Most people who are interested in a dog, look for their eternal companion, among small breeds.
And a bunch of reasons lead them to this decision: smaller-sized dogs are adorable, cuddly, cute, easily transported, eat less, shed less hair, are easy to handle and do not need much exercise. They are popular with city dwellers, especially those living in an apartment, often live longer and are easy to control.
But other people see small dogs as very lively and troublemakers with cautious behavior and not good with children.
The truth lies in the eyes of the one who sees the dog and depends on each dog separately. However, it is true that many small dogs seem to be prone to behavioral problems.
Thus, a research team led by Paul McGreevy of the University of Sydney examined how the psychology of dogs is affected by differences in their size and shape.
The research included magnetic resonance imaging on the brains of dogs and evaluation of their behavior based on a questionnaire given to their families.
The results were impressive. In almost all cases, the smaller the dogs, the more problematic behaviors they presented.
The short breeds were more prone to begging for food, had serious attachment problems, feared other dogs, were overly sensitive to touch, defecated and urinated when left alone and were more difficult to train.
McGreevy and his colleagues proposed several possible reasons that would explain these behaviors. Several of these reasons were related to genes and others to the environment in which they have lived.
For example, their family has the tendency to consider them babies and voluntarily reinforces behaviors such as attention-seeking, jealousy and begging.
Then the hyperactivity may be due to lack of walks and exercise and the permanent residence of dogs in enclosed spaces.
Also that the bad behavior of small dogs usually causes less damage than that of large ones. Thus, people who love small dogs tend to tolerate the bad behavior in their pets.
We often think that these behaviors are synonymous with acquiring a dog and that they cannot be different. However, for the sake of the dog that is man’s best friend, it is our responsibility to help our companions, regardless of their height, to develop confidence and live without stress and anxiety. Small dogs, just like any other dog, deserve the right to be educated and socialized properly.
So whether these behaviors are the result of unfortunate breeding or our own mistakes, we must, by cultivating the appropriate conditions, make the life of small breeds easier and more pleasant. For humans, there must be a moral commitment and an obligation on how to make their pets social and happy, while excluding any form of violence.
Sources
Hal Herzog Ph.D. Why Do Small Dogs Have So Many Psychological Problems? Do little dogs suffer from Napoleon complex? https://www.psychologytoday.com/…/why-do-small-dogs…
Jennifer Cattel Ph. D. Smaller dogs, bigger problems? http://blog.smartanimaltraining.com/…/smaller-dogs…/
