A Look at the Stigma Associated with Small Breed Dogs

The Savannah Morning News has a section called "Vox Populi" in which people can call or e-mail short opinions to be published anonymously. These are frequently short political rants that I roll my eyes at or nonsensical irritants that must seem really, really important to the person who submitted it. They are fun to read, but rarely do these ever have enough power to affect me for more than a few minutes. That was, until a few days ago when small dogs were the topic of one of the short blurbs. I don't remember the exact words, but basically it said that if a dog is small enough to fit into a carrier or bag, it is a hamster and not a real dog. At this point, I should probably tell you a little something about my friend Zelda.

I adopted Zelda from the Savannah Humane Society when she was a mere seven weeks old. She is a Miniature Pinscher, which, to clear a few things up, is neither a Chihuahua nor a mini Doberman. She weighs about ten pounds, and yes, if I wanted to, and if she'd let me, I could put her in a large handbag. She looks like the kind of dog that wealthy twenty-something women buy so they can have a furry fashion accessory. However, that's not what she is. I'll admit it, she does have a few doggy coats and sweaters. But she has them because her short coat and high metabolism don't accommodate cold very well, and I adopted her in December. There is nothing dainty about her. This little dog has more spunk, energy, and personality than one could ever imagine, especially if they have never had a puppy before. She is a very small dog, but on the inside she is 180 pounds and has the heart of a wolf.

She is why that "Vox Populi" blurb angered me. Obviously, the person writing it has no knowledge whatsoever of small dogs. There are many people with this attitude. They see movies like Legally Blonde and assume that all tiny dogs are just living playthings and dress-up dolls. They think that to be a "real" dog, the animal must weigh at least 60 pounds and shed long hair all over the carpet, assuming it's ever actually allowed inside. These people have obviously never spent time with a small breed dog, and are making generalizations based on stereotypes.

So, as the owner of a very small dog, I would like to clear a few things up. Dogs are dogs. The things that make a dog what it is do not disappear as soon as the animal dips below 30 pounds. We adopt them as pets for love, loyalty, and companionship. Dogs like to eat, play, chew, love, and be loved. Some like to dig, or to howl at the moon. This has nothing to do with size. So what makes my 10 pound companion any less of a dog?

So I decided it must be a question of culture. If you visit New York City, or somewhere else that's rather metropolitan, you will see a wealth of people from all walks of life with dogs of varying sizes. The teacup Chihuahua gets as much love and respect as the big floppy Labrador, regardless of who is walking them. They are not seen as less of a dog because of their size. I think that is a concept that was lost on the person who sent that opinion to the paper.

The person behind that blurb must have been raised with a stereotypical mentality. Their view of a dog (or a "dawg") was probably always that of the unneutered pit bull that lived in the back yard devoid of love or attention, barking meanly at every neighbor who passed by. Is this better? Does this creature's large size, aggressive behavior, or lonely living situation define its status as a "real" dog? In a word, no. Technically, it is a dog because it belongs to the species Canis familiaris. As does every breed of domestic dog you will see. Socially, it is a dog if it is your loving four-legged companion.

At this point someone may say that I am stereotyping as much as the original person to whom I am responding. I am acknowledging that what I say here is a stereotype, and I don't actually believe that all large dogs, or all dogs of a certain breed, are this way. The person to whom this article is directed made a generalization about all small dogs with no whimsy or awareness of their stereotyped thinking.

Whenever I take my dog somewhere, I no doubt will experience comments like "she's such a killer" or "what a monster" in a tone dripping with sarcasm. I always politely chuckle and brush it off, but I am secretly annoyed on the inside. I chose to adopt a small dog for many reasons, and it would be nice if people could respect that instead of snidely mocking it. I didn't adopt a dog to protect me or to scare anyone away, I adopted one for companionship and love. I don't believe that having a dog as a guard is ethical, because in order for it to act the way a guard dog "should," it often must first be subjected to less-than-ideal situations that border on abuse. I prefer to keep an animal that is happy and loved.

Any dog should be treated well and respected, no matter what size. They are not playthings or accessories, and they do have feelings and needs. No matter what size they are, they are living beings and should be treated as such. They need proper socialization, nutrition, shelter, and companionship to be happy and healthy. A responsible dog owner takes care of these things, and loves their dog very much. If you have any questions about the breed of a dog you see, most owners will be happy to answer them as long as they are not worded in a way that seems like mocking. Acting like a small dog is silly for its behavior is rude and will not be appreciated by the dog's owner. All dogs are dogs, no matter what size, and never should a dog be seen as less than that because it can fit in a handbag.