What do you do when someone belittles little dogs?
 

I went off on a Lab-owning friend today when he belittled little dogs as he's done frequently in the past. I had always ignored it before, but having just lost 14-year-old Eddie, my emotions are still raw and I decided I wouldn't stand for it.

He had joked about me putting a braid in Jillie's hair before a therapy dog visit to the hospital, which she's done for 8 years now. He thanked God his Labs didn't "require" that heavy maintenance. I informed him that Jillie didn't "require" the braid, but that many of the cancer patients we visit in pediatrics thank God during every visit that she gives them a reason to smile.

It got me to thinking about the hatred that still exists in society for little dogs. Hatred may be a strong word, but that's how I'm feeling. Disrespect for sure. I still see bad comedians making little dog jokes, and it irks the hell of out me! The time for hatred like that is gone in society.

So my question: Do people disparage your dogs because they are small? And do you say anything about it?

My friend LivingDustMops, a YorkieTalker and longtime little dog owner, told me recently that she's seen an improvement in how people react to little dogs. She said it used to be much worse. I hope so. I spent the 14 years of Eddie's life telling people that little dogs are incredible, and if they didn't believe me they could watch Eddie do agility or nosework or tricks or obedience. He put their Labs to shame.

So when people disparage little dogs just because they are little, or wear coats or braids, I get upset. Am I wrong?

Oh Mike, my heart hurts for you. I cannot imagine being in your "shoes" so soon after losing a beloved. While not legal, I think pulling that concealed weapon would have been appropriate- at least to shoot off a toe. I have never been in that position, and even if I ever was, I still couldn't fathom your hurt. I handle things one of two ways and neither are particularly useful or healthy. I would either hold in my feelings and walk away hurting, or I would unleash the righteous wrath I was feeling.

I hope that the Lab dude realizes the hurt that his selfish, inappropriate and stupid comments caused - "friends" like that cause more pain than they are worth. Sending healing :hug:

One last thought - You can cure ignorance through education , but STUPID IS TERMINAL. That dude is just plain and simply dog stupid.

For years when I owned mini poodles and my brother was breeding and showing Saint Bernard's he always teased me about my wee lil poodle who was smarter then his big dogs. Then my SIL got a Shih Tzu, I went to see her lil dog and there's my brother the NYC police officer, Mr. tough guy on the floor calling Honey come to daddy, I near died laughing. This was years ago, every dog after that was small one and they were always daddy's girl lol.
What I have seen over the past several years is a change in "men's" attitude over little dogs. Cody sits in a booster seat because he gets motion sickness, so he is now level with the window. He sports a long ponytail top knot. When I gas up I have had guys, mid 20's come over and make a big fuss over him and the smiles on their faces just melt my heart, I have had burly truck drivers come to pet and say hello to my guy, their entire tough face changes into softness and smiles and baby talk lol, so cute.

I have a burly retired truck driver neighbor who owns 3 tiny yorkies, when one passed he cried like a baby telling me how his dog passed.
So yes I have seen a change in ppl's attitudes in small dogs.
Back in the 80's when I had yorkie fever and had a pack of 3 I would get teased when I walked them passed ppl walking their Doberman's, I just said " different strokes for different folks" and kept on walking.
Eddie was a great lil smart pup, and yes it would hurt to hear someone putting down little dogs, but if they were to see the vids of Eddie working their way of thinking may change. Eddie and Jillie are pups to be very proud of.

Cody knows many commands and a few tricks, now that summer is here we go to friends BBQ's, sometimes neighbors are there, I have Cody go through all his commands and tricks using hand signals only, they are always amazed that such a small dog (12 ponds lol) is so smart. I tell them size doesn't matter, small dog can do anything big dogs do if they are trained.

I think there are definitely stereotypes out there about small dogs and even just yorkies. They bug me and sometimes I choose to say something and sometimes I don't. My dad apparently almost really went off on a women in the pet store a week or so after I got Ollie when I was making his ID tag my dad was watching Ollie and a women was talking to him and she had apparently said well that's yorkies in a bad way and it really bothered him. I know my yorkies are a bit bigger so some of the stuff I have gotten has been related to that and calling Callie fat when her weight was perfect because she was a bigger yorkie. I am very thankful for the training place I have found they are extremely amazing and don't hold stereotypes against any dogs. I do feel pushed harder to prove stereotypes are wrong and maybe that's a good thing. Callie is 11 now so we don't do as much with her but she does have a trick title. Joey is a performer and is working on his expert trick dog title and I hope to champion him in trick training soon. I also signed a contract with my trainers to enter him into casting calls that fit him. He has been entered into 2 and has not gotten them but I have gotten a lot of feedback on him. Penny rocks at obedience and I hope to get her into an intermediate obedience class and then maybe eventually obedience competitions. I have just started to feel out what Ollie is going to be good at but I'm thinking it maybe agility although I know I have to wait until he is finished growing to really work on him with that. I don't feel like mine really fall under the stereotypes people give yorkies. Joey is the only one that is a barker and he does well with leave it and stop. Callie is the only one that is super stubborn. I know that me and my dad like to correct people when they call Callie spoiled and laugh at her being in a stroller at pet events mostly it is because she has had three leg surgeries and she is old she get tired fast and will start to limp if she walks for to long so her stroller is like her wheel chair. I pride myself in the fact that I have been told by many of the techs at my vets office and my groomer that I have the best yorkies. I think sometimes people don't train their smaller dogs so that helps get them a bad name. I have a friend on facebook who I grew up with her kids and she likes to say pit bulls are stereotyped against but then bash small dogs and it takes everything I have to just walk away. I hate it when people put everyone in groups. Hope I didn't just go on and on lol.

Sad.--KatysMom

I pity anyone who disparages a dog. I pity any dog that has an owner that disparages other dogs.

Well said! :thumbup:

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Thanks for sharing your thoughts, everyone. My example was sort of a "last straw." By itself, I can handle someone teasing me for braiding Jillie's hair, but I knew even before I ready this person's comment that it was going to be rude. The good news is when I called him out, he immediately apologized and promised to be more thoughtful in the future. He also took his comment down (it was on Facebook). Perhaps I did some good confronting him and perhaps I should have done so a long time ago.

I agree that little dogs may have gotten a bad reputation from lack of training. But I also know a lot of big dog owners who don't train their dogs and whose dogs have bad habits too. Or are obese. I just think we're beyond the point where little dogs are disparaged just for being little, regardless of their training. Hopefully, it continues to change.

I am so sorry that happened to you Mike. I always reply that it takes a real man to push a dog stroller, use a pink leash, or whatever, fill in the blank. Hope that is not being sexist, but I mean it and it always shuts people up.

Mike that is so very hard to swallow so close to eddy,s death. I personally have not experienced this bias, but I know it exists. Much love friend.

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Ha ha! I thought that was a bogus link!

As I’ve always said......It Takes a big man to walk a little dog!

My husband's favorite response when he is herding three little ones around! :D