I was going to title this Size Matters? But then, well . . . you know. But today’s question IS about size, and whether a dog’s size influences your interest or attraction to it.
Full disclosure: I grew up in a dog-loving family that gravitated toward medium to large-size dogs. Comments were made by my parents and friends about small dogs that weren’t particularly positive. “Yappy,” my father called them. According to one relative, “Rug rats” weren’t even “real” dogs, that distinction being reserved for Labradors and German shepherds.
Then, early in my career, I began volunteering at dog training classes, and eventually began my own training and behavior consulting business. And lo and behold, I discovered that the smartest dog in one class was the Miniature poodle, and that the Cairn Terrier in another class stole my heart every week. In other words, like a lot of prejudices, mine melted away as soon as I discovered the reality of “the other,” and dropped the beliefs that had been inculcated in me at an early age.
I personally like living with a mix of sizes, (Willie is 45 lbs, Maggie 35, Tootsie about 12) but most important to me is a dog’s physical and psychological health, regardless of size. However, understandably in many ways, size matters greatly to the dog loving public, and recently there’s been talk about a perceived trend that people are getting small dogs more than ever before. My web techie prince, David, said he’d heard that, on average, dogs weighed 17% less than “before.” I’ve tried to find the source for that, but failed so far (anyone?).
In the process of searching, I did find some interesting information: For example, authors Teng, McGreevy, Toribio & Dhand, reporting in Canine Genetics & Epidemiology, 2016, found that in Australia. . .
Both weighted minimal height (p = 0.014) and weighted maximal height (p < 0.001) decreased significantly over time, and the weighted cephalic index increased significantly (p < 0.001). The odds of registration of medium and small breeds increased by 5.3 % and 4.2 %, respectively, relative to large breeds (p < 0.001) and by 12.1 % and 11.0 %, respectively, relative to giant breeds (p < 0.001) for each 5-year block of time.
In other words, ANKC registered dogs got not just smaller and shorter, but their heads are also more puppy-like. (Note however, that these statistics come from kennel club registrations, which, of course, is not the same as “all dogs in Australia.”)
What about dogs in the U.S.? It is equally difficult to look at “all dogs in the U.S.,” but we can start by looking at AKC registrations. Thanks to Stephanie Smith at the AKC (much appreciated!), we can compare rankings of small dogs from 2005 to 2015. When we do, it seems that many small dogs are actually less popular than ten years ago. Yorkies, Havenese, Chihuahuas, Maltese, Pugs, Papillons, Min Pins, Italian Greyhounds, Pekingese, Toy Fox Terriers, to name a few, have all had fewer number of dogs registered dogs registered over the last ten years.
Looking at registrations from a longer time span is especially interesting. Look at this article that compares AKC registrations from 1935 to 2015. Cockers, beagles and small poodles ruled the roost from 1936 to 1990, when Labradors, goldens and German shepherds took over as the breed with the most registered puppies. You can see the trend for larger dogs begins in the 60’s, when GSD’s move into the top 3, and in the 80’s, when retrievers start increasing in popularity.
However, these figures are from AKC registrations, and don’t necessarily reflect the ancestry of all puppies being produced in any country at any one point in time. Obviously a large number of dogs are mixes of several breeds–some purpose bred “designer dogs” like Goldendoodles and Cock-a-Poos–some unplanned or unplanned matings between dogs of unknown origin. But, obviously, there’s no information on these dogs, and so all we can do is guess.
This leads to two questions for you to ponder: One, if you work in a shelter setting, what trends are you seeing? Over what time span? It appears to me that size preferences vary in different regions of the country. Shelters in Southern California, I am told, are full of small to tiny-sized dogs, while a walk through of Midwestern shelters reveals mostly 30–60 lb dogs. How much of that is because small dogs are adopted so fast, while larger dogs stay in shelters longer is another question altogether.
Second, what about your personal preference? Do you have one? If so, has it changed over time? I’d love to hear what you have to say. If you’re interested in an analysis of what drives breed (and size?) preferences over time, see Dr. Hal Herzog’s interesting article in the Royal Society of Biology Letters that suggests that “cultural drift” (or, what kind of dogs one’s friends and neighbors have), along with media attention, is more important than information about health and behavior in creating a breed’s popularity.
MEANWHILE, back on the farm. We spent the weekend outside of Hudson, WI at the WWSDA Labor Day Sheepdog Trial. The trial went like clockwork–beautifully organized, lots of great volunteers–along with a gorgeous course and sheep ready to challenge the dogs at every turn. Regretably, Maggie wasn’t up to the challenge on her second run, and the sheep beat her back to the set out pen. I’m the one who messed up on her first run, which was messy but credible. But I didn’t flank her far enough around the flock after her lovely outrun, and set her up to have to fight the sheep on the rest of the course. Argh. I don’t mind my dog messing up, but I felt like I let my dog down and it’s bothered me ever since. I suspect that anyone who competes with a dog can relate. I keep looking at Maggie, however, and reminding myself that she is not fussing about such things, and I should do the same. Ah, the wisdom of dogs.
Besides enjoying all the rest of the trial, including the gorgeous weather and great company, there was a silver lining to Maggie’s losing control of the sheep on her second run. After Maggie and the sheep disappeared over the hill to the “set out pen,” I hoofed it about 400 yards to get her, hoping that I could help her pick up the sheep and bring them down the course. Turns out they had already been penned up with the others (time being important between runs, very understandable), but at least I, first of all, got in some good exercise and second, got to hear a much younger handler say “Man, you are in great shape! I can’t believe how fast you walked up that steep hill!” Thank you, AJ. You gotta take the good where you can get it.
Here’s a look at the scope of the course. The handler and dog in the foreground are attempting the “shed,” in which the two of them have to split two sheep off the group, and the dog has to prove to the judge that he can keep those sheep away from the others, having taken complete control. Look closely though in the background, and you can see the next group of sheep being moved into place for the next team.
Here’s part of the course from the backside. (I helped get sheep out of the set out pen for each run, a great way to watch the dogs “lift” the sheep, and admire the great work of set out artist Wendy and her amazing dog Greta.) You can just barely see the handler in the back left foreground, just to the right of the tree–the tiny white dot in front of the truck where the judge was perched. The food tent and spectators are lined up on the top right. Yeah, it really is a huge course! I was proud of Maggie for doing lovely outruns (she needed a redirect on her first one when she ran into a dip and lost sight of the sheep, but she took it perfectly). I’d tell her again that I’m proud of much of what she did, but she’s sound asleep on the couch.
Zazie Todd says
Interesting article! I am more drawn to large dogs, but I like small ones too. Most of all I like dogs that are friendly and healthy!
Some figures from the UK were in the news recently and may be what you were looking for. It’s The Economist’s analysis of data from the UK’s kennel club and shows smaller dogs becoming more popular: http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21704755-curious-incident-dog-and-waistline-subwoofers
Just Another Foster says
I too like a mix of sizes, although it is only recently my group actually took on that description. We have 5 mini schnauzers, ranging from 5-15 years of age, and a Doberman, turning 2 this month. It all works out quite well, really!
Emma Lee says
I’ve got a mixture, from a huge beauceron and a retriever down to a tiny cocker spaniel. At the shelter where I work, we have relatively few little dogs come in. They are more likely to be identified and claimed from the pound and adopted within hours of being in the shelter, unless they are terriers (other than Yorks and Cairns) – our big problem is the big dogs. We can’t find a home for them, especially if they are male. Currently 10:1 males at the moment as well. The ratio of small to big is probably 60:1 though.
Kat says
I grew up with giant breeds, first a bloodhound and later Great Pyrenees so I am a sucker for the giants. Ranger weighs 87 lbs and Finna about 65 lbs. so by my standards Finna is on the small size (wry grin). For years I was not a fan of small dogs as all the ones I knew had never been taught any manners. Now that I run a therapy dog chapter (Therapy Dogs International chapter 270) I’ve discovered that it isn’t the size of the dog that was the issue it was the lack of manners and my bias was based on not knowing small dogs with good manners rather than any inherent issue with small dogs themselves.
What a gorgeous course for the sheepdog trials. I love your photos.
Octopus Gallery says
I tend towards the larger dogs, although as I get older, I’m looking more at what I can lift as an upper limit towards dog size for my house. I’m not crazy about dogs I need to stoop to pet though. Our current dog is 60 lbs and she’s probably the upper limit. We regularly dog sit a friend’s 30 pounder and that’s probably my lower limit. Between my husband and I, I grew up with a large Bouvier. He grew up with a Shih Tzu. Our 60 was a compromise at the time and he’s found his dog taste has moved to medium sized dogs as well.
