Big dogs vs small dogs

i obviously have two small dogs (daph and asbo ) and i love them both.
but i have such a need for a big dog. i love big breeds, i think i prefer being around big breeds (dont tell my two!) Ive never owned a big breed though (except archie's brief stay) so dont know day to day life constantly.

if you could all give me pros and cons of a big dog vs small dog. why you like small dogs, or big dogs etc. problems you've faced with either/or. Have any of you ever owned big and small at the same time.

pros of little dogs:
dont take up much room
dont cost a fortune to feed
good lapdogs for cuddles
can fit them in the bed and still have room for me
easy to control
can pick up if needed
easier to take around to public places

cons of little dogs:
people presume they are handbag dogs
not seen as protective etc (in that i mean they arent very intimidating to a young girl walking them on her own as say a doberman)
can be delicate or more prone to accident
have to do alot of bending down for training

cant think of any more right now. So everyone, big vs small?

Not had this


Has Stopped a drunk approaching me in his tracks. This is not an advantage - I'd rather he was more trusting.

Nope - Disagree. Solid Character. Can take fliers from hieght and land without drama. Less weight puts less strain on joints etc. Being small means he's statistically less like to run into things.

Amen

yours is a JRT though, mine are toy breeds with no hair, so i get the handbag thing alot

im sure daphni would protect me, and asbo lets me know people are there, however they wouldnt make a guy think "god that dog looks scary i wont go near her"

mine arent in particular, asbo gets scratches because he has no hair, but they arent delicate. however there are other breeds that are.

my big problem with phoebe is her behaviour problems makes the fact she is bigger than me a problem as handling her during a tantrum is quite painfull and tiring im also worried that my arms will give way.

the slobber, cost and injurys during playtime are all worth it for me

Meh - 8kg - Still small... and he's got a roundy beaglish puppy face too.

8kg? He's a GIANT! Bella is 4kg (but don't tell her that - she has NO idea she is a small dog!)

When I was younger, had more strength, energy and time to attend training and spend exercising for hours on end and lived in huge house with large garden - I wouldn't have looked at a small dog for me. I loved my big dogs.

Now I am older, more aches and pains and joint probs and live where the weather does not permit hours on end outside in the blistering heat most of the year and live in 4th floor apartment by the sea - I am very happy with my pint sized pooch and cannot imagine ever owning anything other than a small dog! And it's taught me something - they are just as 'doggy' as big dogs. Just not as much hard work!

see that would be my worry with a big dog. keeping hold of them if anything kicked off.

daphni is 5kg, asbo is 4.5kg. but saying that i think JRT give a hardier look than a dog with no hair

You have to be careful not to over-exercise big dogs while they are growing

Vet bills are often more expensive - due to their size

There is less leeway for 'bad behaviour'

They eat more

They poo more

see some of those points put me off (not poo that generally doesnt bother me ) but at the same time, i would love love love a bigger breed.

Why not foster then for your local (larger breed) rescue? Or a general rescue that has larger dogs?

I've grown up around large dogs (GSDs and Akitas) and given a choice, I will never change.

I can't fall over them, I can't stand on them inadvertently, regardless of size I have to pick up poo anyway so that makes no difference, everything is more expensive.

I find training GSDs quite easy but agree there is less leeway in terms of nortiness because of their size. And if anything kicks off, you certainly don't hang on. You let go and if the dog cannot help himself and sort out the problem without human intervention (you'd know within a couple of seconds, max) then you go in from a different angle. Dangerous - yes. Stupid - yes. Severe risk of getting badly hurt - yes. Have I done this before - yes. Would I do it again - yes!!

Having a dodgy leg means I have problems bending to train. So once my dogs leave puppyhood training is a lot easier for me. I can't imagine having to always bend to train, feed, attach leads onto the dogs etc.