Small Dog Syndrome: Cute but Not Funny

It is almost impossible for a dog lover not to over spoil that adorable puppy or small dog. The problem is that puppy gets bigger if it is a large breed and even if it is forever a little dog it still grows up and you are left to deal with the bad behavior known as Small Dog Syndrome! As the owner of large and small, spoiled and well behaved dogs, I have seen the proof that this syndrome is very real!

What is small dog syndrome? When the dog thinks he is the leader of the pack and you are part of his pack along with the entire household and anyone who enters it is also a member or an intruder. Smaller breeds are more likely to have this syndrome because of the cuteness factor but larger dogs are not immune as it is a disorder caused not by the dog but by the humans. The humans who don't show leadership are to blame. The humans who let their precious little dog get away with murder because they are so cute! I have been guilty of this myself. My first toy poodle still displays bad behavior because I over spoiled him. He doesn't like any other dogs to even be near him. He is extremely jealous of me. He displays major separation anxiety. He bites, yaps and raises cane whenever he is not allowed to leave the house with me. He attacks the other dogs, once nearly killing a puppy with a bite to the throat. He resists any correction of his behavior so far despite many methods I have tried. I only made that mistake once. It was hard for me to realize that I could show my dogs more than enough love and attention without letting them run over me. The truth is it's better for the dog as well as the owner if you show leadership at all cost! Don't let them break the rules. You can still love them as you correct them and let them know without doubt what they can and cannot do.

The Urban Dictionary gives a most colorful definition of the phrase Small dog syndrome, which translated cleanly means, one of small stature that believes he is much bigger than he is and violently threatens others several times his size! Some dogs displaying this behavior will even bite their own master. From the very start the smaller dogs were bred solely to be lap dogs and have been spoiled as a result. Many assume that is the actual purpose of owning a small dog and will refer to them as "my baby". It's hard not too, I know, I also know this is a very hard behavior to correct and in most cases it is never corrected. Any dog can be corrected with the right re- training, persistence and total dedication but this is one behavior that is hard to break. The best thing to do is remember that "your baby" is watching and learning from you what his place in the pack will be.

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