In the shelter I foster for with regards to adult dogs (because puppies are well marketed and gone in a snap), small dogs go pretty fast unless they’re geriatric or have health issues. Medium and large sized dogs that aren’t bully mixes go next. Sadly, the bully mixes tend to linger the longest, I’m sure because of media driven fears and rental restrictions. It’s hard for me to gauge what intake really is since I’m not involved in it, but I’d say it’s more medium and large dogs than small. It’s another thing I’ve always put down to housing pressure. Heck of a lot easier to find a rental or a friend to take the dog with a 10 lbs poodle than a 50 lab mix. I’m in the DC area and most of the rental complexes have weight and breed restrictions.
LisaW says
If I could include a graph, you would see the line for my age going up and the size of my dogs going down. There does seem to be a strong, albeit unconscious, inverse relationship. I didn’t realize the trend until a friend mentioned it (hmm, I may need new friends).
Olive is ~34 pounds, the smallest in stature and largest in presence dog we’ve ever lived with. I think I am much more drawn to looks than size ; 0
Bruce says
I am drawn to medium-sized dogs (40 to 50 pounds give or take). This has been consistent over time. Big enough to pet without bending down, yet small enough to carry if needed. Give me a friendly, medium-sized pariah-type dog with a short to moderate coat, plenty of get-up-and-go, and maybe a touch of mischief, and I am a happy camper.
Mrs. B likes smaller dogs (20 – 25 pounds), so “her” dog needs to be sturdy enough to play with a dog twice its size.
SuzyMcQ says
The older I get, the smaller my dogs have become. Right now I have three Havanese, and, despite what the AKC might say, they are quite popular in this household! I am also a member of breed rescue and will comment that surrenders of Havanese peaked during the recession and have slowly declined in the years since. There were five dogs surrendered 10 years ago, shortly after the organization was formed, that number grew to 150 at the peak of the recession.
Trisha says
I too have been affected by age and my canine-related size preferences. Although I dearly love Great Pyrenees dogs, I vowed never to get another after I had a terrible time getting my last Pyr into the car when she was having seizure-like episodes. Tulip weighed about 85-90 lbs, and I simply could not lift her up into my baby SUV (RAV 4) by myself. Once I called a nearby neighbor who happened to be home. Another time I simply drug her up a ramp as she flailed and thrashed around. It was, simply, awful. Every time I hear about a Pyr that needs rescuing, I waver. And then I remember the feeling of helplessness I had when she needed emergency medical care and I was alone, and I recommit to my vow to only have dogs I can lift. Willie weighs 45-48 lbs, and part of why I lift weights two times a week is so that I am sure I could carry him a good distance in an emergency. Thus, I guess… size matters when age matters.
Frances says
I love nice dogs of all sizes, but doubt I will ever own one more than middle sized now. When I was finally in a position to have my own dog 11 years ago I researched breeds carefully. I considered travelling space in my car, staying with family and friends, exercise requirements, carrying the dog in an emergency, etc, etc and came to the conclusion that a small dog would be the best fit. Then I looked at health and temperament, and finally looks. I would very much have liked a whippet, but I am surrounded by fields filled with rabbits… I eventually decided on a Papillon, and then later a Toy Poodle was a compatible combination.
But whoever wrote that toy dogs don’t need much exercise had not met a Papillon like Sophy – fortunately the miles and miles of walking every day has mostly proved a pleasure!
Aurora says
I have a fifty-five pound samoyed, which seemed like an average sort of size to me growing up in the country with similar dogs. Now I live in a lower-income town where a lot of the population is renting, and very very frequently hear her size exclaimed upon. Given the difficulty we had finding a place to live that would allow a dog of her size, I’ve always assumed it was at least partly a matter of what landlords will accept.
Dawn says
After working in veterinary hospitals and taking too many calls from people whose dog was not able to walk and the owner needed to find help to bring it in, I lean toward a size I can pick up and carry so about 40lbs and under. I wouldn’t never get a larger breed if a dog was looking for a home and we were a good match, but my preference is smaller especially the older I get.
Erin E James says
While I was an active volunteer at a shelter here in Florida the dogs we worked with were almost all big, many pit mixes. Small dogs did get adopted more quickly.
I love dogs, have seldom met a breed I didn’t like, but I’ve always had terriers. Jack Russells mostly. I’m working the two I have now in scent detection, and Barn Hunt.
Barbara P says
I’m with Octopus Gallery, LisaW, SuzyMcQ, and you, Trish! In the 1970s to 1982, I had five Golden Retriever girls, weighing in between 65 and 75 lbs, that I trained in obedience, tracking, very basic field work, showed in conformation, and bred (a little). When they grew old and passed on, we opted for two Birman cats as by then the two-legged girls had grown up and moved on and we were both working flat out, had bought a small sailboat, and moved to Switzerland. Now that we’ve retired — we still have that boat — and the last of the Birmans has passed at the age of 22yrs 11-1/2mos — I’ve done my research and put my name on the waiting list of a very good Welsh Springer Spaniel breeder in, where else?, Wales. I would expect her to weigh in at around 35 to 40 lbs when fully grown. Temperament, biddability, looks and size/portability were all important considerations.
In addition to hoping to be able to show her in conformation, I’m looking forward to doing some agility work and, eventually, some sort of therapy dog work with young children and/or home-bound adults. Although I’m generally impressed with how well-behaved most of the dogs here in Europe are, I’m surprised at how many young kids are not just afraid of but terrified of dogs bigger than a teacup! There’s an education program for grammar school-aged kids in our canton but there aren’t yet enough dogs and their guardians available to participate in the program; I’m hoping to get involved in that as my girl matures but, in the immediate future, am very much looking forward to basic socialisation and puppy training.
Elizabeth says
Our first dog as a couple is a rescue German Shepherd cross who is about 85lbs. My hubby’s parents had miniture daschunds and my parents had a rescue collie as a child but we deliberately went for a larger breed for our first dog for a couple of reasons. Firstly the poor training of a lot of smaller dogs. Since they are ‘cute’ , bad manners are tolerated which wouldn’t be in a larger breed. Small dogs we have come across have therefore been predominately yappy and snappy which gives a perception that the breeds are yappy and snappy. Also we realised that this point in our lives is probably the only time that we could reliably carry a large dog in a crisis. Both of us are in good health but with family history of arthritis/joint problems which mean that we will probably migrate to smaller dogs as we get older.
Chris Wells says
I have always gravitated to large dogs, after all I grew up watching Lassie and Rin Tin Tin. I have owned 2 GSD, and 2 Old English Sheep dogs, and currently own my second Golden Retriever, just love this breed! But God has a sense of humor and all those years I disparaged Dachsunds, I ended up rescuing a little black puppy on the side of the road, that long story short ( no pun intended), ended up being half black lab, half Dachsund! She is 14 years old now and I learned more from this dog, than I ever taught her. Tempo Sally is a truly delightful dog, who has lived her life for Sally and delighted in every day! I would not purposely seek out another like her, but a good dog is a good dog!
Caroline McKinney says
On the most recent dog, I told the breeder I want a dog that is bigger than a coyote. We are on the edge of a state forest and are in the woods every day. Like some of your other responders, as I have gotten older my dogs have gotten a little smaller. Started with a 26″ St. Poodle. Present dogs are 17.75″ and 19.875″. They are still Standard Poodles in this country
Vicki in Michigan says
We’ve had five dogs, and all of them had trouble with stairs at the end of their lives. We live in a two-story house.
I am 64. I can’t carry any more 30+ pound dogs up and down stairs multiple times every day.
I’m thinking the next dog has to be under 20 pounds, because I’m going to be even older when a new dog can’t do the stairs anymore.
I love big dogs, but I can’t pick one up to put it in the car, and I surely can’t carry it up or down stairs.
Denise Sears says
I grew up with a Wire Hair/ Poodle mixed. We had a other mixed breeds from small to medium sized dogs. I thought I preferred the smaller dogs but we now have 6 dogs. Two Pomeranian’s, a Jack Russell/Chihuahua mix (these three are inside dogs), a German Shepherd, Husky/Shepherd mix and a Pit bull/Catahoula Mix. I had my reservations about bigger dogs just because I had not grown up with them (my mother is a afraid of big dogs also). But, as they have grown, I do love them as much as I love the little dogs. Would choose a big dog as well as small ones. The Pit bull/Catahoula mix thinks he’s my lap dog anyway.
