I've pretty much given up. When I fell in love with little dogs, I started out trying to change people's minds about them. It seemed everyone I ran into considered them less than "real dogs."
I took mine to countless obedience classes and performance classes. I got them registered as therapy dogs. I competed with them in agility. They're 2 of 7 Yorkies in the country who have their nosework titles. I posted pictures of them on Facebook and videos of them on YouTube romping around like big dogs in the snow. I show them off like a bazillionaire shows off his trophy wife.
I think I did all of this because I was trying to show people how truly remarkable little dogs are.
But the reason I'm tossing my hands up in defeat is because my city is building dog parks without fences separating little and big dogs. It's a cost-cutting thing, and I've been unable to convince anyone that it's a dumb idea.
Instead, they're offering "little dog hours" at the parks. Our first fenced park designated six hours a week as 25-pounds-and-under hours. I figured it was better than nothing.
What I wasn't prepared for were the cries of protest from big dog owners. They didn't see it as a safety issue, they saw it as pampered little dogs not being able to hang with the big dogs. They saw the little dog hours as a closure for them, and they said it was against their civil rights! If little dogs couldn't cut it, they should stay home. Next time, they said, get a real dog!
I thought it would go away, but a full year after one park designated those hours, there's a meeting to discuss extending the hours to a new park that's being approved.
Our newspaper ran a story on it, and the comments on the story are horrible.
Little dogs get absolutely no respect, and I don't think they ever will. I guess all we can do is appreciate them in seclusion.