Big dogs vs small dogs?

It really does depend on the training.  Rose used to be a very quiet thing when people came to the house, she would just stay away and mind her own business.  Living by myself, I wanted her to bark when someone came to the door.  So, I taught her to do that.  However, she will stop when I tell her to.  Usually all I have to say is "thats enough!" and she stops, but once in a while, I have to say it twice.  Colton is loud no matter what, his mom was loud, her mom was loud.  But, he's learning.  I just have to stay on top of it.  He is also wild.  He likes to run circles around people and jump without touching them.  So, when people come over, I put him on his pinch collar and make him do his tricks that he knows.  It has helped a lot because now, he starts going through his rounds of tricks when people come over.  Sit is a good one, but his tail just won't stop wagging so its a very wiggly sit.  So, even yappy dogs like Colton can be trained to behave, and quiet dogs like Rose can be trained to make some noise!

ORIGINAL: glenmar

Cockers are about as small as I'm comfy with...the really little ones make me VERY nervous....always afraid I'll step on them, trip over them or somehow break them.  And, shepherds are BIG enough.  Anything any BIGGER and I'd have to move into the RV and leave the house to them....

 
I'm the same way.  I know someone who has a pom(Sam) and one day some kid just walked into their yard to play with it without asking and stepped on his leg, breaking it. He had to wear a cast for a few months, poor little Sammy.
 
I like big dogs in small/meduim bodys, like the bully types. But usualy I perfer really big dogs.

I prefer big dogs.  I prefer reactive, intelligent and active dogs.  I like dogs that are athletic and able to work.  I have a bias against small dogs that is rooted in my general obedience class experience and often confirmed when I see "funny" videos of small dogs demonstrating aggressive behavior.  Many people let small dogs get away with murder.  Practically every bite I have received in a training situation  (and there have only been 4 or 5) has been from a small dog.  If my dobes, gsd or belgians had acted as many small dogs, there would have been complaints within seconds.  When I moved to this neighborhood, there was a family that allowed two toy poodles to run free. They bit kids, they bit people, they harassed folks walking with or without a dog.  The US postal service actually suspeneded their mail, it was the only thing that prevented people from continuing to just let them run free.  They only bothered us once.  They charged my male dobe, he roared.  They never approached us again, just ran screaming up and down the sidewalk or in the driveway up against the garage as we walked by.  No one else was so lucky

Very true...I think most small dogs get away with too much.  The big dogs that come into work usually behave better than the small ones...except for the Great Dane that lifted his leg on our book rack!  The owner thought it was funny!

I think dog.com is mostly big dogs! ha. On the other sites, they are small dogs. You just never hear neg. things there.
 
Loose dogs big and small are bad for sure.  
 
Small dogs are as intelligent as large ones I can assure you.  

ORIGINAL: glenmar

Erin, I completely agree  with you.  I think often little dogs are yip, yappy, bitey, etc, because they ARE little and their people don't think that you need to train them and socialize them.  I'm sure that there are wonderful little dogs who ARE properly trained and absolute joys.

 
Sally, ummm, I wasn't disagreeing with anything you said.  This was my initial post on the subject of little dogs.  Personally, I wouldn't want a dog smaller than a cocker because truely, I would break IT or ME trying to avoid hurting it....But, I honestly didn't say a single thing negative (or at least not intentionally) about little dogs....other than I'm too clumsey to have them around me.

I've met a lot of great little dogs! Lots of really funny and friendly Shih Tzus and Tzu crosses, Iggies are cool dogs, Bostons, I love Shelties, and of course Cockers too. I always think it's kind of funny when dog lovers rule out a whole class of dogs just based on size... the way I see it there are more similarities than differences between dogs of all sizes.
 
My preferences about dog breeds just have to do with compatibility. I am not as drawn to more independent breeds nor to dogs that are more focused on tasks or other dogs than on people. My personality just meshes better with dogs that are people-oriented, and you can find that trait in many sizes.

Again, I agree with Erin.
 
But, put something the size of a chi in MY house and I'm gonna need anti-anxiety meds, NOT because of the dog itself, but because I'd be a nervous wreck trying not to injure the tiny little guy or girl!  I truely am a major klutz and it's far safer to have some size on ya if you're gonna live with me!