Barbara Martin says
Elizabeth, I so agree with you about bad behavior being tolerated by small dogs. If my GSD reacts, she is the “bad guy”.
My parents had cocker spaniels when I was a small child. Then I found my first GSD at a shelter in the early 1960’s when I was about 15. Totally influenced by Rin Tin Tin. Cindy was my horse riding companion, protector, confidant. When she died I bought a GSD puppy. Then life circumstances changed and I went for 37 years with no dog at all, but always knew if/when I got another it would be a GSD. I now have an eight year old female, a five year old female and a 17 month old 87 pound male puppy. I’ve done Rally, obedience, Nose Work, Barn Hunt, and tracking. I love the size, the brains, the trainability. My physical criteria for a dog – long nose, stand up ears, tail/hair that covers the anus, NO parts that were cut off. And big enough to be a “real” dog. I see many small dogs at trials but have not been attracted to any of them.
Gwyn says
My childhood dog was a big dog, and I had a relative with three big sled dogs in my adolescence. Similar to what you describe, I had strong feelings about what was and was not a “real dog”, and believed size and personality correlated (small dog = less personality).
When I got dogs as an adult, I went with my prejudices, and now have a 50 pound mutt and a 80 pound GSD.
Then, I started working at a dog-friendly workplace where the largest dog “on staff” was a corgi. Once I got to know the little dogs, I realized they had just as much personality as the dogs I was used to.
However, I find myself self-conscious of external perceptions. I feel a little dorky when I end up walking the office yorkie down the street, because then I’m playing into stereotypes about women and little dogs.
While thinking about the “next dog” is an inherently sad thought experiment, as of course I want my dogs to live forever, in the future, I think I will go with a dog I can carry in case of emergency, but will probably also stay about the 20 pound mark.
Adrienne K says
As so many of you said size was an issue when we got our latest dog a year ago. Before her we had a French Bulldog that could not be considered big but she was hefty. As she grew older her back legs lost strength and needed to be carried up stairs. And as we get older it is not so easy lifting a dog in and out of the car and up the stairs. I always wanted a big, black standard poodle. But because of size that was out of the question. We were thrilled to find a wonderful breeder who bred “moyen” size poodles. That is a standard mother and miniature father. Zasu is just perfect for us. She is a smaller size about 25 lbs. with the look and beauty and personality of a standard.
Alice Richbourg says
I agree with many here that age and health has caused a change. My lifetime heart dog, a yellow lab, had two cruciate ligament surgeries, and, at the end of her life, recurrent seizures due to a brain tumor. I will never forget how it felt sitting with my seizing dog waiting for someone to come help me lift her into my car. My current pup is a 22 lb medium size dog (skinny!). I have had, and have to have, several orthapedic surgeries, and so the smaller size is a real blessing. I love him to pieces, but I so miss having a big lab!
widogmom says
I always loved Dobermans, and I’ve had two…but with their rampant ortho issues, our RVing/park model, and my age, I can’t wrangle big dogs anymore. Now we have a Chihuahua who I adore (sweet and quiet, no stereotypes here!) and a “smedium” spaniel mix. I sometimes miss having a vast dog walking beside me, though!
Elizabeth P. says
We’ve tended to have your original attitude towards size – no small dogs, but I think that’s been an unfair assessment. I’ve met lots of nice and not-so-nice dogs of every size. We will definitely be downsizing with our next dog. Our current dogs are medium – a 65 pound doodle mix – and giant – a 130 pound Bullmastiff. We got Rosa because my husband had always wanted a mastiff type dog and he figured he’d better get one while he could still handle her. But the breeding of these dogs has been tending towards more bulk and we can see she will have real difficulty as she ages. She’s not yet 3, has already had TPLO surgery on both hind legs, and even though she’s in great shape now, you can see she is just built wrong. Getting up stairs is awkward for her just because of her shape, I’m not sure how she’ll manage when she gets arthritic. She’s such a sweetheart but her breed has not been done any favours by the quest for size.
Chris H says
I would agree with a lot of the posters above regarding some of the reasons for smaller dogs becoming more popular. The aging of the population and the move towards urban living are both big factors in what types of dogs are adopted now. Our local shelter even takes in “second chance” dogs from shelters across the West Coast – dogs that aren’t as adoptable in their home shelters – and most of them are small size dogs. They are snapped up in days here.
One other factor is that the need for dogs to assist in hunting is also decreasing greatly. My family always had medium to large dogs, but mostly because those were what they worked with – bird dogs such as retrievers, pointers, and general gun dog-type dogs. Fewer people are hunting now and using trained dogs to assist them.
For myself, I simply like the personalilties of larger breeds better than small dogs.
Monika & Sam says
Confession time…I gravitate toward larger dogs, not megatrons mind you, but dogs ‘of moderate substance.’ Breed of choice is the standard poodle, although I’ve had mixed breed rescues and owned a couple Old English Sheepdogs for over a decade. Recently had the opportunity to rescue a VERY large standard poodle and while he was magnificent, I passed. Sure there could have been other contributing factors, but when it all came down to it, he was just too big for me. Guess size does matter, but that pendulum apparently swings both ways. Love looking at your verdant green farm pics, particularly after a long, hot and dry summer.
Jane Craig says
Our last dog, Jasper, was a Golden mix (my stepson wanted a dog who “looked like AirBud”) who very much favored his Golden genes, and we loved him so much that we got another Golden, though an English Golden this time–a lovable and very handsome dog, Crispin, with a huge puppy-like head.
That said, we are 65 and nearly 64, and our dog is not yet four…I look at him with great love and think, with some regret, “this is my last big dog” (he weighs about 80-82 lbs.).
When my stepson asked us this past weekend if we were “forever Golden people” we laughed and looked at one another and said “uh, well, no…maybe someday a beagle.” My husband grew up with beagles, and those are the only small dogs that he has affection for.
I’m sure I could love any dog, but can’t quite imagine being without one.
What beautiful, beautiful pictures. My brother has a home in Barneveld, and these pictures remind me of the countryside surrounding it.
Rebecca Rice says
Ah, the old big versus small question. I will say (having written the long answer below)… how exactly are we defining “small” and “big”? Because I think a lot of us tend to, subconsciously, base it off the dogs that we know. I have a 56-pound female greyhound, who is “small for a greyhound”. To me, a big dog is a Dane, Pyr, Newfie. My mom has a hound and a aussie cattledog. To her, my greyhound is big. So this becomes a bit subjective if we don’t clearly define terms first.
Growing up, my family had medium-sized mutts (basically whatever happened to wander into our or a coworker’s yard that needed a home). “My” first two dogs (as opposed to “family dogs”) were/are greyhounds. Which is a hard breed to classify: they are tall dogs, but thin, so they look like they should weigh more than they do. My current girl is a small greyhound, at 56 pounds. But her shoulder height is around 23 inches, so tall. I like her size. It’s, as I put it, “thumpable”. You can pet her firmly without worrying about breaking her! She was also a very shy, spooky dog, and my intro into the wonderful world of dog training, which I have grown to enjoy very much. I did, at that time, tend to think that small dogs were not my cup of tea.
Enter dog number three, a dog I would never have consciously chosen, Pixie. Pixie is a miniature rat terrier (according to the DNA test and appearance, purebred), that I found as a stray. This is not a small dog. This is a TINY dog, weighing a healthy 9.5 pounds, and being, as I like to put it, a sheet of paper long by a sheet of paper high. To put it in more perspective, she was between my two cats in size. And I adore this dog. She is fun, responsive to training, snuggly. She was a bit snappy when I first got her, but she had bilateral luxating patellas, which had to have been painful and which limited her ability move easily. I got those fixed, put her into training classes, and she has become an incredibly sweet, flirt of a dog.
So now, I am pondering what my next dog will be, and realistically, it’s going to be on the smaller size, possibly another rattie. What’s driving that is partly logistics: it’s cheaper and easier to handle small dogs. For example, I can get Pixie-size beds for around 20. Katie-size beds are generally 80-100. Pixie gets a third of a cup of food, Katie gets 2 cups. And so on. It’s also partly that my view of dogs and what I want from them has changed. If I were going to be an “average pet owner”, my next dog would probably be a greyhound. They are sweet, loving, quiet dogs. well able to handle your average home with occasional walks, tv watching, visits with friends, etc., which is why I first went with them. But I have become a dog enthusiast, interested in things like Treibball and nose work and agility, and sighthounds are not the best candidates for that. Sure, you can find greys that compete in those sports, but they are ones that have been carefully selected for it. The odds are higher in finding a dog with a suitable drive in some of the smaller breeds: ratties, toy fox, papillon, min pin, etc.
