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Small Dog Breeds
What You Should Know
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There are several things to consider before purchasing any dog and just because a dog is small, don’t jump to the conclusion it will mean less work for you to maintain. Admittedly you will not need exercise as much or as often, but toy breeds often come with their own problems. In the beginning there was the Wolf and this is what all our dogs are descended from. Pure Breed and Pedigree dogs are dogs which have been selectively breed to produce dogs with certain characteristics or traits. Small dogs are not a “freak of nature”. All pedigree dogs are engineered by man to fulfill a function. When Queen Victoria was presented with a small Pomeranian dog, a new fashion began to form which dog breeders’ quickly capitalized on to produce smaller and smaller dogs. These smaller breeds are known as “Toy Breeds” or “Toy Dogs” and make excellent companions. |
Toy breeds sleep quite a lot, require much less exercise and feeding but they also inherit some health issues breeders seldom warn about. Many Toy Breeds have narrow tear ducts which clog easily causing the eyes to become dry. Narrow nostrils can cause breathing difficulties and hip displacement is not uncommon in old age.
They make excellent companions however, particularly for the elderly but bear in mind Toy Dogs can live to 20 years or more so it will require a long term commitment.
Adult Dog or Puppy
All puppies will need to be housebroken and given obedience training. With an older dog you can see what you are getting; you can see the coat thickness and length and the personality. An older dog is usually housebroken, has had obedience training and is less destructive.
Toy Dogs seldom consider themselves “small”. They are “big dogs” in a small body and can be extremely loyal and territorial. The Pekinese has a flat face and can often suffer from teeth and mouth problems. Emperors and dignitaries’ used the small dogs as personal bodyguards which they would carry unseen inside the sleeves their long flowing robes. These small dogs were trained to attack the throat of anyone who came close to their owner.
Small Dogs can be Delicate Booby traps
Toy dogs seldom have regard to their own safety or how delicate they really are. They may be fast movers but they might not always get out from under your feet so you need to watch where you are doing. Because they are small, they can lie down unseen on the stairs, on a chair you are about to sit on and can appear unseen from nowhere right behind you.
Small dogs and young children are not a good combination and need constant supervision. Toy dogs are not “nasty” in temperament but even a small child is bigger than them and can unknowingly hurt the dog, causing the dog to retaliate out of instinct.
If you at all put off from owning a Toy Breed, maybe a larger breed, like the well tempered Labrador may be more suitable for you.
Noel Dundas is the author of several publications, including The Canine Diabetes Management Guide and the Canine First-Aid Handbook. Computing since the late 60's, he is a self professed Geek and has become someone to turn to for advice on canine diabetes.
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You can contact him about Canine Diabetes at www.DogDiabetesSite.com/contact.html |
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