Little Dog Syndrome

[Alvindy]

Norman is 6.5 lbs and thinks he rules over our 50 lb Wheaten Terrier. The Wheaten looks at him like 'really, must you grab me by the ankle'?

[margaritaville]

Both of mine think they are guard dogs. Our mailman really thought they were big dogs till she got a good look at them. When vendors come to the door I just open the front door and talk to them through the glass storm door and pretend they are really vicious because they are acting so crazy. As for Sissy, there is not a bicycle in the area that is safe from her-she tries to attack them! The black lab next door runs in the house when he sees my two outside.

[IsabelleOllie]

My Belle does not have this affliction!

She is pretty much non-reactive when out on walks (thankfully all 3 of my dogs are this way) and ignores dogs barking at her from their yards or across the street.

She's pretty much a follower - if someone comes to my home and our big dog barks, she'll bark. If he is happy to see them, she's happy that they are there as well. She doesn't chase my cats unless Oliver (my shih tzu) is chasing them, too. She's also VERY submissive and shows her belly alot.

However, on a few outings when a strange person or dog has gotten too close for comfort she'll hide behind me and ask to be picked up. Once she's feels safe in my arms, then her inner wolf comes out and she barks and growls - she sounds like a little devil dog!!!!

[deonk1]

Harley likes to bark at other dogs, its a new thing that drives me nuts, so anyway when we go for walks it's a big fuss the make sure that he doesn't bark. (he's training for agility and I can't bare to bring him on the grounds if he barks like that all day).

So one day we were walking in the park, it was an off leash part, but I always keep him on leash with me so I can grab him if need be. and I saw these two loose dogs coming towards us, they were big. So I picked Harley up. Well the little guy decided he was going growl and mock these big dogs as we walked by. I observed the dogs as they came closer, I knew they were good dogs, very pleasant relaxed and happy, so mid growl I bent over and stuck him on the ground... That was the look on his face.... when he realized these dogs were coming to say hi. he didn't bark much the rest of the walk... lol
(Don't worry I wouldn't have done that if I sensed those dogs weren't old and relaxed, I'm not that cruel).

[1Ieisha]

You guy's stories are great!! i really enjoy reading them!!

[Teresa Ford]

" Sure I can help with your dogs behavior, just look how mine.... er.... Have you ever noticed if you are a dancer you miss a step when teaching, a baker you burn the rolls, a trainer your dog misbehaves ? Ok with that said, 3 of my four walk beautifully. But when, Ginny Joy sees a bird, squirrel, or 150 pound Akita named Killer, she runs to the end of her leash so hard sometimes she is flipped onto her back, barking and snarling like a wolf with rabies ! If a dog behind his own fence is being good and just looking at her go by, she teases him with some vile dog bark cuss words. She taunts him, until he is zooming up and down the fence barking and foaming at the mouth with rage. She really is a little bitch.
One of our neighbors has normally well behaved German Shepard something mix. In fact I worked with Mike and Duke. Two years ago Duke was flying Mike behind him, like he was a kite. We taught Duke some manners and basic rules, now he heels without a leash and is so sweet , friendly and calm. Anyway when he sees us coming, he gallops to his doggy door If he could he would slam and bolt it. He peers at Ginny and whines. He is worried about the safety of his brick house and thick window. Because when she was only 14 weeks old she bit his nose and drew blood. Sigh.... Ginny Joy is of course a work in progress she is only 6 months old. Sorry got to go I think she has a school bus cornered.

[yavenay]

However, on a few outings when a strange person or dog has gotten too close for comfort she'll hide behind me and ask to be picked up. Once she's feels safe in my arms, then her inner wolf comes out and she barks and growls - she sounds like a little devil dog!!!!

OMG We have the same yorkie. Brandi is the same way especially when the doorbell rings. She will be steady barking but she will not run in front of me to go answer the door. She does all of her barking standing behind me and if she thinks she's getting ahead of me she will stop and wait until I catch up with her. It is the funniest thing. she really only has 4 teeth so she is all bark....heck she doesn't even have a bite anymore. I tease her all the time.

[BlueBelle]

My Bella is a 5lb terror. She must have seen herself as a puppy and imprinted that she is a Rottie! She can sound so vicious if she thinks another dog is coming into "her" territory. Doesn't matter that she was the last dog in. Sophie is the opposite. She will bark but is quite timid, specially when it comes to people. She has never met a dog she didn't love, however.
My daughter has 2 Bichons and they are all best friends in their part of the house or outside in the fenced yard but if they come downstairs (as they do to raid the food bowls) she sounds ferocious.