I have no experience in shelters or rescues, so can’t really speak to it, but out here in California I will say that the times I have gone to the shelter (when I found Pixie, and need to renew licenses), the dogs seem to be the two extremes. Lots of chis and small terriers and small designer dogs, lots of pitts, huskies, and shepherds. Not much in-between. If I were to hazard a guess, I would say that a lot of the “shrinking” can be contributed to the number of people living in apartments, and the common weight restriction I see are either “under 20 pounds” or “under 40 pounds”. Because of the entirely mistaken idea that my 9.5 pound territorial barker terrier is a better apartment dog than the larger, quieter greyhound! Trying to find temporary housing with a greyhound when I took a new job was quite a challenge. The rattie would have been no problem at all.
Terri Reid says
I have always gravitated towards large dogs, I agree with your father about small dogs being yappy. My largest dog right now is a mastiff mix, about 85 lbs of slobbering affection. My heart breed though is more of a medium size dog, dalmatians, we have 2 of them right now. Unfortunately one of them has Copper Storage Disease, something that seems to be running wildly through the breed right now. With no genetic test available yet, I fear these will be my last dals, do not want to go through this heartbreak again.
Greyttrainer says
My first dog was a greyhound and the breed will remain my biggest love. I always saw myself as a large dog person.
However after dealing with the end of my greyhound’s life and now being single again, I have come to realize I can no longer handle a 75 lbs dog when they can’t walk on their own. Especially if I were to have this dog in my life for ten years as I did my first dog.
As many have mentioned above, I have now downsized greatly and am now owned by an 18 pound Min-Pin mix and an 11 pounds Cavalier. Both are easy to take along on trips and cost a lot less than most larger dogs when it comes to food, meds, vet bills etc… Another factor you need to consider when you suddenly find yourself with a much more limited income.
Cristina Meyer says
There are six dogs at my home, two small girls weighing 12 pounds, and 4 males between 24 to 30 pounds. Chef is one the females :-).
I’ve got a lumbar operation, so I am limited to the weight I can handle. Also, when they get older, they need medication according to their size, and deparasitation etc also goes by weight. Next, when I walk the doggies in a rural aera, six small to medium sized dogs are easier accepted than six large dogs.
And it is easier to snuggle on the couch or in the bed with smaller dogs.
And they are as capable of RallyO, Agility, APO and doing tricks as any other dog.
Another point is: in general, they live longer. We lost our Seniors between 14 and 16 years. A Great Dane is old by 7 years, when our dogs are happily romping and running around. I am grateful for each moment I spent with them, and loosing them after only seven years would break my heart.
KC Wilson says
We had small dogs growing up but I wasn’t necessarily partial to small dogs. My first dog as an adult was a Sheltie, so small by most people’s standards. My children wanted large dogs so we had a lab and a large Aussie. As my husband and I got older we were attracted to small dogs so in the last 15 years we’ve had dogs in the 14 lb. range. Small dogs are easy to transport, easy to carry, easy to live in a small space with…in our humble opinion.
Nancy says
I grew up with large dogs (working Labs and my childhood best friend’s Newfoundland; this friend lived on the water and we spent countless summer hours swimming and sailing with that wonderful dog) and around other dogs that did the work they were bred to do. I now have Scottish terriers, who rat in barns and from time to time are hired to rid cattle pastures of tunneling woodchucks (the tunnels cause the cattle to fall in and break their legs, necessitating their euthanization). My dream dog is a Curly Coated Retriever, perhaps because unlike the great majority of retrievers they are very independent, but until I move to a coast, that will remain a dream. Size doesn’t matter to me, however the ability of my dogs to do what they were bred to do does–greatly.
Patsy Klein says
Except for my first dog, who I truly believe drew me to him, I’ve found all my other rescue pups via the internet. All small terriers who are very smart indeed. 3 out of 5 became hospice therapy dogs. #5 is too young & energetic yet. #4 is the biggest at 40 lbs and is in training as a reactive dog. But after 4vdogs at 20 lbs, I’m finding the 40 lb pup to be more relaxed & snuggly which is a lovely change from hyper pups.
Pam Parrish says
I have had several sizes through my lifespan. I tend to bond closer to larger dogs, however. Now that I am an older citizen I can see downsizing to a smaller dog breed which doesn’t take the energy my present Weimaraners require. I will never be without a dog in my home, no matter what my age is.
Mary Beth Stevens says
Yup, advancing age meant a smaller dog. I gree up with collies, but when we got Suzie two years ago I did the math and figured when she was old, I’d be near 70 and I knew I wouldn’t be able to carry her outdoors or up the stairs as I have seen so many friends do with their aging goldens and labs. Worked to find the sweet spot — big enough to walk with us for three or four miles, but small enough to carry if need be.). There is definitely sizism out there though….when I told my brother (a hunter, so labs for him) the size of the dog we were thinking of adopting (17 pounds,) his response was, “never met a small dog yet who wasn’t a yapper.. (grumble, grumble).” Well, that’s as may be, but our little Tennessee rescue mutt has proven to be a total delight. And now there’s an additional plus. She recently achieved certification from Therapy Dogs International (I’ll pause here for applause, are we proud? Yessir!) and she is the perfect size to go on a bed or in someone’s lap. So beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder. Our most recent foster dog weighed 75 pounds. We adored him, but dealing with him on leash confirmed our decision of a smaller dog.
Sherry in MT says
First of all, good for you and Maggie! Even when it doesn’t all come together there is something to be learned and bonus to the youngster commenting on you getting up the hill. 🙂
As for big/little, I have both. Lots of conversation surrounding that actually in our world as I just received a rescue/foster (who will likely be staying) 8 lb chinese crested from a household that had wolfhounds and bulldogs – they finally realized they didn’t have the management skill to keep her from getting injured and picked on. That I think has always been my take away, you have to be able to manage it and know you have dogs that understand the concept. I have had 50 lb dogs along with 4 lb dogs….. However, I choose my big dogs (from reputable breeders that KNOW their puppies) with a little calmer demeanor and light feet (xolos and poodles). Since I had littles first, the bigs have been raised with them which I also think helps.
Like many of your other comments, I also am “downsizing” because I want to be active with my dogs and able to physically lift them if something were to happen.
Our shelter too seems to turn over the small dogs very quickly and rarely gets them (of course elderly or health challenged makes a difference) while they get many larger dogs and they seem to stay very long times. My belief is that many people looking for pets see the smaller dogs as “cute” but also in reality see them as needing less space and exercise time as well. While that isn’t always true I do believe that is public perception.
Nina says
So interested in this topic! Of course I love all dogs, and will smile and stop to pet those of any size. But it is definitely only the medium-to-large that make my heart go pitter-pat (and the wolfier the better). I am certain I’ve never truly swooned over a dog under 40 lbs., and 50-60 lbs. is probably my sweet spot. There’s no rationality to it–the heart just wants what it wants. 🙂
That said, I totally understand the many comments about smaller dogs as we and they age. Our last dog was a shepherd mix, only around 55 lbs., who had neurologic weakness in her back legs progressively over her last year or so. I’m 41 and very athletic but we’re in a second-floor walkup apartment, and getting her up and down the stairs really did a number on my back. I actually ended up finding an amazing harness (the Help Em Up harness–Google it, a wonderful wonderful product) that made things soooo much easier–if we’d had it sooner I would have saved myself (and her) a lot of stress and grief. Our current dog is a 62-lb. houndy mix, but we’ll be out of the apartment long before she (or we!) age too much. Our house (currently our weekend place, hopefully soon to be full-time) is mostly one level, and I think for any future home I would prioritize avoiding stairs before I would ever prioritize a smaller dog.
Patti says
Until my mid-40’s, I was terrified of large dogs. I’m certain this was the result of a horrific accident experienced by a young family acquaintance who was viciously attacked by a large dog and required months of reconstructive surgery and healing.
Just being aware of this event as a young child was enough to instill a life-long fear. As a result, as an adult, with a home of my own, our dogs were small to medium (terrier mix and later, cocktail spaniel). After our cocker had passed and we had moved through our grief enough to be ready for another puppy, we went to the shelter “just to look.” A wiggly, chubby pile of labrador/border collie mix puppies stole our hearts and, that day, Maddie arrived at her forever home. Not only was she incredibly smart, energetic and loveable, she became my constant companion and walking buddy. Through her persistence with our required daily walks, I trained for, and completed two separate 3-Day 60 Mike Breast Cancer Walks. However, even more importantly, through her, I lost my profound fear of large dogs.
