Small Dog Syndrome

Posted on Nov 15 in Small Dog Aggression, Small Dog Behaviorby Jeff K.Print

I can no longer obey; I have tasted command, and I cannot give it up.
Napoleon Bonaparte

“Outta my way. Comin’ through. Step aside,” “Stand back or I’ll bite,” “That’s mine, mine, mine,”

Is your small dog a General Napoleon? Further, do all small dogs compensate for their small size by being overly assertive? The answer is a qualified “yes.” Yes, small dogs will compensate for their small size with aggressive, sometimes bratty behavior. The qualification is: if you let them. There is a label for this type of behavior. It is called Small Dog Syndrome. As with any label, the title is mis-leading.

Small Dog Syndrome is a label that implies a small dog will try to act larger than life to protect itself and its own interests. As with the fabled Napoleon Bonaparte, many of us believe a small dog has to puff up and bluster because everything in a small dog’s world seems large and threatening.

A small dog that goes on the offensive early and often may ward off trouble before it begins. The truth is, this is a half-truth. All creatures will go on the offensive to try to gain control when they feel unsafe. The reason this problem seems to occur more often with small dogs is because many owners of small dogs do not provide the sense of safety that any dog would need.

Here is what I mean. All dogs are natural followers. In any dog pack during a hunt, there is only one leader. The rest are followers. The leader, or alpha, provides guidance, organization, and protection for the pack during the hunt. A dog leader’s authority is rarely challenged, because dogs would rather have their comfort and safety taken care of by someone else. Survival is hard work. As with any creature, dogs believe in conservation of energy. They would prefer to let someone else do the heavy lifting.

Here comes the contradiction. The leader in any dog pack is certainly not a small dog. The leader is usually the largest, strongest male. All of the smaller, weaker dogs follow. In nature, the only time a small dog will take control and fend for itself is when it absolutely has to. So why would a small dog feel it has to take control and fend for itself in the comfort and safety of a household?

A dog’s world is black and white, not only in eyesight, but also in thinking. Dogs can problem solve, but their power to rationalize is slim to none. When it comes to “Who’s in charge at home,” there is no gray area. In the home, either the owner is in control, or control belongs to the dog, period. Remember, a dog equates control with safety. If the dog’s owner is in control, the owner is responsible for the dog’s well-being and the dog can relax. If the owner is not in control, the dog’s well-being is compromised, and the dog believes it has to fend for itself. A small dog that feels it must take control will do so in a big way. A small dog controls and defends its territory by being extremely assertive–barking, growling, biting, ignoring direction from people, marking with urine, claiming furniture and possessions, etc.

The last piece of this puzzle asks the question: Why do small dog owners let their dogs take control? Let’s toss aside the notion that owners of small dogs are all dull and incompetent. The notion is ridiculous, (speaking as the owner of two small dogs!) The puzzle piece begins to find its spot in the picture when you consider how many small dog owners view their pets. Many owners of small dogs view their pets not as small dogs but as babies. Why? Let’s go to the experts:

The following excerpt is from the book In the Company of Animals, by James Serpell, Cambridge University Press, 1996, p. 76.

Place a puppy or kitten on someone’s lap and nine times out of ten you will provoke a stock emotional reaction: the person will tend to caress and fondle the animal, bring it close to his or her face, look into its eyes, cuddle it, and accompany all these stereotyped actions with a chorus of incoherent, but equally stereotyped, verbal endearments. . . In other words, just the sight of the baby animal seems to be enough to override normal behaviour and replace it with something resembling the sorts of actions and activities that human parents generally direct toward their own infants. Biologists have coined the phrase “cute response” to describe this reaction.

The Nobel Prize-winning ethologist Konrad Lorenz has explained the cute response in the following terms: when one compares the majority of baby vertebrate animals . . . one finds they all share certain physical features in common. Their heads are far larger in proportion to their bodies than adults, their limbs are shorter and chubbier, their eyes are bigger, and their jaws, mouths and noses are smaller and less protuberant. . . Animals or representations of animals displaying some or all of these characteristics tend to be perceived as “cute” and, according to Lorenz, are able to release an innate desire to protect and nurture.

