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Originally Posted by gemy  I too read the Op;s thread as wanting to educate and not to complain. Owners of tiny breeds and at the other end of the spectrum the very large breeds have some similar but also different responsibilities.
The OP also did not state she xpenned her dogs all day. Only when necessary - a sensible precaution.
Should a tiny dog get exercised daily? Of course age appropriate - and in an environment that will be as safe for the dog as possible.
And dogs sometimes don't know their limits. Well at least neither of the breeds I own do. My dogs will over exercise (if I allow it) because it is something they love to do. Swim retrieve over and over again. Ready to go for a hike? Sure Mom - love to do it. I had one dog literally retrieve so much on pavement he abraded the skin off one of his paw pads. My lesson learnt.
My 6lb Yorkie swims and dock jumps. But I don't want him jumping off furniture - in fact I don't want him on my furniture. Although he is allowed to be on my recliner with me.
My Yorkie is crated at night for his safety - as we own 2 large breed dogs with poor night vision. Some one breaks into our home at night I don't want my Yorkie trampled as my guard dogs do their duty.
And Yorkies are at risk around most dogs - as most dogs are very much larger than they are. One pick up and shake of the dogs neck from a bigger dog can seriously maim a Yorkie. Good grief I had a 3 pack of coyotes circling my large dog and myself one day when I was in a park training with my big boy. A coyote would make short work of a Yorkie!
No dogs large or small should repetitively be jumping off heights that are high for them onto slippery surfaces - it quite simply is not good for their joints. Stairs are a different issue and for all breeds no stairs until at least 3 months old - there is at least one study that speaks to this. For some Yorkies with short legs and you have steep stairs - they physically may not safely do stairs!
And finally there is no shame in being a show breeder - why should there be? |
Thank you . .
Galen is out and about all day long. His playmates most often are a Aussie/Border mix, and kitties. One is a 18lb LOL. He runs and plays with the Aussie most of the time and he ruff houses with her. He doesn't know that he is little. That is why the Wolfhound comment
We do not have small dogs that live by me. He even meet a BRT which he just loved.
You are so right about the wild life. I live surrounded by a farm. Which in turn brings all types of wild life. Since there is a lot of deer. Once we counted 63 in the herd. Comes the coyotes. There is a pack that runs around following the deer. So I am more cautious at my house then say at my Mom's who lives on LI.