Sadly, Maddie past in the beginning of 2015. It took us a year before we could even think of opening our hearts and home again; our grief was profound. And, when we DID decide, we researched and chose our next fur baby; a Rhodesian Ridgeback. Reagan is 11 months and 68 pounds. She’ll probably top out at 70-75 pounds, the approximate size of her parents.
So, long answer to your question, yes, I harbored a prejudice against big dogs. Thanks to a most amazing canine companion, that fear has been disspelled. By the way, Reagan is an amazing, relentless walking buddy.
Anne says
I have always had dogs in the 40-50 lb range. I like a medium sized dog because they are more sturdy than a tiny dog and easier to handle (say you have to pick them up, or help them upstairs when they are old) than a very large dog. My largest dog was 60lbs and the smallest, just under 40. I have had dogs for over 30 years, always more than one at a time, sometimes a lot more than one.
There are some small breeds I like (Papillion, Cavalier) and some I don’t (Chihuahua). There are a lot of very large breeds I like, and only a few that I’m not crazy about. But the dogs that work for me personally are in the middle range.
Trisha says
Great point, Rebecca, about size restrictions in apartments and condos. They frustrate me too. So many small dogs need more exercise and stimulation than large ones. So many large dogs are couch potatoes.
Re the “yappy nature” of small dogs. I find this very interesting. When I was seeing clients I saw lots of people with medium to large sized dogs who had “barking problems.” I’m not sure at all that small dogs are more vocal than large ones. However, their ‘voices’ are higher pitched, and I wonder if people, in general, find that more irritating.
Jana says
Wow are there a lot of replies already, obviously a topic that hits to the heart of dog-lovers all over.
I grew up with Boston Terriers and still bear the scars. A lovely breed, we just had one nasty specimen. I went up in size to a Boxer, Doberman, and Collie in college, but ever since reading an old novel with a collection of dog stories about a man shipwrecked who had a huge fear of dogs, where he and the ship’s captain’s dog, a Great Dane, were the only survivors, that description of the Dane won my heart.
Since then I have had 2 Great Danes, and for the past 25 yrs, 6 English Mastiffs. But, I also love advanced competition obedience. So, when one of my mastiffs died this year, all my obedience friends pressured me again to get a smaller, more “obedience” able breed. I looked and searched and thought about all the various breeds out there, especially considering that I too am getting older and managing a crippled 185 lb mastiff for the past year was challenging.
But, I stuck to my heart’s preference and have a new Great Dane puppy to go with my aging Mastiff.
Judi says
I had a sheltie growing up because my mom didn’t want the size and hair of a rough collie (too much Terhune in my reading!). Now I have Aussies in the 40-45 lb range. I like this size because they’re big enough to not need to be picked up much, but small enough to pick up when injured. Much as I admire some of the big sighthounds, I doubt I’ll ever own one for space reasons.
Now I suspect the tendency toward smaller breeds correlates with the tendency toward smaller yards and/or apartment living. My backyard is about 50×75 feet, which means my Aussies only do a few strides, if any, at full running extension before needing to slow for the fence. My backyard is much larger than those found in newer homes in my area.
The tendency toward proportionately larger heads makes me think of brachycephalic breeds. They are going to be much larger in head diameter-to-length ratio than the average dog and might affect the results. I think brachycephalics are also appealing to people who want dogs with lower exercise needs.
Sarah says
This is a really interesting question! My input comes from the angle of owning a really large dog. I grew up with medium-large dogs and have always preferred them, but mostly because we’re very physically active and need a dog that can keep up on multi-day backpacking treks. I’ve met many little dogs who have completely charmed me over the years.
Our current dog, Chara, we adopted from a rescue as a puppy. We were told she was a lab-husky mix, and so we expected her to be around 65 lbs. However, apparently there was something extra-large mixed in, because she grew to be around 90 lbs (and she’s still filling out–my guess is she’ll weigh in around 100 lbs).
Compared to the medium dogs we’ve owned, Chara gets far more attention from the public. People stop their cars, cross streets and generally go out of their way to pet her–and they all comment on how much they love giant dogs. People also tend to be far less appropriate with her than with other dogs I’ve had/walked–I’ve had complete strangers try to hug her on several occasions. This could just be because she’s adorable, but I do wonder if many people are drawn to the larger-than-life feel of a big dog. I’d guess that, on the opposite end of the spectrum, teeny-tiny dogs also garner extra attention.
That being said, Chara will be our last extra-large dog (that is, unless we get another surprise). She’s already had an injury that forced us to carry her up and down stairs, and she’s definitely not travel sized–she doesn’t fit in our Chevy Spark unless we convert the whole back seat into a dog bed. Still, we adore her.
Andy says
Love these questions. An enterprising volunteer did a bunch of data analysis on our primary urban shelter population for the time period of 2014-2015 in Central Texas. Some findings:
– “Chihuahua mix” was the largest grouping in the shelter, followed by “Bully Breed” and “Labrador Mix”
– The average length of stay was highest for dogs between 50-70 lbs, dogs 2-3 years old and dogs classified as “bully breeds”. Both small *and* large (80+ lbs) dogs left the shelter relatively quickly (15 days or so).
– There was no evidence for so-called “Black Dog Syndrome”.
I suspect this mirrors what’s happening in a much of the country. Anecdotally, I don’t much worry about small dogs in our shelter because we rarely hit a crisis point with them. The demand is definitely there.
One big, frustrating caveat: I strongly suspect that the typical Texas mixed breed dog has some bully in it, but because our culture is rather obsessed with “pit bulls” right now (for both good and ill) there’s a lot of overclassification of this type of dog. I frequently see slim, spotted dogs with medium coat lengths and long tails categorized as “pit bulls” simply because their heads are slightly broad. That’s a big problem, not just because of practical barriers to adoption and retention (e.g. housing restrictions), but because it makes population-level breed analysis really difficult.
The breed makeup in our rural shelters seems to be more diverse, but that may just be because I’ve only seen what’s on the adoption floor.
As far as my own preferences, I like little dogs but feel the same way about them that I do about infants: they are waaay too fragile for me. I’m far too clumsy, and if I accidentally step on Cecil the worst thing that would happen would likely be that he would yell at me.
Margaret McLaughlin says
I prefer dogs on “the large side of medium”; the 4 I have owned have ranged from 35 to 6lbs, a Keeshond, a 45 lb Lab, & 2 Flat-Coats. The guide dog puppies I have raised have all been under 70 lb at maturity, & have been GSDs, Labs, Goldens, & a standard poodle. I am not a fan of small dogs in general; probably I’m embittered by the 6 years I spent as a groomer. Worst bite I ever got was from a Shih Tzu.
That said, I know some small dogs that I would take in a heartbeat–the issue with so many small dogs is that people don’t bother to train them because they think they can just pick them up, or think they’re too small to cause real trouble. Or–what REALLY frosts me–they think aggression in a small dog is “cute”. The woman I trained with for years had a mantra, “if that behavior’s not cute in a Rottweiler it’s not cute at all!” I realize this is a human issue rather than one inherent to small dogs, & I can think of lots of exceptions–the OTCh Yorkshire Terrier I met at a trial a couple of weeks ago, my friend’s MACH2 mini poodle, a Maltese I used to groom who would have made a fabulous agility dog, another friend’s daughter’s Chi mix, who never forgets a friend & is ready to be friends with anyone…
If I get to the point of not being able to manage a 60 pounder I might get another Kees. Or a mini poodle. I want something trainable. I’m also more than a bit of a klutz, & I don’t want a dog so fragile I could injure or kill by stepping on it. I do have a cat, but their sense of self-preservation is a lot stronger, & I’ve only stepped on a couple of tails in 30 years.
As to why they’re trending, I’d assume size/weight restrictions, perception that they’re easier to manage/don’t need to have time invested in training, & the aggressive marketing of designer mixes. (I’m all in favor of adopting mixed breeds. I am NOT in favor of deliberately breeding them.)
The high-pitched yap is annoying, but a bigger dog does not always have a bigger bark. Nina is 60lb, but she barks like a Sheltie. Much as I love her, it’s annoying.
em says
I like dogs of all different sizes, but I can definitely understand people ruling out the extremes for practical reasons. Most people understand the extra logistical and physical challenges and expenses of a giant dog (even if you never REALLY understand until you’re actually facing it, but my experiences dog sitting my brother’s chihuahua have taught me that, for me, there’s a lower size limit too.