If we humans have a built-in biological response to the “cuteness” of babies that alters our behavior, it is not hard to see why we treat small dogs differently from their larger cousins. Many of us are pre-disposed to view our small dogs, with their cute and baby-like features, as perpetual puppies. Instead of treating our small dogs as dogs, we treat them as babies, going easier and gentler on misbehavior than we would a large dog with adult features. Then there is the problem of scale.

When a small dog pees in the house, it is usually a small puddle. When a large dog pees in the house it is usually a flood. When a small dog rips a hole in a bedspread, it is usually small, barely noticeable, and easily repaired. When a large dog gets a hold of a bedspread, you will be shopping for a replacement the next day. When a small dog jumps up on you, it is a love tap. When a large dog jumps up, he may knock you over. A small dog’s bad behavior is more apt to be overlooked than a large dog’s misbehavior because it may be perceived as inconsequential, or even part of the overall “cuteness” package.

“Look at little Ralphy pawing my leg. Isn’t that just adorable?”

Little by little, (pun intended,) a small dog learns it has no limits on its behavior. It can do what it wants, therefore, (in the dog’s mind,) no one is in control. If no one is in control, then the small dog must and will take control. This process is more accurately labeled Small Dog Owner Syndrome.

A superior officer in the Air Force once told me, “If you are going to come to me with a problem, you had better also come armed with a good solution.” Here is my solution to Small Dog Owner Syndrome:

1. Be aware of the problem. Realize that there are specific biological responses that are contributing to the situation. Namely, you may be naturally responding to your small dog as you would a baby. Secondly, the dog feels a biological imperative to take control when you do not.
2. From the moment your new small dog settles into your house, begin to set limits and boundaries on the dog’s behavior. Insist on—

a. Perfect housebreaking.
b. Specific places where your dog can and cannot rest, rather than giving him/her carte blanche on the furniture.
c. No barking, except to alert you to emergencies, such as intruders in the house.
d. Basic courtesy, such as not jumping up on people.
e. Eating when, where, and what you specify.
f. No chewing on anything other than chew toys you provide.
g. Following basic commands, such as sit, come, stay, down.
h. Yielding to you when you pass or when you need access to an area the dog is occupying.

3. Be consistent in your treatment of your dog. Your dog’s black and white view of the world means there is always a clear line between who is in charge, and who must follow.
4. You do not have to be a drill sergeant. Everything I have describe above can be delivered positively, calmly, and with love.

In other articles I will have more specific advice on how to accomplish everything on this list. With awareness and practice, you will be able to erase Small Dog (Owner) Syndrome from your vocabulary.

P.S. You can find more on Small Dog Syndrome here at my newest podcast.
Updated February 25, 2009: You can find another article on this subject titled Territoriality: One Key to Small Dog Syndrome by clicking here.

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12 Comments

• skyler says:

  November 5, 2009 at 6:04 pm

  i have two chihuahuas and they have the worst small dog syndrome ever… my male is the worst because he is a male and thinks that he is morre dominant.
• Jeff K. says:

  November 10, 2009 at 1:56 am

  Hey Skyler:

  Let’s try to figure out what you mean by Small Dog Syndrome. I need to know specifically what your dogs are doing. I’ll pick up the conversation with you by email.

