We currently have a 24 lb Parson Russel Terrier and everyone would consider him a small dog. In the past, Iāve had medium and large size dogs.
While there are advantages and disadvantages to both large and small dogs, I find having a small dog easier to deal with in my old age. For example, when I walk the dog, I walk him, and he doesnāt walk me. Also, I can easily take him pretty much anywhere I want to go, assuming dogs are allowed there. I have a friend who has a magnificent Great Dane and taking him anywhere is a really big deal, even considering how cooperative he is, but it really depends on the dog. There are some dogs that because of their temperament I wouldnāt want regardless of their size.
He was a one of a kind dogāheās been gone almost five years and I still miss him every day. Kosh has come along to take his place, though, and is doing a bang up job. Coincidentally, Kosh is also way big for his breed, heās a registered cattle dog and is 65 lbs, strong and solid. Itās pretty clear I favor herding dogs. Took this pic on a trip we took down to California last summer:
I have cats. Dogs are too much work. But i like dogs. And i like big dogs more than small ones. Medium dogs may be best, because i do hate being drooled onā¦ But larger dogs are calmer and better trained (because they actually need to be trained) than small dogs, in my experience.
Friends have a golden retriever that i really like. My favorite dog as a kid was a St. Bernard. I didnāt hit it off with my husbandās step-mom, but she had really charming English mastiffs.
I agree with your sentiment, but I feel ALL dogs need to be trained, regardless of their size. Many people with small dogs donāt train them and treat them as playthings. All dogs can bite and scratch, and an untrained dog is a menace not only to other dogs but to society at large, even the small barky ones.
Big dogs are just more chill in my experience. Calm, steady, relaxedā¦especially around kids since they are big enough to not be hurt by kids pulling ears/tails and big enough to just walk away. A small dog, feeling trapped, might snap.
Of course, there are lots of small dogs who are calm and big dogs who you never want around people. This is broad-brush stuff.
My sister keeps German shepherds. So does a friend. My sisterās are rescues, and when she first gets them they can be a little high strung. But after they settle in, and she trains them, and they become comfortable knowing their world is safe, they are very nice animals to be around.
The only dog Iāve ever kicked was a miniature schnauzer. I babysat at its house. And the damn thing would yap and nip my feet after the kids went to bed, when i was sitting in the den, quietly reading a book. Drove me nuts.
Someone suggested to adult me that teenage me could have locked the beast in a bathroom. And that would have been a better solution. But i was afraid of it, and didnāt want to put my hands near it. So when it got too aggressive, Iād kick it away. I didnāt kick hard, and i tried not to injure the thing. But it was probably more than a gentle shove.
German Shepherds, as a breed, have suffered from unscrupulous breeders due to the breedās popularity. This has resulted in less than ideal dogs.
But, there is a reason they are so popular with police and military forces and that is they are intelligent and reliable animals (along with a good size and work ethic). They do not want neurotic dogs.
One night I was at the dog park and a corgi with legs that couldnāt have been more than 3 inches long was chasing a hulking German Shepherd all over the place.
So it wouldnāt surprise me if a miniature schnauzer didnāt defer to size, vying to be the alpha, which means you did what you had to do
My cousin had a Great Pyrenees (probably 120 pounds or more) and a Corgi (maybe 30 pounds).
The Corgi absolutely ruled the home and had no problem bullying the bigger dog. To be fair, it was clear the Corgi was much smarter. The Pyrenees was a lovable giant but dumb as rocks.
They got along fine, just saying the smaller dog had zero problem pushing the bigger dog around when she wanted to. He absolutely deferred to her.
Dogs weirdly seem a little clueless about size. Especially terriers.
The corgi/Pyr dynamic makes perfect senseāthe corgi is the smallest of the herding breeds and by definition always has to be bossing around creatures many times their size on the regular so theyāre bred to be bossy and independent. The Pyrenees is a guardian dog, and if he had decided she was his responsibility then he would defer to her in all ways aside from shouldering her to the side to go fuck up any creature that threatened her. I bet the two of them together was daww inspiring.
Somebody needs to explain this to Shoga and Koshāin spite of her raising him, Kosh bosses Shoga around constantly, making her move from a bed he wants, taking toys he wants from her and he has to be fed behind a baby gate because the food aggression he displays toward her is concerning. He certainly doesnāt try those shenanigans on Bear, and the few times heās tried it heās discovered the old man still has some moves and the chops to use them. Unfortunately, if he gets a setdown from Bear he immediately turns around and, pecking order style, gives her a drubbing because he canāt handle his emotions. Iām curious how the dynamics will shift once Bear moves onāheās fourteen and itās just a matter of time. I donāt think Shoga will ever get over her retiring nature though, sheās just that kind of dog. Endlessly kind and patient, a born nanny.
Most of my dogs have been Goldens - from 60-80 pounds. I never understood the trend towards breeding them bigger and bigger. 60-65# of Golden is plenty of dog - no need for another 20-30#. I never understood the allure of giant breeds: St Bernards, Danes, Mastiffsā¦ Everything about them is more expensive: vet bills, for, more poop, tougher to transport. With the big one, shorter life expectancy.
When our last Golden got sick, my wife and I were surprised and a tad dismayed at how tough it was to carry his 75# to the car. We figured in another 10-15 years, weād be even less able. So our new guy is a mini Goldendoodle. 38# is plenty of dog. When this guy goes, I should be well into my 70s. Imagine I will be able to persuade myself to go even smaller then.
