Does this tiny dog really not need training?

[SoonMeansNever]

Hello doggy people! I have a question if that's ok?
I don't have a dog, and am not a dog person, but have gleaned enough on here and IRL to get the impression that whatever dog you have, you ought to train it thoroughly to have good recall and to stop when told, be under control when off lead etc.
Now then - DSis has a tiny tiny dog (similar to a miniature Poodle but a bit smaller), now about 18mo, smaller than their cats, really slight build - mentioning this to make the point that it's not a muscled breed like a JR, and would struggle to damage a paper bag. She has a lovely nature, not at all snappy.
Before they got her she said they would be training her, but in reality they just have the absolute basics from a short course when she was a small pup.
She goes off lead occasionally, and certainly wouldn't come back to me when I walked her, so thereafter I kept her on lead in case we came across something unexpected (dog/tractor/bike etc). She won't sit when asked, heel, or stay if I ask, tho responds better to DSis it doesn't seem reliably so. She is still quite young so excitable, and as far as I can see they don't plan to do any further training.
So - should they? And was I being daft to think she would follow instructions from me at all?
After all, she's a tiny wee thing, it's not the same as a great big Lab being untrained surely?

[Justtoobad]

You wouldn't say to someone who had dwarfism that they don't need social skills? So a dog is a dog and needs training/teaching.

[youbethemummylion]

Small dogs dont know they are small dogs they just know they are a dog. They need just the same training as any other dog.

[ToomuchIsBackOnBootcamp]

For once, size really doesn't matter. All dogs should be sufficiently trained. Of course they should.

[sweetkitty]

What I have personally found that a lot of people with small dogs spend a lot less time training their dog than people with big dogs. By that I mean socialisation skills with people and other dogs. They just lift them out the way. As they don't need a lot of exercise most are on extendi leads, when another dog comes along they are lifted.

With a big dog you don't have the option of lifting out the way plus people are in general more scared of a big dog so owners tend to train the better.

Not all owners, not all small dogs but in general just what I've experienced.

[tazzle22]

Agree with others..... ALL dogs need to have good recall as a minum if they are being let off lead... even if she does not interact with any other dog or person if she is off leash she could run into the road or after a squirrel so get run over or get lost.

Other things are also rather useful lol

[ExitPursuedByABear]

On the recent puppy programme the small dog had very little training and was seriously indulged. But because of its size it didn't seem to matter.

[MothershipG]

As the owner of small dogs I say of course they need to be trained, all dogs need to be taught what we need from them to enable them to fit into our lives.

It is easier to be lazy with a small dog, if you want it off the sofa you can just move it, if it's making a nuisance of itself you can physically remove it.

But that is definitely not what is best for the dog, a dog that can't go off lead because it's owner is too lazy to teach it recall is going to miss out on so much execise and opportunities to indulge in natural behaviours.

Could you not have a quiet word with your sister and encourage her to put more effort in? Maybe offer to help? How about clicker training? It's great fun, for humans and dogs!

[SoonMeansNever]

Thank you for your replies!
Bit relieved that I was right to think she ought to be properly trained, I suspect DSis thought I was just being an interfering old goat when I suggested it.
Yes, the whole dogs-don't-know-their-own-size thing is v true, I've always thought that if you wouldn't stand for the behaviour from a Rottweiler then you shouldn't allow it from a Yorkie, ie snarling/snapping on laps that people with small dogs seem to think is cute.
I've tried to suggest they do more training, but they don't think it's necessary. Ho hum.
I'll look up clicker training and see if she's open to that, thank you.

[Micah]

We got a Yorkie pup when was a child. I spent the school holidays training it.

It was honestly the easiest dog is ever trained, and great fun. She was very quick at picking things up, especially as I'd never trained a dog before. Did everything for a "good girl" and a big fuss.

It was also fab having a tiny little dog who would return immediately to heel at a snap of my fingers. Peoples jaws would drop :)

A trained dog is far easier and much more fun. As pp said they can be at more risk so it's safer for them, too.

[MothershipG]

One of my Affenpinschers doing agility, poodles love agility and it's great fun!

[Nearasdammit]

Lol Mothership that dog looks as if it's levitating!

[TheKitchenWitch]

Motherhood that is a totally brilliant photo!
Agree with everyone else that small dogs do need good basic training.

[NeitherHereOrThere]

Big dog owners will thank her for training her dog - a pet hate of mine is a tiny dog running over to us, snapping and me having to fend them off as if the worst happens, it will be us who get the blame.

[MothershipG]

He does, doesn't he Near. He has his front paws tucked up in the flight position.

He was never particularly good, too lazy, no drive, wouldn't run if it was too hot, just head for the shade under the a-frame, seriously unkeen if it was raining. But we just did it for fun and he would always make the crowd laugh when we did demos.

[NickiFury]

I've had big dogs and small dogs. I admit that it's FAR easier with a small dog, there's less potential for things to go horribly wrong. That said at the very least I fully house train, expect my dogs to return, walk well on the lead, take food gently etc, not jump up etc whatever their size. Just basic good manners. It is true though that you're more on the ball with a big dog as small dogs can be removed easily from trouble, as a previous poster said.

[Stinkle]

a pet hate of mine is a tiny dog running over to us, snapping and me having to fend them off as if the worst happens, it will be us who get the blame.

Totally agree!

I have this with my MiL. She has a tiny little chihuahua and it's had no training at all. It's snappy, has no recall, snatches food from you and is just generally badly behaved. MiL says that because it's so tiny it's not big enough to hurt anyone so doesn't need training.

I have a springer and have worked and worked with him, he's big, he's bouncy, he could hurt someone.

We saw them at Christmas, and we went out with the dogs and this thing hung off my dogs ears or snapped at his feet the whole time. MiL thought it was hilarious and didn't see the problem as the chihuahua isn't big enough to really hurt my dog. He's a "big boy and should be able to cope with a teeny tiny chihuahua" . Yeah, hilarious, will it be quite so hilarious if mine gets fed up and the unthinkable happens?

[MothershipG]

Just to put it from the small dog perspective, I hate it when large bouncy dogs, the owner has no control over, bounce all over my small dogs with the owner saying he's friendly, he only wants to play. Meanwhile small dog, feeling in imminent danger of being flattened reacts grumpily and large dog owner makes remarks about snappy small dog.

So we are all agreed, dogs large & small need training and neither has the monopoly on bad behaviour.

[lemisscared]

so long as a dog has recall and knows get down or off then formal training isnt the be all and end all. i have two jrts they have ok recall will sit if i have a treat and they know get down and bugger off. i did more formal training with my bigger dogs.

[NeitherHereOrThere]

Yes I am very aware of the small dog perspective - after all I live with one All of my dogs have been trained.

[Canshopwillshop]

Mothership you have just made my evening with that brilliant photo ! What a fab dog!

[MothershipG]

Thanks! Canshop

[MothershipG]

MrsD those small dog comments are by no means limited to MN I used to go on Dogsey a lot and it got soooooo tedious on there.

Funny you should mention this morning's incident we had one too, on our way to the park a woman was really struggling to hold her Lab, even with a head collar, who was on his back legs straining to get to mine. Not at all aggressive but barely in control, mine didn't even notice him...

What breed isn't a barker? Basenji is the only one I can think of? Tell us, we know it's the owner who's the twat, not the dog/breed.