts alone will help to greatly narrow down the problem.

In terms of retraining, owners must communicate to their dogs that they are the leader, provider, and protector of the team. This can be done by controlling all of the dog’s resources, for example, food, toys, treats, walks, and favorite resting places, and allowing the dog access to them when the owner decides.

Any demanding behavior, eg barking for treats or to be picked up, etc., should be ignored and appropriate behavior praised.

Aggressive and possessive behavior towards other humans by the dog can be addressed by having a place where the dog can go when the owner is interacting with others. This can be to box him, or a cushion in the corner of the room, for example.

Owners should be aware that retraining takes time, especially for dogs that have been allowed to display this type of behavior for a long time. However, with patience and repetition, the dog will be content to become a follower, rather than the leader, of his human pack.