  Jeff
• ANA says:

  November 10, 2009 at 8:47 pm

  MY DOG KNOWS I DONT LIKE HIM ON THE BED, BUT HE ALSO KNOWS THAT MY BF THINKS THAT EVERYTHING HE DOES IS CUTE SO HE WONT JUMP ON THE BED WHILE IM IN THE ROOM BUT IF I LEAVE THE ROOM HELL JUMP ON THE BED AND LIE DOWN, HE WONT EAT ALL HIS FOOD, THOUGH I ONLY PUT IT DOWN FOR 20 MINS AT HIS ASSIGNED FEEDING TIMES AND HE KEEPS JUMPING ON PPL AND RUNNING TO MY BFS SIDE AND HIDING BEHIND HIM WHEN I TELL HIM TO DO SOMETHING LIKE GO TO HIS BED OR GET DOWN FROM MY BED. HWO CAN I STOP THIS, ITS SO FRUSTRATING. I ALSO CANT GET HIM TO STOP AND LISTEN TO ME WHEN HE GETS EXCITED AND STRTS RUNNING AROUND. HES A 6 MONTH OLD RAT TERRIER WHAT CAN I DO?
• Jeff K. says:

  November 12, 2009 at 4:37 am

  Hey Ana:

  As far as I can tell, you have 3 factors working against you, but they are all workable.

  1. Rat Terriers are extremely high-energy dogs.
  2. Your Rat Terrier is still a puppy, which makes him even more high-energy.
  3. You are not only not getting any help from your boyfriend, your boyfriend is making the job of training your Rat Terrier even harder because he is encouraging bad behavior.

  First, I like what you are doing with feeding time. Getting your dog to eat at the time you want him to eat is a good step towards teaching your dog discipline. Most dogs will eat their food in less than 10 minutes, and some eat it all in under 2 minutes. Small dogs tend to be picky eaters. As long as your Rat Terrier is not becoming underweight, don’t worry that he doesn’t finish. Just stick to your feeding schedule and your dog will take what he needs. Worrying about his eating habits will not only not help him, your worry will only make your dog eat less.

  I’m not very good at understanding your abbreviations, so I’m not sure what PPL is. Is that people? Is your dog jumping on people. If so, take a look at my article called “Stop Jumping up Cold.” You’ll find it in the very top, black bar on the home page of Asmalldog.com. The article is password protected. You can get to the article by entering the password: Jump Up.

  I’ve written a very short book on how to get your dog to pay attention to you. If you sign up for my newsletter list on the home page of my website, you will get a free download of the ebook “Get Your Dog to Pay Attention to You.”

  Here are some other things I can recommend:

  1. Tell your boyfriend that it is extremely important to you that your dog learn basic manners. If your boyfriend is not willing to help, then tell him to at least not interfere or make matters worse by encouraging your dog’s bad behavior. He may think everything your dog does is cute, but it’s not cute if it causes problems for you. He needs to take the focus off the fact that your dog entertains him and begin to understand how his behavior negatively affects you and your relationship with your dog. If he cares about you, he’ll make that small sacrifice.

  2. Since your Rat Terrier is a very high-energy dog, you can best help him by staying very calm, no matter what your dog does. If you get very excited, or even raise your voice or tone with your dog, your dog will amp up even more and miss what you are trying to tell him. Calm and confident are the most important ingredients to getting your dog to listen to you. Make calm and confident your top priority. If your dog is excited and running around, give him a chance to calm down before you try to tell him anything. Chasing after your dog and getting frantic will accomplish nothing other than scare your dog. (That’s why he hides behind your boyfriend.)

  3. Be consistent. If you cannot keep an eye on your dog to make sure he doesn’t get up on the bed, then set it up so he cannot reach the bed. If there is a door to the bedroom, keep the door closed when you are not in there. Your dog needs to learn some limits on his behavior and a good place to start is to consistently teach him where he can and cannot go in your home. If there is no way to stop your dog from having the run of the house, you can go so far as to attach a leash to his collar and tie the other end to your waist so your dog has to stay at your side wherever you go in the house. This is a highly recommended procedure for undisciplined puppies, especially puppies that are not house trained.

  4. Right now is the perfect time to start teaching your dog basic obedience behaviors. As your dog learns to sit, come, stay, and lie down on signal, many of the problems you are having will begin to disappear on their own. As your dog learns that he works for you, he will gain more respect for your wishes, and you’ll see the bad behavior melt away. Take a look at the book: “Let the Dog Decide” by Dale Stavroff. it is the best book, among thousands on dog training, that I have found.

