Do people accept different standards of behaviour from different breeds?

[MonChoufleur123]

Interested in people's thoughts on this... Today in our village a dog that looked like a puggle ran at two children barking and snarling. The owner had it on a long lead but hadn't been paying attention and yanked it away just before it touched them. Last week in the park I saw a bichon frise who ran up and started eating a family's picnic while off the lead! And we have a neighbour who owns a pug that spends all its time barking and snarling at the fence when other dogs go past... In all the cases the owners just haven't seemed that bothered or embarassed Or attempted to do anything about it - maybe because the dog is small or looks cute? Are people more accepting of bad behaviour from Little or toy dogs do you think?

[abbsisspartacus]

Sort of I mean I expect boxer dogs to be nuts spaniels to be either controlled or puppy like (depends on there training) etc etc I don't like jrt because they can be nippy dogs pugs just look odd to me so I guess the answer is yes?

[tabulahrasa]

Yes.

Not all people and not all small dogs obviously, but lots of small reactive dogs are just ignored rather than managed and trained.

You’ve also got weird self fulfilling breed behaviours, so people put up with thuggish overfriendly labs - because labs are friendly... but it’s not tolerated in other breeds so owners have to deal with it, for example.

[ProfessorMoody]

Well first off, there's no such thing as a puggle, it was a mongrel.

All breeds have different traits, so yes, I think people expect different things of different breeds.

There's a big difference between a chihuahua running up to you than a Great DICKHEAD when out walking, so little dogs do seem to be excused more for poor behaviour.

[ProfessorMoody]

Obviously I mean Great Dane

[Queenofthedrivensnow]

Great dickhead!!!! Arf

[Queenofthedrivensnow]

You are right though my dog pulls on the lead like a twat and everyone's response is just 'meh he's a spaniel'

[wibblywobblyfish]

I have a large breed dog. I would not expect people to tolerate him jumping up, lunging and barking. I see smaller breeds doing this all the time and nobody bats an eyelid.

[Wherismymind]

I agree with the lab example. Marly and me has a lot to answer for. They are so often naughty and jumpy.

I think people just care less about small dogs being badly behaved as they are less intimidating.

I've got a small /medium breed and we didn't want him jumping up at people. But it was impossible to train it out of him as people constantly encourage him to jump up. So in the end we gave up. If other people don't care if he jumps up what's the point in training it out.

When I say jump up. I just mean puts his paws on people's legs. He does stop if told.

[missyB1]

Well different breeds do tend to have different traits / issues. I have a schnauzer and they are very stubborn, so although we do train her and are firm with her, it takes a lot longer for the message to get through and she will always push the boundaries. I think people do tend to make a lot of allowances for her because she is small and looks cute and knows how to flirt!
wherismymind We have had the same issue with jumping up, people often encourage her to do it - gives me the rage!

[Hoppinggreen]

I have a Golden Retriever and he looks like a big fluffy teddy, plus they have smiley faces so look very friendly.
He is a big strong animal with sharp teeth and although he is very good with children etc I doubt I would have to peel as many toddlers off him ( while the parents look on smiling) if he was.a Rottweiler
I also find that people tend to tolerate snappy behaviour in smaller dogs

[BlueGenes]

Yes you're probably right. I have a pug who despite our best efforts will not stop jumping up at people. Most people will say awww so cute and give him affection so there's not really much I can do except not let him off the lead.

[MonChoufleur123]

Thuggish overfriendly labs! Yes! I saw one in the park the other day run up and lick a kid full on in the face. The owner was like 'ha ha she's so friendly'. The kid was in tears.

[friendlyflicka]

I have Italian Greyhounds and I put up with behaviour from them which would be unthinkable in a large dog. And I have always had sight hounds. I think part of their appeal for me, is their natural instincts for certain types of behaviour.

I am very aware with my tiny dogs though, that many people are not dog lovers. I always keep them close when walking past people. And when non dog loving friends come round, I will shut them away because they are unstoppable lap dogs and companions

[RandomMess]

My dog is reactive to other dogs thanks to a thuggish Labrador teen she used to live with doesn't help she's a terrier so this high anxiety "have a growl and snap" is also typical of small dog scenario! Most experienced dog owners very much "let the dogs sort it out" other owners do lots of pearl clutching!

Fortunately DDOg is fine with people.

[Wolfiefan]

Yes.
Little shitty dogs trying to rip the face off my giant breed. Owners shrug shoulders and day "oh it doesn't like big dogs". If my dog went for theirs like that they would (rightly) report it as out of control and dangerous. But if it's a little dog then it's fine.

[specialsubject]

no. an out of control noisy dog is a nuisance whatever the breed. the smaller ones just go further when kicked, which I will do if attacked.

keep your dog away from people unless invited. with so many bad dog owners most of us assume that a dog will be a menace. a controlled dog wont run up to people anyway.

