I've now got a Cav Spaniel who's far less trained but it doesn't matter as much because he's not 40kg of muscle.
Small dogs need training just as much as big dogs, its not just about convenience for the owner, its for their safety and enriches their life and their owner's life.
I have never heard of anyone being killed, mauled to death by a small breed dog, whereas I have heard of someone mauled by a Doberman, they lock their jaws on and are reluctant to let go. i suppose it’s immaterial now, I don’t suppose the new owners will want to take the dog back, so we can only hope.
The 'locking the jaw' thing is a myth, although you hear it more about staffies.
All dogs have strong jaws and sharp teeth, if my toy poodle wanted to really hurt you, he could do so easily. (Well back when he had teeth!)
In my experience it can be a small uncontrolled yappy dog that instigates all the animus and the big dog responds and gets the blame. If big dogs behaved as badly as some small dogs do there’d be a lot more trouble.
Always the owner's fault though, not the dog's. A huge part of the problem is the idea that because its little it doesn't need to be properly trained!
Although people meeting my dog out and about would think he was untrained these days, sadly the reality is that he has canine cognitive dysfunction (doggy dementia) so has forgotten almost all of his training, and he used to be fantastic.
In my experience it can be a small uncontrolled yappy dog that instigates all the animus and the big dog responds and gets the blame. If big dogs behaved as badly as some small dogs do there’d be a lot more trouble.
Always the owner's fault though, not the dog's. A huge part of the problem is the idea that because its little it doesn't need to be properly trained!
Absolutely agree 200%
hence my point about badly behaved small dogs often causing the problem.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
In my experience it can be a small uncontrolled yappy dog that instigates all the animus and the big dog responds and gets the blame. If big dogs behaved as badly as some small dogs do there’d be a lot more trouble.
Always the owner's fault though, not the dog's. A huge part of the problem is the idea that because its little it doesn't need to be properly trained!
Absolutely agree 200%
hence my point about badly behaved small dogs often causing the problem.
Almost right, its badly behaved small dog owners that cause the problem.
All seems to be well then, big dog, small dog, all the same. good luck to your son in law in training the Doberman, Grandma. Let’s hope the kids have lots of fun with him.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
We've only ever had rescue dogs and always big dogs.
Many dogs in rescue are there because owners got a puppy and failed to do the research so ended up with a dog that was bigger than they thought.
We have ex racing greyhounds who end up in rescue because they are either too old (over 5) or they get injured. It's hardly ever behaviour issues - the way the racing industry works, aggressive dogs don't live long enough to get to rescues. But we've also had an ex bait dog who's life was saved by a kind, brave passer-by, 1 working lurcher who wouldn't chase rats, two who ended up in the RSPCA having been starved and one who was passed from person to person as a puppy as he got bigger and more boisterous. They all had personality quirks, some were reactive to other dogs and needed to be managed carefully, the ex workers were amazingly well trained, the greys just want a warm place to sleep.
A rescue dog can often be just unlucky. Puppy farming is a real issue in the UK. There are thousands of dogs put to sleep every week because no one wants them. The more people pay for puppies, the more strays will be euthanised as surplus to requirements.
A dobe may not be a beginners dog - I don't know, I've not met one. The solution may be to find a different rescue dog rather than to buy a doberman puppy.
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
The worst thing I saw when I worked in the ED (of course there was worst things, just happened not to be MY shift) apart from a bloke who got under his combine harvester which had stalled, without switching the engine off,was a little boy of 10 who's face was hanging off in bits,his lips missing holes right through his cheeks after an unknown dog had attacked him in a park. Have no idea what breed
Posts
All dogs have strong jaws and sharp teeth, if my toy poodle wanted to really hurt you, he could do so easily. (Well back when he had teeth!)
Although people meeting my dog out and about would think he was untrained these days, sadly the reality is that he has canine cognitive dysfunction (doggy dementia) so has forgotten almost all of his training, and he used to be fantastic.
hence my point about badly behaved small dogs often causing the problem.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Many dogs in rescue are there because owners got a puppy and failed to do the research so ended up with a dog that was bigger than they thought.
We have ex racing greyhounds who end up in rescue because they are either too old (over 5) or they get injured. It's hardly ever behaviour issues - the way the racing industry works, aggressive dogs don't live long enough to get to rescues. But we've also had an ex bait dog who's life was saved by a kind, brave passer-by, 1 working lurcher who wouldn't chase rats, two who ended up in the RSPCA having been starved and one who was passed from person to person as a puppy as he got bigger and more boisterous. They all had personality quirks, some were reactive to other dogs and needed to be managed carefully, the ex workers were amazingly well trained, the greys just want a warm place to sleep.
A rescue dog can often be just unlucky. Puppy farming is a real issue in the UK. There are thousands of dogs put to sleep every week because no one wants them. The more people pay for puppies, the more strays will be euthanised as surplus to requirements.
A dobe may not be a beginners dog - I don't know, I've not met one. The solution may be to find a different rescue dog rather than to buy a doberman puppy.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”