  Thank you for taking the time to talk to me. I really appreciate it. Let me know how it’s going with your dog from time to time. I’m here to help.

  Your Friend,
  Jeff Kanarish
  Asmalldog.com

  P.S. I’m going to post my reply to your comment at my website so others can follow along.
• Haley says:

  December 17, 2009 at 8:36 pm

  I have a miniature schnauzer who is a runt, and she is awful. She barks at absolutely everything. In fact, she is barking right now. She relentlessly barks at my friends and takes everything they do as a cue to keep barking. I have no clue how to stop it; it drives me insane.
• Anonymous says:

  January 25, 2010 at 3:04 pm

  hey i need help with my dog he does have small dog syndrome he barks at everybody and snaps at them when they come in like he doesnt stop i have to put him in my bedroom when ppl come over bc he doesnt stop barking at him. his name is charlie he is part beagel,yorky and chihuahua. if some one could help me out i would appreciate it.
• JOdy says:

  April 5, 2010 at 11:45 am

  I am having a large problem with small dog syndrome. I was given a shuit-zue about 2 1/2 years ago. The dog was 5 at the time. We also have another dog a bichon-shuit-zue who is a year younger than this dog that was also given to us and was abused before we got her. OUr purebread Buttercup has small dog syndrome. I’ve been reading several articles but I need to know what to do about her. I’m also to the point of having to put her down. She shakes, she has breathing problems. When we get mad at her its like she has a different side to her and is very aggressive. I couldn’t even sleep last night as she wanted to sleep right on me and right on my head. My spouse recently moved out of the house 2 months ago and I’m wondering if this affects the dogs also. But I’ve been the only one sleeping in my bed for 3 years now. I’m just wondering what I can do with her. I’m ready to give up but she has her loving moments but my son 11yrs and I are afraid of this dog alone with sheeba the other dog. Also when Sheeba gets in trouble “mother hen” attacks her. That would be buttercups nickname. Also buttercup was never neutered? female. She is currently sitting at my feet. I just need some desperate help before I lose it and my son is going to have to go through another lose. Thanks
• Jazmine says:

  June 11, 2010 at 12:39 am

  I have a six month old Jack Russel and i know he is a high energy dog, my problem with him is recent. He follows commands and learns new ones very quickly but lately he has regressed he still follows all the old ones like sit, stay and lay down. but for the life of me he will not come at all I even was out looking for him one night because he got out and ran away from home. He also has started to potty in the house, he was potty trained and would only go outside he would even tell you he had to by going to the door he still does but he likes to pee on the bed etc he especially likes to pee in other people’s house, i know part of this is because he isn’t fixed and he is six months old but my main concern is getting him to come.
• Nick says:

  June 22, 2010 at 8:04 pm

  This is a wonderful article. Many people view small dogs as “yappy” or annoying. People need to understand why small dogs act in a manner of aggression in order to prevent such behavior. Comprehending the notion of wolfs or dogs in the wild in regards to the way they hunt and survive (in packs) is critical when dealing with small dog syndrome. Small dogs need guidence from their owners in order to feel safe and secure. Another example of small dog syndrome that others may relate to is scenario such as this:

  Growing up I recall an elderly woman who lived in my neighborhood that owned a small dog (a dachsund). From time to time, my grandmother (who was friends with this woman) would take me along to her house. Her little dachsund was extremely feisty toward me in addition to barking excessively and acting overly hyper. Looking back at the situation, this dog felt as if he was in complete control. He would not listen to her or anyone else, unless of course food was involved. Clearly, this woman did not show this little dog that she was in control and as a result he felt threatened by anyone he did not feel comfortable around. This is a perfect example of small dog syndrome.

  Remember, when purchasing a small dog it is vital to educate yourself with issues such as small dog syndrome so that you can prevent this behavior before it takes place. Moreover, choosing the right small dog for you and your lifestyle is highly recommended and requires research of the different types of small dogs.

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