[JesusInTheCabbageVan]

Profesor

[mustbemad17]

Absolutely. People expected my large breeds to be controlled - even jumping or barking in excitement in a large breed is unacceptable. When i had a shih tzu, he got away with murder with other people because he was cute & fluffy. It's dangerous imo

[friendlyflicka]

One of my IGs was a puppy farmed rescue and is quite nervous around strangers and other dogs. He was been chased by larger dogs who's owners just stand around saying how friendly their dogs are. But when you are the tiny rabbit sized creature being pursued, friendliness is a bit differently perceived. I now have to put mine on the lead to keep them safe.

I don't want to be a precious dog owner. Have had different sized sight hounds are my life, but some dog owners don't have a clue!

[friendlyflicka]

It isn't thuggish labradors here. It is glamorous foreign retrievers -vizlas, weimeramers, wire haired pointers....very bouncy and beautiful but with owners who don't realise that not every person and dog shares their point of view

[CMOTDibbler]

Yes, absolutely. Just this morning some little woolly dog (I'd guess a poodle cross) was snarling at my large dogs in a coffee shop and the owner did nothing - my dogs were sat quietly not even looking at it as they know that sausage will appear soon in that place.

[adaline]

Definitely. We have a beagle and when he howls at puppy class people complain about how much he barks. But it's perfectly okay for the miniature labradoodle to yap away next to him, or for next doors Jack Russell to yap at everyone who walks past!

[pigsDOfly]

Yes, definitely.

Met quite a number of over 'friendly' labs.

And small dogs, many of whom seem to have no training at all, especially yorkies.

I'm the owner of a small dog, I do not put up with any behaviour from my dog that I wouldn't allow in a large dog.

It might be less dangerous than if a large dog did it, but it's still not cute or funny when someone's small snarling, yappy beast tries to attack my dog. She was rushed at by a bunch of out of control pugs once - four or five of them - very unpleasant, snarling and yapping. They really looked at if they wanted to kill her and probably would have if she and they hadn't all been on leads.

[Greyhorses]

Definitely.

I constantly see badly behaved barking snarling little fluffy dogs that owners seem to have no concern over however if either of my german Shepherds make a squeak people run.

I think it’s so so important if you own one of these ‘scary’ breeds to make sure yours is a shining example just because it’s so easy for them to be called out for doing what pretty much every other dog is also doing

[User467]

I don't think anti social behaviours are ok in any breed, big or small, and owners shouldn't excuse their dogs just because they are small. However when it comes to other people's judgement a lot is based on perceived risk and how under control the dog appears to be. I have two terriers. Very friendly, but jumpy with it. One in particular likes to jump and lick noses. I don't find it acceptable for them to jump in guests and especially children. We manage it by keeping them on the lead, stair gates in house until they are calm and of course teaching them to stay on the floor. If one of my strategies fails, a child gets a lick on the nose and potentially a fright (I'm not saying that is ok, I don't find it acceptable and try very hard to stop it occurring)

My friend has a very large, equally as friendly and boisterous german shepherd. He recently jumped at my seven year old to say a friendly hello, knocked him to the ground, cut his lip and left a very large scratch on his shoulder. My son was terrified. He was on a lead at the time but is so strong my friend was unable to hold him.

The behaviour was the same but the outcome was very different. Scale that up to aggressive behaviour and I can very well understand why people take aggression from large powerful dogs more seriously. The behaviour is just as unacceptable in small dogs but is a much more manageable risk.

On a slightly different note, I recently met with a behaviourist to deal with an issue with one of my dogs and we got on to talking about differences between breeds during play. I explained my youngest would always meet dogs very nicely but would then jump for them, normally their necks and I was concerned she was showing aggression and wanted to deal with it. We stood in the middle of a large dog park and he pointed out several different groups of dogs playing and predicted how they would play based on breed. One group was a spaniel and a large terrier (not sure of breed, was atleast as large as the spaniel). The spaniel was bouncing in front of the terrier tempting him to chase. The terrier would then chase but quickly got bored and left. They repeated this several times, each time the terrier getting bored more quickly. Then, both dogs standing still the terrier jumped on the spaniels neck. Spaniel squealed, both dogs put on leads and left. Behaviourist explained that there was no aggression from the terrier. He was playing terrier style but to a spaniel (and the owners) this was not okay. Spaniels want to be chased, terriers want to chase catch and wrestle. A chase with no rough and tumble is just no fun.

It was fascinating hearing the behaviourist discuss different breeds and their traits. Anti social behaviour isn't acceptable from any dog but I do think there are definite breed traits that need to be considered during training and that can be mis understood and misinterpreted