The chi in question was a charming, lovely dog, but I found it nerve wracking to have such a small, breakable creature underfoot. I worried about him constantly, inside and outside the house and I found it much more challenging to feel in control around doorways, possible approaching dangers, etc. when he was so quick and low to the ground that I couldn’t always easily put my hands on him. My big dogs seemed positively easy to handle, by contrast. I also put something of a premium on having a dog big enough not to worry about coyotes, since we spend so much time in their territory.
Aside from coyote safety, I’ve often felt that one of the hidden advantages of a giant dog is that a well-mannered, well-trained giant is physically much safer and easier for people with balance and flexibility issues to handle- they can be collared, leashed, and petted without stooping, walk very comfortably at a human pace, tend not to make as many sudden movements, don’t get underfoot, and can handle a bit of human stumbling without as much risk of injury. Of course, the well-mannered bit is key here, and the fact that Otis the Great Dane makes a very trustworthy companion for small kids and Great Aunt Gladys doesn’t mean that Aunt Gladys could safely take full responsibility for handling a dog of his size.
I’m lucky to be fairly strong. I can lift 75 lb Sandy when I have had to, though I’m not certain I could carry her far. I can even hoick Otis’ back end up and into the truck as long as he can help me at all with the front end. Between my husband and I, we can lift him, but the reality of a 150lb dog at nearly ten years old affects me enough that I am more careful about our hikes- I don’t go places with him that can’t be reached by ATV anymore, nor do I venture into places without cell service.
We have been extremely lucky. Otis and Sandy (fourteen next month) are both fully mobile and in good health, so we take precautions, count our blessings, and continue to do the things we love. I can see myself ‘sizing down’ someday, but for all the extra costs and challenges, I wouldn’t trade my big dogs- I suspect I’ll ‘lean large’ for my personal dogs as long as I feel I safely can.
Sam. M says
I’ve tended towards smaller dogs as I find larger dogs can be a little overwhelming at times, I was lucky enough to have several large dogs growing up & loved them all, I just prefer the physical smallness of them. Having said that if the only way a large dog could be rescued was for me to adopt it, I’d take it in a heartbeat & love the hell out of it. I do however have a soft spot for terriers, pretty much any breed of terrier, I love watching how they think & how they face the world so I’ve tended to terrier breeds. My husband was all big dogs only until we got married & I fostered a Rat Terrier. My husband gave strict instructions the dog was to sleep in the kitchen behind a baby gate. No worries I said, unfortunately the dog had other plans. We put him to bed, said good night & went to sleep to be over taken by a dog who had escaped his crate, jumped the gate & was on the bed before we got there. “You said they were smart.” was his laughing response as the dog climbed under the covers with my husband. 2 days later we were official foster failures. He’s now a terrier fan too.
Barb Stanek says
Thanks for the great sheep trial pictures and the great descriptions! So fun to see a dog sport that I don’t do! Fascinating.
I have medium sized dogs for two reasons. First, the stray dog that got me started in having a dog looked and behaved very much like the Portuguese Water Dogs that I have had and loved. Second, for a wonderful 24 years I had the privilege of sharing my life with a beautiful, talented horse. When she died and I switched to dogs, I realized that I did not want a “big” dog in my house and potentially on my bed. Now that I’m getting older, I’m thinking of down- sizing again, just because of the energy a working dog requires from it’s person — energy that I just don’t always have as much as I used to. Sigh. Good thing that there are small dogs!
I can relate to feeling bad about letting your dog down. Thanks for the reminder that the dogs are already over it!
Carol Clark says
Have to say I have never really had a preference! My own dogs have been medium but I loved a friends Newfie (though not all the slobber!) , adored the British bulldog in my last set of classes and last night fell totally in love with a wire haired dachshund! Like you, Patricia, I think the dogs physical and psychological health is the most important thing, rather than its shape, size or looks.
Christin says
I doubt I’ll ever have a really large dog. Mainly because their health and life expectancy worry me, and because I need to be able to lift and carry them, but also because having a small dog has been surprisingly nice. I always leaned towards middle sized, but my dog now is downright small at 13 lb. and while sometimes I wish he were bigger, it sure is handy. I’ve come to love how he fits in my lap and treads lightly on the world. It’s an efficient dog ownership experience. 🙂 Minimal input and output, quick to bathe and brush. I feel confident enough to bike with him, which I might not with a more powerful dog, and if he gets tired he can ride home in the bike basket. I can actually run fast enough to get him good exercise. He’s surprisingly sturdy and does have a proper bark rather than a shrill yappy one, for which I am very grateful. I’m hoping he’ll live a long time the way small dogs often do. If I ever do get a second, I may still aim for bigger, but not as much bigger as I once thought.
Melissa says
For another perspective, I did a study on boldness in dogs and found it covaried with size. In other words, bigger dogs are typically bolder. There is another study my research group did that explored this in much greater detail, including height and weight to get an idea of stout dogs vs lean dogs and so on. It was published in PLOS One. I also found some of my boldest breeds in the survey like labradors and staffies are also enjoying high and increasing numbers of ANKC registrations. There’s a chicken and egg kind of question, here. Are they popular because they are bold or are they bold because they are popular (and the average owner wants a bold dog, so there is greater selection pressure for this on popular breeds)? And, it IS just a trend. Some of the other common breeds I had in the study were comparatively very shy, like Jack Russells, surprisingly enough. And cattle dogs.
Undoubtedly, smaller dogs are easier to find homes for and seem to appeal to older people and people with smaller homes, which is a whole other issue.
Personally, I always want a really big dog, and always get a much smaller dog. My latest is smaller than I said I would ever go because caring for little dogs makes me nervous. They are a little fragile. In the past, my smaller dogs have been tough little herding dwarf breeds that seem to be able to handle just about anything you throw at them. The new little one is a teensy bit nerve-wracking, but she is better at looking after herself than the bigger dogs are. She is aware of how fragile she is and manages her space accordingly, which I suppose creates its own problems to some degree, but at least I don’t tread on her like I feared would happen.
lin says
My childhood dog was a shepherd mix, with classic GSD markings, but I had no dog of my own until my 40s, when my husband and I bought a house. He didn’t want a shepherd (got bit by one as a kid), so we adopted a 75 lb. dog who looked to be a lab/shepherd mix (yellow fur, semi-floppy ears). We slimmed her down to about 65 lbs. When she got older, and needed help getting up and down the stairs, my husband vowed our next dog would be smaller. We fostered a 35 lb cattle dog, who was the right size, but not the right fit. We now have Bert, who is a wire-haired black something a little over 40 lbs.
I’ve volunteered for over 10 years at our small local shelter, which is in the California Bay Area. When I started, there were hardly any little (under 20 lb) dogs. When the mania for Chihuahuas ended in the early 2000s, we started seeing an increase in the shelters. I would say a quarter of our kennels have Chis in them, and sometimes that number is higher. Five of them even got flown to Montana to be adopted several years ago. We’re also seeing more poodle-y and shihtzu-y dogs (sometimes surrendered, but often found as strays and never retrieved)
When I started, easily half the kennels could have been filled with bully breeds, usually 50+ lbs. Now, although we do reach that number, we also get some husky and labby mixes. Most of them are 50-100 lbs, though. Very few dogs in the 30-45 lb range.
I was not a little dog fan when I started, and for awhile didn’t walk any, since there wasn’t always someone available to walk the bigger dogs. But I’ve met some very charming little dogs, and I could see, when I get to the point of downsizing (both dogs and house), getting a 10-15 lb. dog (we get some TINY Chis in the shelter — 4-6 lbs — and that’s just too little for me). Oh, and one of the favorite dogs in my reading program (which is mostly labs and goldens) is the utterly adorable 25 lb. poodle mix Oreo.
Trisha says
Melissa, I’d love to see your study. I almost mentioned Serpell’s work in the post, in which he found aggression at much higher frequencies in small dogs than large. He speculated that smaller dogs feel more vulnerable and are thus more likely to exhibit defensive “aggression.” It seem such a logical explanation.
Re em’s comment: Great point. I have almost tripped over 12 lb Tootsie I don’t know how many times, and thought often that if I was truly elderly she’d be a health hazard. I too find larger dogs easier to keep track of, and it is lovely to worry less about them getting run over or trampled in some way. But then, I also love being able to lift Toots onto my chest while I’m vegging out on the couch. Of course, as soon as I do, Maggie leans over and reminds me that she is perfectly capable of cuddling any way I’d like. Willie waits for me to get on the floor to cuddle with him, and occ’ly runs into me in his infinite, mindless exuberance, but he is generally too much easier to keep track of than Tootsie.