[1Ieisha]

Originally Posted by BlueBelle

My Bella is a 5lb terror. She must have seen herself as a puppy and imprinted that she is a Rottie! She can sound so vicious if she thinks another dog is coming into "her" territory. Doesn't matter that she was the last dog in. Sophie is the opposite. She will bark but is quite timid, specially when it comes to people. She has never met a dog she didn't love, however.
My daughter has 2 Bichons and they are all best friends in their part of the house or outside in the fenced yard but if they come downstairs (as they do to raid the food bowls) she sounds ferocious.

I have a Bichon too!! and she was here first but Max thinks everything is his!! He thinks he's in control because of course he weighs 200 pounds and is 5 feet tall.

[RileyDC]

Originally Posted by Britster

No, I can honestly say Jackson doesn't have the stereotypical "little dog syndrome". Now, he thinks he's a big dog in a little dog's body, meaning he does everything a big dog can do and wants to be a part of it all (whether it's diving into the pool, plowing through 4ft of snow, or running on the beach) but he doesn't have that attitude.

Big dogs can be barking at us through a fence on our walk and he could care less. People can by walk our car and he doesn't care, he's not the typical "yappy" little dog. Don't get me wrong, he can be vocal, he likes to bark at the quads that drive by at my dads house and stuff, but it's not him thinking he's bigger, he's just having a blast LOL. He gets along fine with big dogs too and knows his place... he would never push his luck, I think he knows they are much bigger than him.

Oh the only time he really goes into alert is when someone comes in the door. It's a high pitched ruffruffruff for the first few seconds until he notices it's someone he knows or I tell him to shut up

That sounds Exactly like Riley!! He doesn't have the stereotypical "little dog syndrome" either and no attitude .....and at almost 1 1/2 years old... he rarely ever barks.... The only time he really barks is when the guys across the hall come home drunk! LOL!!

On our nightly walks we encounter a lot of squirrels, birds and rats running right in front of us. He isn't bothered at all by them and doesn't even bark. He did get a little more excited when a Fat Black rat ran in front of us. He didn't bark, but definitely was more interested in it than in the squirrels and birds.

Recently I took him to my parents and my dad and my neice took their Standard and miniature poodles out for a walk around the neighborhood with us. There were dogs in other yards and some people along the way. The poodles were going all crazy at times and Riley was just walking along like he couldn't care less.....didn't even bark, once. He was actually walking alongside the miniature poodles at times and would look over and lick the side of her face....it would calm her down. It was sooo Cute!!

[1Ieisha]

Originally Posted by RileyDC

That sounds Exactly like Riley!! He doesn't have the stereotypical "little dog syndrome" either and no attitude .....and at almost 1 1/2 years old... he rarely ever barks.... The only time he really barks is when the guys across the hall come home drunk! LOL!!

On our nightly walks we encounter a lot of squirrels, birds and rats running right in front of us. He isn't bothered at all by them and doesn't even bark. He did get a little more excited when a Fat Black rat ran in front of us. He didn't bark, but definitely was more interested in it than in the squirrels and birds.

Recently I took him to my parents and my dad and my neice took their Standard and miniature poodles out for a walk around the neighborhood with us. There were dogs in other yards and some people along the way. The poodles were going all crazy at times and Riley was just walking along like he couldn't care less.....didn't even bark, once. He was actually walking alongside the miniature poodles at times and would look over and lick the side of her face....it would calm her down. It was sooo Cute!!

Aww Riley is such a charmer!!!

[cadycaines]

Jaxon is only 4 months old and so far he doesn’t bark at other people or animals he just wants to run up to them and play with them. The only time he barks is when my cat Sophie won’t pay attention to him, he barks at her and bounces around trying to get her to play, lol.
When we are outside and he hears my neighbor’s dogs bark or even a really loud strange noise he runs for the deck and wants to go inside. Is this just because he is still a puppy? When does the little dog syndrome behavior usually start?

[tinalove]

I have a bichon too. Looks like its a common thing to love both yorkies and bichons. I have a female bichon so I'm thinking about getting a male yorkie.

[LovinOurYorkies]

My girls take issue with horses and cows...

My father's backyard runs along acreage where horses are raised... twice a day, the horses came to feed along their fence; and OMG the girls were right there at their feet (on the safe side of the fence) bark-bark-barking and carrying on...

We also spent time in the country where our family has a couple of horses and about seven cows. The girls would (out of nowhere) runs as fast as their little legs would carry them and carry on like the horses and cows were intruders on their property!

I would love to know what the girls were saying, and I can only imagine what the horses and cows were thinking...

[1Ieisha]

Originally Posted by tinalove

I have a bichon too. Looks like its a common thing to love both yorkies and bichons. I have a female bichon so I'm thinking about getting a male yorkie.

Yea i have a female Bichon, and i made my mind up to get a male yorkie because if i got a female i felt that my bichon would get a little snappy towards her as she grew... But she gets along great with the male!!