Now it's funny -- I prefer smaller dogs to live with but love ALL dogs.  But for me, I trip over the BIG ones.  A dog that will zoom past me or try to squeeze past me WILL trip me and knock me over.  A 30 pound dog is the biggest dog I want to live with (and Luna and Billy are PLENTY big enough for me.  Kee Shu is honestly the right size for me.
 
The rest is training.  Glenda is absolutely right that most people fail to train a small dog.  They pick them up to get them out of the way and coddle them as 'cute' rather than requiring them to behave.  We set the same standards for a dog's behavior no matter the size.  You aren't allowed to just bark and bark at my house - I don't care how big or small you are, shut up!!  You get one or two barks to let ME know something is amiss, but don't just stand there and bark your brains out. 
 
But for me the falling risk is huge -- simply because I'm arthritic and not at all steady on my feet.  I'm going to 'take the dog' no matter the size, and 3 dog beds fit nicely in my PT Cruiser! LOL (with one of the back seats out of course ... doesn't EVERYONE have one of their car seats folded up and stashed in their dining room?)

I'm definitely a large dog person. I love all dogs don't get me wrong by the majority of small dogs I have seen or known just don't have the personality or intellect of the larger dogs I am used to (Shepherds, Labs, Rotts, etc).

You can snuggle with a big dog! I sleep with my girlies and one of them is 80lbs! I just wrap myself around her and it's the most comfy thing ever. Like a big bear blanket. And she sleeps soundly next to me. They can still be cuddly and in the winter that's more furr to keep you warm!

I also feel more safe with larger breeds. I love that guard type dog.

I was always a "big dog person" until working at animal shelters, vets, groomers, etc. Having to walk big unruly dogs (aka being taken for a drag by them!) made me really appreciate the small dogs. Sure, they have just as many behavior issues, but it's a lot easier to restrain an unruly Chihuahua than a Malamute and I've had to do both.
 
And of course large dogs can be well trained, but when they see a squirrel and their instincts take over for a second, it's much more pleasant having a 10 pound dog on the end of the leash than a 50 pound one. []
 
I do really like big dogs, some of my favorite breeds are the Shar Pei, Bullmastiff, and Doberman; I may have one someday when I have enough room, but for now I'm sticking to the little guys. Overall, I've found small dogs to be EASIER in every way. They cost less to feed, less to clean up after, their crates are smaller, their toys, collars, leashes, etc. are all smaller. They fit easier in the car and on the bed and eople are generally more accepting of having them around. [] Of course I felt a lot safer with my Shar Pei around because he was bigger... there are pros and cons to every breed and size!

ORIGINAL: calliecritturs
I don't care how big or small you are, shut up!! 

Is it wrong that I feel like that about people sometimes? []
 
I think I am just partial to dogs that are maybe a bit "imposing".  Not that I want them to be scary, not at all, but I just get this feeling of awe and privelege around a large dog that gives me its companionship.  The very size commands my respect of the sheer physical power they have, and to me it is all that much more amazing when they are gentle and tender.  Small dogs are marvels in their own right, but simply don't grab my attention the way large ones do.
 
Having said that, I am in love with pugs and frenchies.  Those little squished up faces melt my heart EVERY time.
 
Kate

It would be so hard for me to say one over the other.
 
We had a gsd Strass, who has passed, and now have two corgi's.
 
I love them all, I guess if I had to choose it would be medium to large dogs, I consider a corgi a medium hardy breed.
 
Toy dogs are too fragile for my household, but I love to snuggle and play with them.

Can I say both?
I love my 15 lb Lhasa, but I would sometimes like a larger dog that I can run with and that will look a little more imposing, though Maggie does have a big bark.
There are pros and cons of both big and little dogs.
Little dogs are easier to step on and you can't do as many physical actiities witrh them, but their size is also some times tro their advantage because you can pick them up if they are being bad, even though you do need to work through that of course.
Bigger dogs are a lot more to handle, but as I said before, you can do more stuff with them. They also don't break as easy. Unfortunatly if you have a big dog who misbehaves you have a bigger problem. While Maggie can jump up and I will think it is useful because then I don't have to bend as far down,  if a GSD did the same thing.it would be less than plesant.

I think I want both big and little dogs. Each have their own qualities and I love them all.

I definately like big dogs better. Although I have a pom right now, she isn't my choice of a dog. She's very sturdy for a toy breed, .. but she does yap a whole lot, (which is frustrating because I can't seem to get her to stop, sigh). But I love her.

Big dogs for me. Newfie big. []