Something else, related to other comments about small dogs and safety. After have 3 clients whose dogs killed Yorkies, I remain extremely cautious about getting a truly tiny dog. I’d be awfully worried about taking care around unfamiliar dogs.
HobbesMom says
Like so many others here, I had large dogs (hunting dogs) growing up until one day our neighbor rescued a Chihuahua and asked us if we could take care of her. She was about 15lbs and I loved every inch of her. When my husband and I got our first house we immediately got an Aussie mix from the shelter and not much later a terrier mix. The Aussie was around 60lbs and the terrier around 25. We have since had a German Shepard (125lbs), a Jindo (50lbs) and a Husky mix (50lbs) and an 18lb Lakeland terrier. When deciding on our latest pup (my choice this time) I wanted a dog I could run with who wouldn’t overpower me (I am strong but pretty small). I chose a Vizsla and he is the perfect size at just over 40 lbs and measured 22 inches for agility. I don’t think I would ever get a tiny dog. I don’t like their voices (I do find the pitch annoying) and I am afraid I would step on them. The Vizsla is the perfect size for traveling and has been accepted in hotels without an issue even though some might consider him a large dog.
Layne says
My personal preference is for medium to large dogs. Frankly some of the nastiest, unprovoked bites I have received have come from tiny, untrained little monsters who were not properly trained because their people thought they were “too little to do any damage”. Like you, Trisha, I prefer to have a dog I can lift/carry my myself in the event I have to get them veterinary help in an emergency.
I volunteer at a local shelter. Many people come in looking for little dogs for multiple reasons: The perception that they are “safer” for small children to have because the child can easily manhandle the dog. The limitations placed upon the size (under 25 pounds) of a dog by landlords and strata councils. Then the medium size dogs and the large “friendly” breeds like labs and golden retrievers. Sadly the “bully breeds” are in the shelter the longest. I think this happens because the city in which I live has a muzzle law for pit bull type dogs. Seeing an adoptable dog out for a walk wearing a muzzle predisposes people to believe the muzzle is required because of the dog’s behavior. A big disadvantage in my opinion.
Pam Brown says
I grew up watching Lassie and reading Terhune books so I’ve been a collie fan my whole life but never owned one until my mid-thirties. I’ve had a medium sized mutt, 2 miniature poodles, a greyhound, an afghan hound and 2 GSDs so I like all dogs. But now it is collies all the way – rough and smooth coats. I have 10 and I show in conformation, herding and rally. Collies are really a medium sized dog. My girls are between 50 to 55 lbs. My males are 5 to 10 lbs heavier.
So how do I manage at my age – I’m 69? We live in a one story house, we have a ramp out front for old dogs, I have an electric grooming table so I don’t have to lift dogs on or off the table, and I drive a mini van so my dogs can hop in by themselves. My dogs are outside all day in a 3/4 acre field so they are quiet and tired when they come in at night. My older dogs train the puppies on how to behave. And, finally, I have dog food delivered to my shed by a wholesaler. With these adaptations, I don’t feel the need to get a smaller dog just because I’ve gotten older. In fact, I’m glad I don’t need to bend down to pat my dogs.
Iris says
I love all dogs (& cats too), but I do prefer large dogs, particularly GSDs. I’ve shared my life with all sizes of dogs, most of them found wandering the streets. But when faced with a choice I always go for the large ones.
Rebecca Rice says
Having a very small dog does make you look at life differently. The incident that drove home to me how big the world is to little Pixie was the day I realized that she was struggling to keep up with me while we were crossing a park. The grass was ankle-high on me, something I cut across without a second thought. But that’s chest-high to Pixie, and it took a lot more effort for her to force her way through it. That got me looking at curbs, steps, furniture in a whole new light, and considering how thick vegetation is. I have also seen how Pixie handled a golden that wanted to kill her. I am cautious about other dogs around mine, but the golden got loose from his owner and attacked. That’s when I learned exactly how fast and agile a small dog can be. She was easily able to avoid the larger dog by weaving, spinning, and dodging. If it hadn’t been so scary, I would have been delighted to just watch her move. I’ve never had a problem with her being underfoot, but have had several times where I couldn’t find her, because she was following me in my blind spot and stayed there when I turned around.
As to people not training small dogs as much as larger dogs, it’s probably true. But the flip side is that many people do not treat small dogs with respect, either. The vet tech that walks my Katie to the back room will just swoop down and pick up Pixie, AND plant a kiss on the top of her head. I get it. She’s small, friendly, extremely cute with her little nub of tail wagging. But that doesn’t mean that people should just pick her up, or ignore her signals that she needs space! I can understand why some small dogs get snappy, since it seems like that’s the level of signal that it takes for some people to give them space. And even that won’t work for people who find it “cute”. I have to be a lot more proactive in managing strangers’ interactions with Pixie than with Katie, because people are always impressed with how well-behaved she is and then want to loom over her and reach for her. “Please don’t pick her up” comes out of my mouth way too often v
Frances says
Such an interesting discussion! I have never (yet!) had a problem with tripping over my tiny dogs, but I learned the kitten shuffle many years ago, and it came back automatically when they were pups. After a few experiences of being gently shunted out of the way when they were directly in front of me, or almost but not quite trodden on when directly behind me, they quickly learned to be aware of my feet and where they needed to be. Sophy will touch my leg with her nose to let me know where she is if she comes up behind me. I think it is a matter of experience – with big pups, you learn to brace yourself in case of a boisterous greeting; with tiny ones, you learn to check where they are before sitting down or standing up!
Something that has not been mentioned is how challenging it can be to socialise a toy breed puppy safely. The other pups in our Puppy Class weighed 3 – 10 times as much as mine – free play was too risky except with the very smallest. I was very fortunate in having wonderfully relaxed, kind adult Spinones next door, who played with them beautifully, but meeting new dogs out walking was always a bit worrying – you need to learn to read body language very well very quickly. And humans also take careful handling – all puppies are cute, but toy puppies can cause squee overload, especially in small girls! It is not really surprising that many owners avoid the risks by simply snatching the puppy up from the ground, leaving it under socialised and often inducing even greater fearfulness.
Susan says
I’ve gone from medium to small to medium again. We always had a medium sized mixed breed dog around and that was my preferred breed and size when I started my own household. Along with others, I thought little dogs were yappy and neurotic. Until I adopted a Jack Russell. The only thing little about them is their weight. I’ve had three of them now, and the last is 16 years old. My allergies have become worse as I get older and I have two standard poodles, one a dignified agility dog and the other a 3-year-old monster, full of mischief and possessing a very undignified sense of humour. He was my only and last puppy because of my age but oh boy, it’s hard to look at Jack Russell puppies.
Gail says
I like small to medium dogs because of the lack of space for large dogs. However growing up I have had both and like the large dogs for safety. My breed of choice at the moment and the past 17 years is the American Eskimo (comes in 3 sizes) of which I have had 2 sizes. I like them because of their look and their intelligence.
As for the world – size – I think more people get small dogs than larger because they can carry them and travel with them better.
I am appalled at the “shrinking” of the mid size dogs to toys. The Pomeranian comes to mind at the moment. Because they want to carry the tiny dogs, they try and shink them and now they are having so many health issues.
Jackie says
I have always had basenjis. I love their size, easy enough to pick up and large enough to be hearty and strong. My biggest preference is for the smooth coat. I am only attracted to smooth coated dogs. I like the look of the muscle, the shape of the dog, and the feel.
Susan says
I grew up with medium size dogs and stuck with them for a long time. I’ve had a couple of mutts and 3 Airedales. I now have a Welsh terrier, just under 18 lbs. I downsized for the same reasons most other commenters did. I have to say that the Airedales in no way prepared me for the terierness of my Welsh. She is the best of all worlds–portable, economical to feed etc., but also high drive and high energy. I’ve know many people who aren’t fond of small dogs who make an exception for her! We do agility and hiking and she is a dynamo. I always say she is small in size only. One thing I’ve notice is that in the everyday world you can take a small dog many places that wouldn’t allow a large dog, no matter how well mannered it is. Gimmel goes shopping, to the Post Office, bank, and many other places without causing a raised eyebrow. Out in public, some people are just intimidated by larger dogs.
