Are you debating whether to welcome a small or large dog into your home? There are plenty of reasons to choose a small dog, especially if you’re weighing the pros and cons between a little lapdog and a larger breed.
While big dogs have their merits (like doubling as home security systems and winter blankets), small dogs pack an enormous amount of personality into their tiny frames. Here’s why going small might be your most significant decision ever.
1. Your Vacuum Cleaner Will Send You a Thank You Card
Big dogs shed like they’re trying to create a sibling out of their fur. Small dogs, on the other hand, produce what experts call “micro-floof” – just enough hair to remind you they exist but not enough to knit yourself a sweater every week. Your vacuum cleaner, previously contemplating early retirement, will suddenly have a manageable workload.
2. Trip Hazards That Bark
Ever wanted to improve your agility and spatial awareness? Small dogs are nature’s living, breathing obstacle course. They’ll silently teleport beneath your feet at the exact moment you’re carrying something valuable or hot. It’s like having a personal trainer who occasionally pees on your carpet when it rains.
3. Purse-Sized Emotional Support
Why settle for anxiety medication when you can carry a live, furry therapist in your bag? Small dogs are the only pets that can accompany you to the grocery store disguised as an unusually wiggly scarf. Try doing that with a German Shepherd, and you’ll be on the local news.
4. Save Money on Dog Costumes
Let’s be honest – half the joy of having a dog is dressing them in ridiculous outfits. The smaller the dog, the cheaper the fabric. You can transform your Chihuahua into a dinosaur, superhero, or hot dog for the price of a large coffee. That same costume for a Great Dane would require a small loan and possibly engineering expertise.
5. Dinner Table Ninjas
Small dogs have mastered the art of begging without begging. They don’t rudely place their chin on your table like bigger dogs. Instead, they perfect the distant, soulful gaze that somehow makes food leap from your plate directly into their mouths. It’s a paranormal phenomenon scientists still can’t explain.
6. Bed Space Negotiators
Large dogs view your bed as communal property where they deserve at least 80% of the real estate. While equally entitled, small dogs require less square footage to achieve maximum comfort – usually directly on your pillow, around your head, like a breathing hat you never asked for.
7. Travel-Friendly Companions
If you’ve listed reasons to choose a small dog, don’t overlook their ability to sneak into your heart (and carry-on luggage).
Airlines charge by weight, but happiness is measured in barks per minute. Your small dog can fit under the airplane seat, providing emotional support throughout your flight without the exorbitant pet fees. Meanwhile, owners of larger dogs are filling out paperwork to ship their beloved pets as “unusually furry luggage.”
8. Olympic-Level Athleticism in Miniature Form
Small dogs can reach speeds and heights that defy the laws of physics. Watching a 7-pound Papillon bounce off furniture like they’ve discovered a gravitational glitch is entertainment you can’t get from larger, more dignified breeds who respect things like “personal space” and “Newton’s laws of motion.”
9. Selective Hearing in Compact Form
All dogs come equipped with selective hearing, but small dogs have perfected this skill to an art form. Their ears work perfectly when you whisper “treat” from three blocks away but mysteriously malfunction when you say “stop barking” directly into them. It’s not disobedience; it’s a sound filtration system that prioritizes snack-related vocabulary.
10. Delusions of Grandeur Make Great Entertainment
Perhaps the greatest joy of small dog ownership is watching a 4-pound fluffball confidently challenge a 100-pound Rottweiler at the dog park. This unshakeable belief that they are wolf-sized creates moments of comedy gold that big dog owners don’t experience.
Big Reasons to Choose a Small Dog
Ultimately, choosing a small dog means signing up for a life where a creature weighing less than your laptop will somehow take over your entire home, schedule, and heart. They may be small in stature, but they’re giants in attitude, affection, and ability to find that spot on your carpet to have an “accident” right before company arrives.
Whether you’re looking to save on dog food or need a companion to fit in a tote bag, small dogs offer considerable benefits in tiny packages. Just remember – what they lack in size, they make up for in their unshakeable belief that they are, in fact, the center of the universe. And after a few weeks with your new small dog, you’ll probably agree.
Need advice on picking the perfect pup for your lifestyle? Contact us here and we’d be happy to help guide you to your ideal furry friend!