Even urban parks have wild animals.  

And I'm not talking about squirrels or dogs.  This little JRT true to his breed, likes to hunt for creatures napping in the bushes.  After an incident where he found a napping two-legged creatures who he thought wanted to loose weight in their ankles...   Everyone was OK, thanks to thick boots, but the problem could not be ignored.  The options are to keep him leashed, keep him home or muzzle him and let him drag a leash.  

His trainer taught him to love his muzzle and he has a blast at the park with his dog walker!

Living in the city with a BIG, BIG DOG!

I've heard it before,

I've said it myself,

and I am repeating it again.

Dogs are time intensive, NOT SPACE INTENSIVE.

A big dog can be just as happy in a city as a small dog.  Honestly, I think they may even be easier to provide exercise and stimulation for than some of the smaller, more active dogs.

Not all SMALL dogs are LAP dogs.  Lap dogs were selected and bred for their companionship (aka: Toy Breeds) They include dogs like the Pug, Papillon, King Charles Cavalier, Brussels Griffon, Pekingese, Shih-Tzu, Maltese, Japanese Chin, and Silky.

This does not mean that I have not had the pleasure of meeting a marathon Pug or that there aren't Yorkies out there that can fetch for hours.  But in general, these breeds enjoy their snuggle-time, like napping and being pampered.

More importantly, there are plenty of small dogs, like terriers, that prefer active lifestyles.  Breeds that come to mind are the Jack Russell, Fox Terrier, West Highland, Boston and Manchester Terrier.  

Again, not to discount the testimonies form those with Scotties that snuggle with kittens or JRT's that act act like 50's housewives on valium, but generally speaking the consensus would be terriers need ACTIVE PEOPLE & MORE EXERCISE THAN a newly-single gym rat.

SO, DOES SIZE MATTER?  

Not really. I have seen just as many frustrated, under-exercised, under-stimulated, small dogs as I have big dogs.  If you are thinking a small dog might be happier in your urban apartment, think again.  

I know many Akitas, Danes and Sighthounds that are content to chew on bones, eat their breakfasts from Kongs, and snooze away the day while waiting for their afternoon walk.  And, I know many Jack Russels, Dachshunds, Corgis and Fox Terriers that would sooner pull all the stuffing from your couch (for the third time) than to take a nap!

There are plenty of big dogs that could care less about riding in elevators, busy streets, and loud noises.  And, there are plenty of small, fractious dogs whose nerves are shattered by the thought.  

There are also many large dogs that could easily take food from a counter and don't.  And, small dogs that leap, launch, pounce and propel themselves onto the tallest surfaces.

The only thing I know for certain...Big dogs, will always have bigger poops!

But, size is just one factor.  Tthere are other more important considerations.  Stay tuned for more information on Choosing The Dog For You.  

There's almost 400 Pounds of dog in my house right now!  

This would be OK if I had two Neapolitan Mastiffs that were sleeping like rugs.

BUT, I have a 1000 sq. ft. California Cottage and, one German Shepherd under the age of 10 months, 1 Border Collie just over a year, a Hound Mix, an AussieX, a Chow/PitX and a 6mo Pittie, plus one very old, slow moving Schnauzer.

Keeping play tame, furniture standing, and knees from being blown out is NOT OPTIONAL!   ...BUT it is simple.

When a new dog is thrown into the mix they get a quick lesson on home-manners. The rules are as simple.  There are 3 obedience phrases and 2 consequences.  I NEVER yell any of these.  I never threaten (everything has a consequence).  I am always right.

Commands:

Yellow Warning Light: "__dog's name__, Cool-it."

Red Light: "Too-bad."

Green Light: "Thank You."

Consequences:  

Errors earn a dog a 10-15 second time-out in a crate, bathroom, or tied to leash.

Compliance earns the dogs Praise & Freedom, maybe a toy tossed to them, perhaps a cookie.

THE RULES:

1. Bump into Kelley, get an automatic time-out:  "Too-bad."
2. Bump into grandma (schnauzer), get an automatic time-out:  "Too-bad."
3. Bump into furniture, get an automatic time-out:  "Too-bad."
4. Get TOO LOUD, get a warning.
5. Head the warning, and become quiet, get a green light to keep playing.
6. Ignore warning, get a time-out:  "Too-bad."
7. Play with anything but a dog toy, get an automatic time-out:  "Too-bad."
8. Go in the no-dog-zone, get an automatic time-out:  "Too-bad."

BONUS:  "PLAY BREAK"

THE TOY THIEF!

WHY DO THEY DO IT?  Because it works. 90% of the time stealing toys is a good way to get chased by either a dog or person.

Is it appropriate?  That depends.  There are lots of ways for play to go badly.  Some things like toy stealing are HUGE GREY AREA.  

In the photo above...

1. The blue-pit ran up to the black pit shook her orange toy and tried to get the black-pittie to chase her.  

2. When it didn't work, she came back, dropped her toy (the orange octopus).  This still did not work, the black-pittie did not drop her toy.

3. The blue-pit grabbed the black-pittie's toy.

4. They tugged and ran parallel to each other each holding on to the red toy.  This happened over and over again for about 20-minutes with the dogs changing roles of thief and victim.  

5. No fights happened and the play did NOT escalate -as play between two bully-breeds often can.  Why not?

THEY HAD A REFEREE!

TEACHING BETTER PLAY-SKILLS

First both dogs had an OUT-command.  This command was taught previous to the dogs playing together.  OUT means that the dogs must spit out the toy.

Second both dogs were TESTED ON THEIR OUTS in play.  

There were 2 versions: 

a) If the black-pittie's toy was grabbed by the blue-pit, the black-pittie was commanded OUT & RECALLED (come!) to the handler.  The black-pittie was learning to avoid a confrontation and run to the handler if a toy was taken.  The blue-pit learned that stealing DID NOT ALWAYS earn a game of chase, so she sometimes tried other things (dropping her toy/shaking her toy and running).

b) The stealer was also sometimes commanded to OUT.  If this was successful they were released to GO PLAY immediately.  If they did not, they were temporarily removed from the play ground (a short time-out).

Once these habits were established the dogs were allowed to steal and play tug for longer periods of time.  These little mini-games were frequently interrupted by OUT and then the dogs released back to play.  After a few sessions the dogs started to OUT on their own, and look for the other toy instead of stealing their playmates toy and tugging until a fight occurred.

product review - t/d® Small Bites Canine

What a difference!  Chi Chi loves t/d Small Bites by Hill's Prescription Diet. 

Serious now, really good friends of mine whose opinion I totally respect adopted a 2 year old French Bulldog.  Chi Chi despite being totally adorable and smart was a bit underweight and had some congestion problems that needed vet attention.    

The vet recommended Hill's Prescription Diet t/d Small Bits.  It is specifically formulated for dogs that weigh less than 15 lbs with smaller sized kibble for their little mouths. 

Not only does Chi Chi love, love, love this kibble, she looks great, and in 2 months her health, coat and teeth got significantly better.   My friends simply said, "It's amazing".

So if your little dog is your loving companion, make sure to ask your vet for the best food recommendation and ask for the Hill's Prescription t/d diet. 

If you have a pet product you think will pass the Secret Shopper test, send an email to: secretshopperblog@gmail.com