Nancy says
Love the comments. Helps me realize that I am not alone. Many of us worry about helping our aging large dogs. My 14 year old lab is newly diagnosed with neurological problems and I am mentally getting ready for the road ahead. I will Google the Help me up harness. I was reading to see if the Corgi contingent checked in. I grew up with Pembrokes and always thought they were my forever breed. Sanity won out though when I realized a working breed with my full time job was not good for anyone. Now I am retired and had gone back to searching Corgi rescues when I realized that doing therapy work with a short but hefty breed was a back problem waiting to happen. In therapy work I have met some amazing, well trained little dogs that are a huge hit with elderly people. My team works with homeless adults who like big dogs, though so for now that is my best bet. I think it is the match more than the size that matters for me.
Peggy Michaelis says
I grew up with my Dad’s spaniels and loved all of them. I thought that was the only kind of dog to have. As an adult I’ve had the great fortune to live with several medium to large breed dogs: lab, St. Bernard, Irish Setter, Chow Chow, German Shepherd – then I met my first Corgi. She was an abused Cardigan Corgi who became one of my “legend” dogs. Neika taught me that attitude, not size, is what matters most. A few years later Neika & I adopted a Pembroke Corgi, Queen Bodecea. As I’m moving into my late 60s I want a dog who is independent, intelligent, energetic and snuggly. Corgis are all that and more. I’m a pet sitter who works with all breeds of dogs and cats. I love working with my 100 lb American Bull dog client and my Border Collie clients really are fun and keep me busy. But I want to come home to my 22 pound Corgi who truly dominates all the dogs & people in my neighborhood and has captured my heart.
Jenny H says
I am breedist, not sizist.
Short-haired, erect ears, not brachycephalic nor prognathic (aka NOT neotenous or distorted), normal nasal development, tail of full length and not curled of kinked.
Sort of Kelpies and German Shepherds.
The exception is the miniature and standard poodles 🙂
Alice R. says
I have known snappy small dogs, and always though it was because they were babied, not trained. Getting a medium poodle mix as a puppy opened my eyes enormously. It was so hard to socialize that small puppy due to the reaction of other people. They would rush us squealing, arms up high, towering over us reaching out if I wasn’t able to move fast enough. It was such a constant when he was little and cute that I cut down on our trips to stores, and busy places where I didn’t have full control. Now, at over a year old, we are quite busy going out trying to make up for lost time. It’s going well, but would have been so much easier if done at the proper time. I’m very drawn to people out with their puppies, but am careful to hang back and watch until I’m invited to gently approach.
Gayla says
If it’s a dog, – I like it.
If it’s a dog that searches my eyes with a ‘sparkle’ in his own, – I love it.
The shape and size of the package doesn’t matter to me…
Kelly Schlesinger says
Like so many of your readers, I too am trending to smaller dogs as I get older. I had Leonbergers and also fretted about dealing with emergencies if I were alone. Now we have two border collies who each weighs in at a little over 40 pounds. I never liked small dogs much until I got to know some where I work. Just thinking about one sweet mahogany colored mini dachshund bounding through the grass like a runaway slinky with her ears flapping in total extension makes me smile.
Antonia says
Love both but adore BIG dogs! Have three that would be considered giant breed, I suppose. Love the oversized lapdog mentality of my huge babies.
Roger of CaringDog.com says
I’d love to get a Great Dane but the house I live in at the moment won’t allow “big” pets. So, for now, I have a pitbull and she’s a darling.
Morgan says
Late to the party but went to a public shelter in the Mid-Atlantic region recently looking for a small dog for a friend. We were told people stand in line every day, in the middle of the work day, at hour before the shelter opens to get first dibs on any small dog that might have come in the night before. Kinda insane. Want a Presa, Corso, Bully, Pit, Dobe, Shepherd, Husky, or Lab mix? Lots of those.
Lisa says
I seem to be the opposite of many posters – as I’ve become older, my dogs have grown. Started with a spaniel, then a hound mix, now shepherd/husky mixes. I like a dog you can really play and “wrestle” with (anyone for a game of husky body-slamming?) – I fill my need for cute and cuddly with two cats. 🙂
I wonder about the stat from the AKC about fewer small dogs being registered – could that be due to people buying small dogs off the Internet from puppy mills and backyard breeders?
On the shelter front, here in Toronto we have an insane condo-boom, many with size limits, and little dogs are very popular. There’s a shortage of dogs for adoption and we have to bring them in. Where I volunteer we fly up about 20 small dogs from California and Arizona every 2-4 weeks, and they are gone within days. We bring big dogs down from northern reserves and they get adopted quickly too. Even those with medical issues find homes (we’re lucky to have an excellent vet team on staff). Our longer stay dogs tend to be ones with behavioural issues. We haven’t cracked that nut yet (but we’re working on it!).
Sadly, we have no “pit bulls” due to Ontario’s breed specific legislation … but we do get quite a few “lab mixes” ;-). While I have no data, I don’t think they’re any different from the other dogs – length of stay seems to be more tied to behaviour than breed or size.
Thanks, as always, for the interesting posts and lovely photos.
Dorte Weber says
I think it depends on what you want to do with your dog. I live in a part of Canada with very long, harsh winters. A very small dog would be hard to take for long walks in winter, but Jenny, my Border Collie/spaniel (probably) cross, is fine down to about minus 15. I see a lot of very large dogs these days: mastiffs, Great Danes, etc., and among the rescue dogs, the majority are Husky/GSD/Rottweiler crosses of one kind or another. That is probably a reflection of where our rescue dogs come from, namely northern communities and First Nations communities that don’t have spay/neuter programs and where people often can’t afford to do that on their own.
Dorinda Sutton says
The Afghan Hound is another large breed , but more “quirky” than others of his size. Of the eight I have been guardian to, two lives with terrier-type little dogs and did well. Experts of the breed advised against placing any small dog with an Afghan because of their prey instinct, but I’ve had no trouble.
What is a problem is their stubbornness. My current one won’t get in the car. My husband and I have to heave him in (we are seniors). He can’t be walked by either of us. We hire a dog walker every day to do this. And of course his coat needs daily attention. At present, I am looking for a little dog to give me the affection that the Afghan can’t or won’t reciprocate.
Sheepie says
Thank you, for all the comments enjoyed reading them. As kids we had a German Shepherd puppy for only six month, my parents decided he was too much dog, for little children. The neighbor loved the GSD and the GSD loved the neighbor so he started living over at the neighbors house, where he grew to be big 105 lb dog. My dad said, ” It was a match made in heaven.” My parents got us a small dachshund that very rarely if ever barked, it was perfect pet for small children . Anyhow, today my husband and I are older are both working from home decided on adopting a hypoallergenic mini sheepydoodle . Now I was very worried about her weight being between 30 – 40 pounds being too big to handle. The breeder thought she will most likely be 30-35lb possibly 40lb, but doubted it. I wanted a dog I could easily lift if I needed to get her to the pet clinic or just help her in and out of the SUV. So, my idea was to go to the produce section of the store and picked up three ten lb bags of potatoes all at once, and then added five more pound bag . Clearly I was able to lift 35lbs! My husband, laughed at me, but my biggest worry is what if something happens …I want to be able to act quickly and lift up the dog and get her help I do not want to call someone to help me pickup my dog! Also I wanted a dog that doesn’t take up a lot of room and is easy to transport in the car, and is easy to clean up after, non shedding. Well glad we adopted her she weights 32lb perfect size for us she is a calm , content and loving pet.
Justin says
I enjoyed this post and the comments. We want one of each. We have a goldendoodle who will be a medium around 45 lbs (currently a 30 lb puppy). We are getting a Bernedoodle that will be 75-85 lbs. And as our final dog, we will get a tiny Maltese.
Eiric says
Great article. Thank you. I have had both big and small breeds together. Making a tidy 2 small, 2 big pack. Recently my 12 yr old chihuahua, the last of my pack, passed. The 2 labs and Japanese Chin with my Chi were always great together.
I have been with my gf for the last 8yrs. Except for my Chi she has only had large breed dogs, Saints and greyhounds. In the last few years I have really loved the simplicity of a small breed. With the house empty of canine fluffs, but full of feline fluffs we are thinking of another dog (or two). We have the idea of a big and a small. She loves the Saints and I Chi’s. Problem is I hate the drool (though I love the dogs), and she dislikes the fast moving energy (and one person bonding) of the Chi. I have tried a compromise of another breed. Something in between. And then she gives me her puppy dog eyes. If we go ahead with one big and one small which one would you suggest first? I fear a big breed pup yet untrained would not be safe for a small breed pup. So much to think about because I’d love to raise two dogs together. I’m rambling. Thank you for reading. Eiric